WHO CAN RESPOND TO THE CALL FOR CHALLENGES AND/OR PROJECT IDEAS?

Only researchers and innovators working at WAITRO member organizations can submit challenges and/or project ideas. Are you not sure if you are a WAITRO member? Please check the list of WAITRO members. If your research and technology organization is not a member yet, learn more about WAITRO membership and how to become a member.

HOW DO I SUBMIT MY CHALLENGE AND/OR PROJECT IDEA?

WAITRO encourages researchers and innovators to submit their challenge and/or project idea directly on SAIRA (www.saira.eco). If you need assistance, please contact d.reinertz@waitro.org or a.wohlrab@waitro.org

CAN I SUBMIT MORE THAT ONE CHALLENGE AND/OR PROJECT IDEA?

Yes, you can post as many water-related challenges or project ideas as you want. However, we request you not to post any challenges or project ideas unless you actually plan to collaborate on them and intend to implement them.

ARE THERE ANY COSTS?

Sending challenges and/or project ideas as well as using WAITRO’s innovation platform SAIRA is free of charge for researchers and innovators working at WAITRO member organizations.

WHAT IS SAIRA?

SAIRA is WAITRO’s innovation platform that aims at connecting researchers and innovators of WAITRO member organizations.

WHY WAITRO USES SAIRA FOR THIS CALL FOR CHALLENGES AND/OR PROJECT IDEAS?

Through SAIRA, WAITRO’s new collaborative approach offers every single researcher and employee of WAITRO’s member organizations opportunities to benefit from their membership.

HOW DO I UPLOAD MY CHALLENGE OR PROJECT IDEA?

Please consider the manual. If you still have any questions, please contact the WAITRO Secretariat.

WHO WILL SEE MY CHALLENGE OR PROJECT IDEA?

Your challenges and/or project ideas will be visible to other researchers and innovators working at WAITRO member organizations only.

CAN I UPLOAD NON-WATER-RELATED CHALLLENGE OR PROJECT IDEAS?

SAIRA is not only for the submission of water-related challenges and/or project ideas. WAITRO researchers and innovators can use SAIRA free of charge for challenges and/or project ideas in any research areas.

WHAT IS A CALL FOR CALL FOR TECHNOLOGIES AND PARTNERS?

A call for CALL FOR TECHNOLOGIES AND PARTNERS issued by WAITRO is an opportunity for member organizations to propose solutions or contributions in a specified research area (s). All calls have a specific focus, requirements and deadlines that have to be adhered to prior to submitting an application. The WAITRO INNOVATION CHALLENGE 2020 is a call for water or water-related CHALLENGES AND/OR PROJECT IDEAS and is a starting point for an applying RTO to initiate a collaboration with WAITRO member(s) to jointly work on a specific solution/idea.

WHY DO I NEED A PARTNER?

WAITRO facilitates action-oriented science, technology and innovation partnerships among members that contribute to sustainable development. That’s why you need to find a research partner for your challenge and/or project idea. On WAITRO’s innovation platform SAIRA, researchers from around the globe are able to respond to your challenges and/or project ideas.

HOW TO BUILD PROJECT TEAMS

After the submission of challenges and/or project ideas, researchers from around the world (WAITRO members) will be able respond to submitted challenges and/or ideas. The matchmaking takes places on SAIRA.

WHAT PROJECT PROPOSALS SHOULD LOOK LIKE

Together with the new partner, researchers develop a joint project proposal. WAITRO fosters applied research and innovation that is conducted to answer practical questions and address water-related challenges that help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Project proposals should focus on an intended outcome that is specific and measurable.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The WAITRO Innovation Award provides (pre-seed) funding for project related activities. WAITRO acknowledges two outstanding project proposals in the field of innovation and supports their implementation through monetary prizes of US$ 25,000. The WAITRO Innovation Award 2020 will reward project proposals focusing on solving water-related challenges around the globe.

