Boost for startups involved in space, Earth observation

Source: Unsplash

Launched in 2021, the NEOFrontiers is an innovation funding mechanism designed to drive the growth of the local space sector through increased public investments.

It seeks to stimulate collaboration, cooperation and innovation in the public and private South African Earth observation community.

The NEOFrontiers programme is managed by the South African National Space Agency (Sansa) and the National Research Foundation (NRF), and implemented with the support of Tuksnovation, the University of Pretoria's business and technology incubator.

The programme subsidises enterprises with amounts ranging from R750,000 to R1m for 12 months.

Sansa launched NEOFrontiers in 2021 through investment from the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI).

The first four NEOFrontiers projects were funded in 2022, while in 2023, three startups were supported.

This year’s NEOFrontiers call saw eight successful startups submit brilliant proposals on mining, agriculture, infrastructure development, healthcare innovation, banking and financial institutions, as well as disaster risk reduction.

These include Abiri Innovations, Agizo Solutions, Aphelion World JV/Consortium, CreditAIs, Integrated Geoscience Solutions, Kgothatso Innovations, Regona Trading and YaAzi.

A total of 56 applications were received earlier in the year, 25 of which were eligible and allowed to pitch to an independent adjudication committee.

DSTI’s acting chief director Itumeleng Makoloi said this programme unfolds at an opportune time when South Africa seeks to foster innovation.

“We need to create new ways of modernising areas such as agriculture, mining and manufacturing. We believe that this programme represents our shared vision to foster innovation, capacity building and strategic partnership across the public sector.

"The joint efforts of DSTI entities, such as Sansa and the NRF, play a critical role in driving this vision.”

Sansa CEO, Humbulani Mudau, believes this platform will create a market pool for innovative solutions, for which space is a significant enabler and a value provider.

“I’m delighted to report that there is an equal split in gender representation. We have awarded the grant to startup companies led and owned by four males and four females. This is good progress towards transforming the industry,” Mudau said.

He said the NEOFrontiers is poised for greater strides in terms of direction and investments.

“We’re indeed going to make this a flagship programme that will transform space-based ideas into relevant products and services that address societal and environmental challenges. As we do that, we’re going to be looking at increasing the competitiveness of the South African Earth observation industry for the benefit of the South African society.”

NRF CEO, Dr Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, is of the view that the initiative has the potential to gear small enterprises in the space sector to create job opportunities.

“The key focus is to support startups, SMMEs and entrepreneurs with funding. The reason for this is that we expect much more from our SMMEs to make sure that they can grow and employ more people.

“When they employ more people, there is an increase in new technology and service innovations coming out of their areas to the point that we can get even more people involved. Our rate of unemployment is increasing.”

The University of Pretoria’s head of innovation and contracts management, advocate Lawrence Baloyi, said this has the potential to shape the future of South African space innovation.

The next call to fund new SMMEs will be published before the end of 2024.