Deadline: 20-Nov-2025
The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), together with the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), is inviting eligible implementing agents to apply for funding to establish a new Living Lab in the Namakwa Digital Hub, located in the Namakwa District of the Northern Cape.
This initiative forms part of the DSTI Living Labs Programme, which aims to promote local innovation ecosystems that drive community-focused development and create sustainable economic opportunities.
Applicants must demonstrate a strong track record of working with communities and delivering Innovation Support Programmes (ISP). They must also show capability in developing ICT-based or context-specific innovative solutions that support local economic growth. Successful applicants should have proven experience in facilitating collaboration among local stakeholders, including government structures, academia, community groups, enterprises, and innovators. Only organizations operating within the Northern Cape province are eligible, and entities already receiving support under the Living Labs Pilot Programme are excluded.
The programme offers grant funding up to R3.5 million for a project duration of up to 24 months. The funding will support an ISP focused on at least 35 local economic development (LED) innovations, with the requirement that 80% of beneficiaries be youth, 50% women, and 5% persons with disabilities. While funding will cover support for 30 innovators, the implementing agent must secure co-funding to support five additional innovators. The Living Lab must also apply the quadruple-helix innovation model, involving government, academia, industry, and communities to co-create five systemic or spatial local economic development solutions, again with shared co-funding responsibility.
Funding may not be used for activities outside of innovation support. This includes general operational or training activities unrelated to the program, research projects, bursaries, standard office equipment, and large infrastructure investments such as buildings or ICT network installations. Only specialized equipment essential to innovation activities may be considered.
This initiative offers a meaningful opportunity to establish a collaborative innovation space in the Namakwa region, empowering local communities, nurturing youth-led innovation, and strengthening the district’s innovation ecosystem. By fostering partnerships and harnessing local knowledge, the Living Lab is intended to stimulate sustainable economic development and support community-driven progress.
For more information, visit Technology Innovation Agency.
