Stage 01
Submit
Send your idea, sketch, video or prototype online, on a basic phone connection or through WhatsApp.
SafeguardA dated, private record of your submission.
African invention, carried to market.
Submit an idea or a prototype at no cost. We help you protect it, build it and bring it to the investors and markets that can carry it worldwide.
A modern African business districtAI-generated image
A modern African business districtYoung professionals building Africa's futureA university campus, where ideas beginInventor AI: helping reviewers, never replacing themAn inventor presents to investorsStudents building a robotic prototypeFig. 1 · An invention takes shapeThe skyline of a continent on the riseFrom drawing to inventionA young inventor and her prototypeSheet 1 of 14 · OverviewAF-2026-001
A virtual invention house for a whole continent.
Kuumba is Swahili for “creativity”. Swahili is an official working language of the African Union.
Africa Inventions is a virtual invention house for young inventors in all 54 African countries and across the diaspora. Submit an idea or a prototype at no cost. We help you protect it, build it, test it and meet the investors who can take it to markets worldwide.
Fee to inventorNone
Countries54 + diaspora
LanguagesEN · FR · PT
Stages8, idea to market
OwnershipStays with you
Protection routesOAPI · ARIPO · PCT
We earnOnly after you do
StatusFounding cohort forming
Sheet 2 of 14 · Who we areAF-2026-002
Who we are and what we do.
Africa Inventions brings together inventors' advocates, patent professionals, engineers, investors and diaspora mentors who share one conviction: Africa's next industries will be built by its own inventors.
Who we are
We are builders, not promoters. Launched in 2026 and coordinated from Long Beach, California, with partners being invited across the continent, Africa Inventions exists because talent is spread evenly across Africa while access to patents, workshops and capital is not. Our work is to close that gap, one inventor and one country at a time, and to earn nothing until the inventors we serve succeed.
What we do
- DiscoverWe find inventors and creators in all 54 countries and across the diaspora, online, by WhatsApp and through local hubs.
- ProtectWe guide every invention to the right protection route and help cover official filing fees.
- BuildWe connect inventors with workshops, universities and engineers to build, test and certify their prototypes.
- ConnectWe introduce inventions to investors, manufacturers and first buyers, in Africa and worldwide.
- CelebrateWe honour the inventors moving their countries forward through the Africa Inventions Prize and Crown the Creators.
Films
Film coming soon
Film coming soon
Film coming soon
Sheet 3 of 14 · From the Stone Age to AIAF-2026-003
From the Stone Age to artificial intelligence, invention leads the way.
Invention is how humankind has survived, adapted and prospered: from the first stone tools, made in Africa more than three million years ago, to the artificial intelligence of today. Africa has always been part of that story. With the right support and networks, its young inventors can help lead the next chapter.
Invention is how nations rise.
- An idea
- A prototype
- A factory
- Jobs and skills
- A stronger country
- Progress for humankind
One invention, carried to market, becomes a company. A company creates jobs and skills. Jobs build stronger countries, and stronger countries move all of humankind forward.
The path of human progress
- About 3.3 million years agoThe first stone tools
Found at Lomekwi in Kenya, they are the oldest tools known. The story of human invention begins in Africa.
Born in Africa - About 1 million years agoMastering fire
Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa holds some of the earliest evidence that our ancestors controlled fire.
Born in Africa - About 20,000 years agoThe Ishango bone
Found in today's Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is often described as one of humankind's oldest mathematical tools.
Born in Africa - About 10,000 years agoFarming
Growing crops and raising animals allowed settled communities, and later cities, to grow.
- About 3200 BCEWriting
Egyptian hieroglyphs are among the world's earliest writing systems.
Born in Africa - From about 500 BCENok iron-working
Communities in today's Nigeria smelted iron, among the earliest iron-working in West Africa.
Born in Africa - 13th to 17th centuriesThe manuscripts of Timbuktu
Scholars in Mali wrote and copied works on astronomy, mathematics, medicine and law.
Born in Africa - 1440sThe printing press
Books could be copied quickly, and knowledge spread faster than ever before.
- 18th and 19th centuriesSteam and electricity
Engines and electric power transformed how people live, work and travel.
- 1990sThe internet
Computers around the world connected, and information became available to billions.
- 2007Mobile money in Kenya
M-Pesa let millions of people send and save money by phone, a model now studied around the world.
Born in Africa - TodayArtificial intelligence
Machines that learn now assist discovery, from medicine to climate research.
- NextAfrica's inventors
With the right support and networks, Africa can help lead what comes next. Africa Inventions exists to build that support.
Scroll to follow the path →
Ideas are Africa's most renewable resource.
A continent of creators
With the commitment of governments, civil society and every African woman and man, and with strong support networks behind them, Africa can take a leading role in the next age of invention. We are a continent of creators and inventors.
