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Call for Innovations: Ideathon Challenge on Lesotho STEAM Conference

Deadline: 13-Jun-25

To support the development efforts exerted through its programmatic portfolios, UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Information, Communications, Science, Technology, and Innovations (MICSTI) will host the third STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) initiative in Lesotho, as a strategic platform for facilitating policy dialogues to promote national capacities in STEAM, expose and inspire innovations and creativity, as well as mobilize investment to transform emerging ideas into prototypes and full products.

The initiative aims to connect with existing public and private initiatives that promote and mobilize local innovations and creative capacities in Lesotho. Furthermore, the STEAM initiative is a baseline of innovations and ideas aimed at addressing Lesotho’s emerging development issues with specific focus on the use of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) with the Lesotho University Innovation Pod (Unipod) providing the space for taking forward these innovations.

Prize Information
  • The prizes will be awarded as follows:
    • Lesotho 2025 STEAM initiative Awards: 15 Lesotho STEAM winners will be awarded.
    • The Lesotho 2025 STEAM initiative Awards will include the following:
    • An all-inclusive sponsorship to the Youth Connekt Africa Summit for winning STEAM innovators in all categories. This category applies only to youth participants (16 – 35)
    • Cash prizes: Cash prize for Winners to facilitate development and testing of their innovations/ideas
      • US$5,000.00 for the Lesotho STEAM Best Innovator
      • US$3,000 for winner number 2
      • US$2,500 for winner numbers 3, 4 and 5
      • US$1,000 for winners’ numbers 6 to 15
    • Mentorship support and business incubation for all shortlisted innovations through the Lesotho UniPod and partners to refine their innovations/ideas, prototype and linkage to industry.
Eligibility Criteria
  • The call for innovations is targeted at all Lesotho residents.
  • Location: interested innovators may be from any of the 10 districts of Lesotho.
  • Organization: The innovators may apply either as individuals, partnerships, or companies.
  • Women, youth, and persons with disabilities as well as their related organizations are encouraged to apply.
  • Applicants must be 16 years of age and above
  • Specific requirements:
    • In-school innovators 
      • UNDP invites innovative solutions and ideas from students in the Institutions of Higher Learning, in STEAM categories, and addressing development challenges.
      • This category includes all students in Lesotho universities, technical/TVET schools, colleges and high schools.
    • Out-of-school innovators 
      • UNDP invites all interested Basotho to submit innovative solutions/ideas to address development challenges and promote transformation in NSDP II priorities.
    • All applicants must be proficient in either Sesotho and/or English languages and be able to present their ideas to different audiences and platforms.

For more information, visit UNDP.