Winners of Innovation Prize for Africa announced

The African Innovation Foundation (AIF) has announced the winners of the Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA), the top innovators on the continent creating solutions to Africa's everyday challenges through a practical approach to entrepreneurship.

Dr. Nicolaas Duneas and Nuno Pires (South Africa)’s Altis Osteogenic Bone Matrix (Altis OBM) won USD 100,000 for creating the first injectable porcine derived BMP medical device in the world – an innovative product for the treatment of bone injuries and voids through the use of a regenerative biological implant.

In addition, the IPA announced two runners-up. The innovation with the best business potential went to Logou Minsob, from Togo, who created a food processor manufactured in Togo and is designed to replace the mortar and pestles (carved wood), used to prepare Foufou, a popular dish in West Africa.

The special prize for the innovation with the best social impact was awarded to Melesse Temesgen from Ethiopia for inventing a low-cost farming device that is used to easily drain excess water from waterlogged fields. It is the only known effective device that is capable of creating drainage furrows for excess water while building a broad bed for planting. Each runner-up received USD 25,000.