- Governments
Policies, patent offices and public purchasing that back local invention.
- Civil society
Schools, universities, associations and media that celebrate the people who build.
- Every African woman and man
Ideas, talent and the courage to try, in every country and across the diaspora.
- Strong support networks
Investors, mentors, manufacturers and partners who carry inventions to market.
Sheet 4 of 14 · Inventions UnleashedAF-2026-004
Inventions Unleashed.
Eight bold ideas to free Africa's inventive power, from the village workshop to the global market. Each one is designed to be piloted, measured and scaled across the continent.
- New ideaThe Invention Passport
One secure digital record for every inventor: dated submission, reviews, protection status and milestones. It travels with them across borders and opens doors with investors.
- New ideaMobile invention labs
Shipping containers fitted with 3D printers, small machine tools and solar power, touring towns and rural areas so that no idea is lost for lack of a workshop.
- New idea54 Challenges
Each year, every participating country sets one national challenge, in water, energy, food or health, and invites its inventors to solve it, with a first buyer ready.
- New ideaAdopt a Patent
Members of the diaspora sponsor the official filing fees of one invention from their country of origin, and follow its progress from patent to market.
- New ideaThe Pay It Forward Trust
A share of every success fee goes into a trust that funds the next cohort, so each inventor who succeeds lifts the ones who follow.
- New ideaThe Africa Invention Index
An annual public index of patents, prototypes, investment and support for inventors in each country, so that progress is measured and celebrated.
- New ideaInventor AI on WhatsApp
A multilingual assistant that answers inventors' first questions, explains protection in plain language and helps them prepare a strong submission, all from a basic phone.
- New ideaTraditional knowledge, protected
A registry, built with communities and with their consent, that helps protect traditional knowledge and ensures communities share in the value it creates.
Sheet 5 of 14 · CommitmentsAF-2026-005
Our claims, written the way patents are.
A patent ends with claims: precise statements of exactly what is protected. These are the commitments every inventor can hold us to.
- Submitting is free.No evaluation fees, no marketing packages and no upfront charges of any kind.
- We earn only after you do.A modest share of a licence or of a company you build, disclosed and agreed in writing before any deal is signed.
- Your invention stays yours.If we cannot help it reach the market, nothing changes hands and you are free to pursue any other route.
- Private by default.Nothing is shown to an investor or published without your explicit consent.
- Every answer is honest and written.Including "not yet", always with the next step you can take on your own.
- Our results are public.Each year we publish how many inventions were accepted, protected, funded and brought to market.
Sheet 6 of 14 · The routeAF-2026-006
Eight stages from idea to market.
Each invention moves at its own pace. Some will license to a manufacturer after stage five; others will grow into companies. Every stage has a safeguard for the inventor.
Stage 02
Evaluate
Independent reviewers assess novelty, feasibility and market need, and write up their findings for you.
SafeguardReviewers declare any conflict of interest.
Stage 03
Protect
Prior-art guidance, referral to pro bono patent help, and support with official filing fees.
SafeguardWe take no ownership at this stage.
Stage 04
Build
Prototype support through maker spaces, universities and engineering mentors near you.
SafeguardFunding released by milestone, not in one lump.
Stage 05
Validate
Real users test it. We help with pricing, standards and certification for your target markets.
SafeguardEvidence filed in your own data room.
Stage 06
Connect
Curated introductions to angels, funds, manufacturers and diaspora investors, plus showcase days.
SafeguardInvestors sign confidentiality terms first.
Stage 07
Commercialize
License it, start a company, or sign a supply agreement with a buyer: the route that fits.
SafeguardIndependent legal review of every contract.
Stage 08
Go global
Export readiness, distribution partners and online channels to reach buyers worldwide.
SafeguardLifelong access to the alumni network.
Sheet 7 of 14 · Who it servesAF-2026-007
Two sides of one table.
For inventors and creators
Talent is spread evenly across Africa. Access to patents, workshops and capital is not. That gap is what we close.
- Who can apply
- Inventors aged 16 to 35 (with a parent's consent under 18), working alone or in teams of up to five.
- Where from
- Any of the 54 African countries, or the African diaspora anywhere in the world.
- Stage
- From a first sketch to a working prototype already in use.
- Sectors
Keep the "how" private for now. In your first submission, describe the problem, who would buy the solution and what it does. Do not include the technical details of how it works until we have discussed protection with you.
Submit your inventionFor investors and partners
A screened pipeline of African inventions, each with the evidence investors look for before they commit.
- What you see
- Independent technical review, patent status and filing route, prototype evidence and market validation, organised in a data room.
- Who joins
- Angel investors, funds and development finance institutions, manufacturers seeking licences, diaspora investors and foundations.
- Ways to engage
- Our role
- Africa Inventions makes introductions. It does not hold investor funds, sell securities or give investment advice. Every investment is made directly between the parties under applicable law.
