The uYilo eMobility Programme has started submissions for the 2022 uYilo Kick Start Fund, which will provide grant financing of up to R1 million ($63k) to e-mobility start-ups and related initiatives.

The uYilo Electric Mobility Programme was launched in 2013 as a multi-stakeholder collaborative effort to enable, facilitate, and mobilize electric mobility in South Africa.

Here Is What You Need To Know

• The programme is a project of the Technology Innovation Agency, which is a government agency under the Department of Science and Innovation.

• The European Union provided multimillion-rand financing to the program last month, which would be used to empower and mobilize electric mobility across Africa.

• The uYilo Kick Start Fund was established in 2014 as part of uYilo’s purpose to assist the development of e-mobility-related products and services by offering an agile mechanism to fund applied research and development to enable, facilitate, and accelerate e-mobility in South Africa.

“The development of a local e-mobility value-chain is the key outcome of the uYilo Kick Start Fund initiative,” says uYilo director Hiten Parmar.

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“The uYilo Kick Start Fund focuses on accelerating existing research and development to the level where they can be commercialised into the market. It provides support for local products and services, along with developing skillsets so South Africa can use its own resources to build an electric vehicle industry with expanding opportunities for export while creating local employment.”

• The grant money will go toward applied research that will improve technical readiness and contribute to the development of commercially viable goods, processes, or services to help SA’s e-mobility industry grow.

Which Projects Are Eligible To Apply

• According to the organization, all initiatives in the e-mobility ecosystem and value chain are welcome to apply; each will be reviewed based on certain criteria and then managed throughout the development process to meet a set of milestones in order to achieve a successful end.

• Battery systems, charging solutions, motors, inverters, remote monitoring systems, and electric cars have all been previously funded projects. Project proposals will be assessed against the required criteria, and those that are selected will be required to meet a set of milestones during the project development process.

• According to Parmar, international market shifts in the adoption of internal combustion engines (ICE) have brought attention to South Africa’s need to transition to an electric transportation future, with governments setting timelines for allowing ICE vehicles into city centers.

“We need to become part of the future and have the opportunity to become a leader in e-mobility in Africa. The uYilo Kick Start Fund is part of helping local companies realise the future and become globally competitive with local innovation,” adds Parmar.

How To Apply

Before the deadline of noon on January 31, project applications must be completed and sent to info@uYilo.org.za.

Visit the uYilo website for further information on application forms and other essential documentation.

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To be considered for financing, applications must be received by noon on January 31. After that, each candidate will be examined for shortlisting to pitching sessions before final contracting for funding.

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Charles Rapulu Udoh

Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer who has advised startups across Africa on issues such as startup funding (Venture Capital, Debt financing, private equity, angel investing etc), taxation, strategies, etc. He also has special focus on the protection of business or brands’ intellectual property rights ( such as trademark, patent or design) across Africa and other foreign jurisdictions.
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