Applications for the National Cleantech Innovation Challenge (NCIC) 2026 have closed with over 2000 innovators, entrepreneurs and researchers who showed interest across the country. This was in response to the call for solutions to nine challenges spanning energy instability, water insecurity, climate-stressed agriculture, rising waste, and logistics inefficiencies.
“We’re excited by entries and this diverse level of response that tells “Innovation is not confined to the big cities but from every province where entrepreneurs are demonstrating an understanding of the challenges their communities face and are actively working to build solutions.”
Led by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), in partnership with national and regional innovation stakeholders, NCIC is a national-led initiative that connects the right innovators directly with real-world challenges. Deeply defined, the process was designed to ensure solutions are technically viable and grounded in local needs and conditions.
Submissions came from across urban centres, rural communities and emerging innovation hubs, pointing to an ecosystem that is becoming more inclusive, more representative and more responsive to South Africa’s realities.
With applications now closed, a rigorous evaluation process will run till 30 May where judges will identify three semi-finalists per provincial challenge. These semi-finalists will then move forward to the NCIC Provincial Awards on 30 June 2026, where the top nine national entrants from provinces will be announced. Only then will the competition conclude with the National Awards in August 2026.
In the run up to the awards, the NCIC will continue to advance cleantech entrepreneurial growth in numerous ways. Capacity-building sessions like AI Optimisation for the Modern Entrepreneur taking place on 30 April and 5 May will help equip participants with the tools, insights and networks they need to turn their cleantech solution into a scalable business.
Through its alignment with the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP), implemented in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), NCIC connects local innovators to a global network of expertise, funding pathways and collaboration opportunities.
While the initiative is a proud component of a global transition and forms part of the GCIP network of hubs, the execution is deeply rooted in South African soil. Implemented by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) an agency for the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), we are leveraging a powerful network of provincial incubators, accelerators, technology stations and innovation hubs that forms part of the hubs and spoke model curated by TIA to enable innovations and cleantech entrepreneurship.
“We are beyond excited to be working with these networks of intermediaries in the cleantech ecosystem. We hope these cleantech solutions can also contribute to create jobs, boost local economies and benefits South Africans.
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