BENEFITS 

While we do not expect that 25,000 USD will take a project to completion, this source of seed-funding should enable you to get your project off the ground. Selected project teams will receive publicity on WAITRO’s website and the opportunity to promote their idea to stakeholders from the scientific and technological research community, the industry, and government and non-governmental organizations at the WAITRO Global Innovation Summit 2020 in Pretoria, South Africa.

On the road to South Africa, project teams will get the chance to participate in a series of tailored training opportunities and discuss their ideas during face-to-face meetings. Winners of the awards will be invited to present the evolution of their project after two years at the next WAITRO Global Innovation Summit in 2022.

We encourage all qualified applicants of the WAITRO Innovation award to participate at the Global Innovation Summit, including those who are not shortlisted for a presentation at the conference. They will receive a 50% discount on the participation fee of the WAITRO Global Innovation Summit 2020.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS  

Applications will be reviewed by a judging committee of experts. If you are selected to pitch, you will present your project to the public. Therefore, please ensure that you do not include any information you want to keep confidential, in your presentation.

TEAMING UP ON SAIRA IS A PREREQUISITE FOR YOUR APPLICATION. Learn more about the  GUIDELINES AND TERMS of the WAITRO Innovation Award.

WHAT TO EXPECT?

A detailed needs assessment will be conducted with each of the applicants (project teams). The specific support received depends on the individual needs of the shortlisted projects teams. WAITRO will organize workshops for project teams to help them turn their project proposals into reality. Furthermore, WAITRO will enable face-to-face meetings in target countries to bring project teams one step closer to the implementation of their proposal.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

WAITRO gives project teams the opportunity to elevate their project proposals to the next level by providing a chance to meet in person and enabling them to receive mentoring from experienced coaches and experts. Project teams can as a result refine their project proposals, verify their feasibility and learn how to pitch their project proposals.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Only applicants for the WAITRO Innovation Award are eligible to participate in WAITRO workshops & face-to-face meetings. WAITRO Workshops are organized by the WAITRO Secretariat. Travel (economy class) and accommodation costs of participants will be  covered by WAITRO. The event location and time will be announced in May 2020. The workshop language will be English. Each member organization may send up to two project team members to represent the project and meet with team members of the partner organization to further develop their joint proposal.

WHAT IS THE WAITRO GLOBAL INNOVATION SUMMIT?

The WAITRO Global Innovation Summit 2020 is a conference where people from around the world will come together to discuss water-related challenges, share knowledge and best practices, and collaboratively develop innovative solutions, while striving to jointly work to implement these solutions and achieve maximum impact.

The WAITRO Global Innovation Summit offers various opportunities to attract financial resources for the implementation of project proposals. Aside from innovative input from presentations, pitches, speeches, and workshops, attendees can expect discussions, new ideas and many opportunities to get to know other WAITRO members, investors and representatives of the industry.

WHEN WILL THE WAITRO GLOBAL INNOVATION SUMMIT 2020 TAKE PLACE?

07 and 08 December 2020

WHERE WILL THE WAITRO GLOBAL INNOVATION SUMMIT 2020 TAKE PLACE?

CSIR Convention Center in Pretoria, South Africa

WHAT TO EXPECT?

On the first day, finalists will pitch their project proposals to the audience. The pitch will comprise of a pitch deck presentation (max. 5 minutes) and a 3-minute Q&A-Session. Onthe second day, two winning innovative project proposals will be awarded 25,000 USD.

WILL WAITRO COVER THE COSTS?

Round trip economy flights and hotel accommodation will be provided for finalists based outside Pretoria.  Travel (economy class) and accommodation expenses for finalists (two representatives of project teams) that present their projects at the WAITRO Global Innovation Summit will be covered by WAITRO. Finalists are not required to pay the participation fee.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Gain visibility, make new connections, present your project proposals and win the WAITRO Innovation Award. Receive US$ 25,000 for project related activities!

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The presentation at the WAITRO Innovation Summit has to be given in English.