Modiragatsi

Modiragatsi 2022

Are you a High School learner looking at the world around you and imagining ways in which you can make it better? If so, why not enter our Modiragatsi innovation competition, to stand a chance to win an all-expenses-paid overseas technology tour! Modiragatsi is an innovation competition for the youth that is hosted by the NWU Business School, in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering and sponsored by merSETA.

All you need is an idea - an idea that will solve a problem in your community. This year, there are 6 exciting categories in which you may enter... Once you have identified the problem and your solution, make a short video to explain it to us and submit it along with the online entry form. - it's that easy! You don't need a working prototype - you just need an idea.

All semi-finalists will be hosted online, once a week, for 12 weeks (Starting 7 March 2022), for a mentorship programme to develop their idea. This is an opportunity not only to solve a problem in your own community but also to gain new skills in Product Development and Problem Solving through Design Thinking, Mobile App Development, and then how to build a business around that product. Teams will submit a final report and video at the end of the mentorship programme that will be used to select the winning team.

You can enter either as an individual or a team of 2, but at least one of the team members must identify as female. Teams entering should preferably have a teacher entering with them who is willing to act as a mentor during the 12 weeks and as guardian to the winners during the trip abroad.

Applications close on 25 March 2022. The mentoring programme for the semi-finalist teams will take place in a zero-rated online format from April 2022 with the final presentations being due on 25 July 2022. The winners will be announced at our annual Femmegineering Event on 9 August 2022.

How to Enter

1. Individuals or teams of two (2) may enter with a teacher from their school.
2. Start by identifying a problem in your community that you think can be solved by means of a mobile phone app or electronic product in one of these 6 categories: :
a. Food security, Energy and Water
b. Township Economy
c. Gender Based Violence Prevention
d. Safety and Security
e. Healthcare (including Mental Health)
f. Education
3. Create a short (2-minute) video or 15 slides to explain the background to the problem, the problem statement and your idea that will be a solution.
4. Write a summary paragraph explaining the background to the problem, the problem statement and your solution to the problem in approximately 350 words.

 

Competition Dates

Applications will close at midnight on 25 March  2022
The mentoring programme for semi-finalist teams will take place in an online format from  April 2022 with the final presentations being due at midnight on 25 July 2022.
The winners will be announced at our annual Femmegineering Event on 9 August 2022.
The winners trip, facilitated by SIEMENS, will coincide with the Smart Production Solutions(SPS) Fair in Nuremberg, Germany in early November of 2022.

Competition Rules

  1. Entries can be individual or in teams of 2.
  2. At least 1 of the team members should identify as female.
  3. At least one team member is required to have both Mathematics & Physical Science as school subjects.
  4. A teacher may enter with more than one team from the same school
  5. Signed consent should be given from the parents/legal guardians to participate in the competition and all the related activities.

Additional Information Downloads

Please ensure you have read and completed the following documents:

  1. Project Outline
  2. Info Sheet
  3. Indemnity Form

Submit project

Please submit your finished project here.

Contact us

If you require any additional information, please contact us via email: modiragatsi@nwu.ac.za or WhatsApp: +27828785894