Sheet 8 of 14 · ProtectionAF-2026-008
Protecting an invention in Africa.
Africa has two regional patent systems alongside national offices. Choosing the right route early saves inventors money and time. We guide each inventor to the route that fits their market.
| Route | Coverage | How it works | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| OAPI | 17 member states, mainly French-speaking West and Central Africa | One filing gives protection in every member state at once. | Inventions aimed at francophone regional markets |
| ARIPO | Member states mainly in English- and Portuguese-speaking East and Southern Africa | One filing; the inventor chooses the member states to designate. | Selective protection across several anglophone and lusophone markets |
| National | Countries outside both systems, including Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt | A separate application with each national office. | Large single markets |
| PCT | Most countries worldwide | One international application that preserves the right to file in many countries later. | Inventions with export or licensing potential abroad |
The Patent Fee Fund
Official filing fees are the barrier most young inventors cannot cross, even when legal help is free. The Patent Fee Fund, financed by sponsors, will cover official fees for selected inventions. Sponsors can fund a single filing or an entire cohort.
Sheet 9 of 14 · The PrizeAF-2026-009
The Africa Inventions Prize.
Each year, every participating country names its Inventor of the Year: the person whose invention is doing most to move the country forward. The national winners then compete for the continental Africa Inventions Prize, presented on Africa Day, 25 May.
Stage oneNational rounds
Run with a partner university or innovation hub in each country, with a local jury.
Stage twoNational Inventors of the Year
One winner per country, celebrated at home and supported for a full year.
FinalThe continental Prize
Chosen from the national winners by a pan-African jury and presented on Africa Day.
Six categories
- Grand PrizeThe invention doing most to move its country and the continent forward.
- Young InventorFor inventors aged 16 to 21.
- Women in InventionHonouring women who build, and the girls who will follow them.
- Diaspora InventorAn invention built for African markets or produced in Africa.
- Made in AfricaLocal raw materials turned into finished products.
- People's ChoiceDecided by public vote.
The Impact Score
The Prize rewards real impact, not only a promising idea. Every entry is scored on five published criteria.
- Jobs created and people served30%
- Local materials and local manufacturing20%
- Ability to scale across borders20%
- Protection secured15%
- Integrity and willingness to mentor15%
Proposed weighting, to be finalised with the founding jury.
$50,000Continental winner
The Africa Inventions Prize, presented on Africa Day.
$10,000Each category winner
Six categories, decided at the continental final.
$2,500Each national winner
Plus full support through every stage of the programme.
More than a cheque
Multi-country patent filing paidPrototyping or manufacturing grantFront row at the investor showcaseA year of mentoringA documentary featureA trophy handmade by African artisansA year as national ambassador
No entry fee, ever. An independent jury drawn from all five regions of Africa declares any conflict of interest. Cash awards are paid partly on award and partly against milestones, so each prize builds a business. Award amounts are targets and will be confirmed as founding sponsors join.
NowFounding sponsors and national partners invited
Africa Day 2027Founding showcase of the first cohort
Africa Day 2028First full Prize and Creator of the Year final
Every year afterHost country rotates across the continent
Sheet 10 of 14 · Crown the CreatorsAF-2026-010
What should a nation crown?
Pageants command sponsors, prime-time television and a nation's attention. A crown tells the next generation what its country values. For the next decade, we propose that those resources crown the young people who build.
Miss and Mister Creator of the Year
Keep everything that makes a pageant work: national pride, regional rounds, glamour, a live televised final and a crown. Change what is judged.
- Contestants aged 18 to 35 present an invention, a business or a creative work that solves a real problem.
- Each country crowns a Miss Creator and a Mister Creator; national winners go on to the continental final of the Africa Inventions Prize.
- Engineers, investors and entrepreneurs judge alongside a public vote, using the Impact Score.
- The prize is a crown with real weight: seed funding, paid patent fees, a year of mentoring and a year as national ambassador visiting schools.
The Youth Enterprise Decade
We invite governments, sponsors, broadcasters and pageant organisers to redirect the resources they give to pageants into creator competitions for ten years. Ten years is enough to change what a generation dreams about.
This is not a campaign against contestants. Many are accomplished, and some pageants fund scholarships and good causes. Pageant organisers know how to produce a show, raise sponsorship and fill a stadium, which is exactly what a creator gala needs. We invite them to lead this change with us.
Support the pledgeOn the Africa Inventions channel
A YouTube channel with new episodes every week. Verified inventions only: every featured invention is reviewed by an engineer before it airs.
- Inventors UnleashedProfiles of African inventors and what they need next.
- Crown the CreatorsThe case for Miss and Mister Creator of the Year.
- Patent in 60 SecondsPlain-language lessons on protecting an idea.
- Raw to FinishedHow African raw materials become finished products, and who keeps the value.
