Engineers! Are you frustrated by lack of investment into individuals with brilliant ideas? Got a plan that could right some of the very many wrongs faced in one simple blow, but struggling to find someone who’ll give you enough cash to get started?

Then the UK based Royal Academy of Engineering is looking for you. The ancient institute is putting up money to award one talented – and lucky – African entrepreneur a straight £25 000 first prize (R446 000) as part of its Africa Prize for Engineering and Innovation.

And that’s not even the best bit. An undefined number of shortlisted entrants will receive six months of intensive training and support for turning their idea into business before the winner is chosen.

What the academy is looking for is engineers from all disciplines who are currently connected to universities or research institutions, who can “innovative solutions to their country’s challenges“.

The judging panel is being led by Liesbeth Botha from the South African Centre  for Scientific and Industrial Research.

From the press release:

Engineers from all disciplines are invited to submit innovations with a social, economic or environmental benefit. Entries must be early-stage innovations which have the potential to be scaled-up and are ready for commercialisation. The deadline for entries is Friday 30 May 2014.

A shortlist of entrants will benefit from six months of extensive mentoring, training and support in commercialising their innovation. The overall winner will receive £25,000 and there will be an exhibition of all finalists’ entries.

The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation is supported by the Shell Centenary Scholarship Fund, Consolidated Contractors Company, ConocoPhilips and the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.

You can find out more (including entry forms) at the competition website here.