South Africa is urbanising rapidly, with 67% of South Africans already living in urban areas. This statistic is set to rise to 71%by 2030.
By 2050 it is expected that eight in 10 people will be living in towns and cities, putting significant pressure on the ability of municipalities like Stellenbosch to provide adequate access to basic infrastructure and resources.
In preparing Stellenbosch for this growth the Stellenbosch Network, in partnership with the Sustainability Institute and Department of Science and Innovation’s Regional Innovation Support Programme (RSIP), announced the launch of its third annual #IdeasForChange Challenge this week.
The competition seeks to uncover and support the development of innovative ideas, business models and technology with the potential to improve citizens’ quality of life, lessen the social and environmental impact of rapid urban development, and enhance the sustainability of local ecosystems on which Stellenbosch is dependent.
The Sustainability Institute’s Sam Hale said: “Globally, we are facing a host of complex problems, some of which include ecosystem degradation, climate change, inequality, food insecurity and overconsumption of natural materials. These issues describe an extremely unequal, urbanised world that is dependent on depleting resources, with the list of resultant threats growing.
“These threats are highly significant for South Africa, facing some of the worst inequality in the world and an economy rooted in fossil fuels. The future of Stellenbosch needs to be shaped by this global and local context to not only become more resilient against unexpected change but active in contributing to a more equitable and generative development pathway for SA.”
To this end, Stellenbosch Network invites residents Stellenbosch and its surrounds to submit their innovative ideas towards making the Eikestad a more sustainable city. Entrants stand a chance to win their share of R30 000 in cash prizes and gain access to a Value Proposition Masterclass to help bring the idea to life.
Specifically, applications should present a solution to an existing problem that Stellenbosch faces, which may reflect a global or national challenge such as food security, energy and poverty. Innovative ideas will be awarded for being integrative and for cross-cutting problem areas.
“The aim of this year’s #IdeasForChange Challenge is to stimulate Stellenbosch’s entrepreneurship and innovation culture to get people thinking about sustainable solutions that have the potential to become actual products to mitigate the effects of climate change,” said Hanli Brink, operations manager at Stellenbosch Network.
“It’s about local people solving local problems. As a cross-sector and interdisciplinary membership organisation that brings people from industry, government, society and academia together, we can take the winning idea and use our connections to help it materialise and benefit those who need it most.”
The challenge is open to residents aged 18 years and older. Entries close on Friday 8 July. Submit your idea via http://bit.ly/ideasforchange2022.
. For more information, go to www.stellenboschnetwork.co.za.