- Out of Poverty for GoodHow nations once among the poorest in the world built their industries.
- The Road to the PrizeFollowing each year's cohort to the final on Africa Day.
- Investor RoomInvestors explain, in their own words, what they look for.
Channel launching soon.
Sheet 11 of 14 · Across the continentAF-2026-011
Built to reach all 54 countries.
Africa Inventions works through institutions that already exist, so every country can take part without waiting for new buildings.
Invention Hubs
One partner university, innovation hub or maker space in each country hosts intake days, prototyping and the national round of the Prize.
Patent offices
Working with OAPI, ARIPO, national offices and WIPO's Inventor Assistance Program to lower costs and speed up referrals.
The First Buyer pledge
Governments and large companies each agree to pilot one Africa Inventions invention a year. A first customer is often what convinces investors.
Africa Invents Week
Open days, school challenges and investor showcases in every participating country, in the week leading up to Africa Day.
The Virtual Invention Warehouse
A public online gallery of protected African inventions, shown with their inventors' consent, where investors and buyers can browse.
Open to everyone
Submission by WhatsApp and SMS, a mobile app that works offline, and radio partners for rural areas where data is expensive.
Africa Inventions is designed to support goals African governments have already set: the African Union's Agenda 2063, its Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2025–2034, and the intellectual property protocol of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Sheet 12 of 14 · StructureAF-2026-012
One mission, two entities.
The free programme and the commercial work are kept separate, so inventors are served first and every deal stays transparent.
Africa Inventions Foundation
- Runs the free inventor programme, evaluations and mentoring
- Manages the Patent Fee Fund
- Funded by grants, sponsors and donors
Africa Inventions Ventures
- Handles licensing, company formation and investor introductions
- Earns disclosed success shares only after deals close
- Reinvests part of its returns in the Foundation's programme
Both entities are being established.
Sheet 13 of 14 · Beyond AfricaAF-2026-013
Africa first. Then every region still building its industries.
The model is designed to travel. Once its results in Africa are proven and published, the same approach will open to inventors in other developing regions of the world.
Where every invention begins
Every invention began with a question.
How do we solve a problem that keeps coming back in our lives or in our communities? How do we improve a solution that exists but still falls short? Most of history's great inventions started there.
- 01Ask
What problem could you solve today? Which existing invention or solution could you make better, cheaper, safer or easier to use?
- 02Write it down
Put the problem and your idea on paper, with a sketch if you can. Date it and keep it. A written idea can be tested, improved and protected.
- 03Contact us
When you think you have the solution, or even part of it, submit it. We will help you with the rest.
Questions to start your notebook
- What wastes time, money or energy in your home, farm, school or business every week?
- What tool or service almost works, but fails the people who need it most?
- What problem do people around you simply accept because no one has fixed it?
Our responsibility
No one will build our future for us.
No one else will solve our problems, transform our raw materials, or invent and create in our place. It is time to stop waiting for others and to take action today.
- Solve a problem.
- Propose a solution.
- Build what comes next.
Every problem we solve brings us closer to well-being and a better future for the generations that follow.
Invention made life as we know it possible.
Will you take the lead and create something, or remain a passenger on the locomotive of progress?
No idea or prototype is too small. Submit what you have in mind today: ideas once dismissed as insignificant have changed the world.
Sheet 14 of 14 · ApplyAF-2026-014
Start here.
Inventors, tell us about your idea. Investors and partners, tell us how you would like to take part. We reply to every message.
Every idea is welcomeNo idea or prototype is too small. Submit what you have in mind today: ideas once dismissed as insignificant have changed the world.
Submission received.
Thank you. A reviewer will reply within ten working days with a written first assessment and the next step.
Interest registered.
Thank you. We will be in touch about the founding cohort and the first showcase.
Nomination received.
Thank you. We will contact the nominee and keep you informed.
Questions inventors ask.
Is it really free?
Yes. Submitting, evaluation, mentoring and introductions cost the inventor nothing. Africa Inventions is funded by sponsors and grants, and earns only a disclosed share of a licence or company after a deal is made.
Who owns my invention?
You do. Submitting gives us no rights to it. Any share we receive later is agreed with you in writing before a deal is signed, and you can seek independent advice first.
Do I need a patent before applying?
No. Most inventors apply before filing anything. We help you decide whether and where to file, and in what order, so you do not lose your rights by revealing too much too early.
I live outside Africa. Can I apply?
Yes. Inventors of the African diaspora are welcome, especially when the invention can serve or be produced in African markets.
How are investors involved?
Investors register their interests and, after signing confidentiality terms, see inventions whose inventors have agreed to be introduced. Investments, licences and contracts are made directly between the parties.
What if my invention is not accepted?
You receive a written explanation and practical next steps. You can improve the invention and submit again at any time.