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The MRIC under the aegis of the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation launched The National Innovation Challenge (NIC), which aims at uncovering and fostering local and professional innovations created by Mauritians working in a variety of fields from Academia, Start-up and Micro Companies, SMEs, communities to local schools and home inventions. The NIC showcases, nurtures and rewards the best ideas leading to potentially life changing solutions from the Mauritian population.

 

Following the 1st edition in 2018 and 2nd edition in 2022, it is estimated that this competition has a high following locally estimated to be around 400,000 and has inspired a number of other national and international initiatives.

 

For this edition of the National Innovation Challenge, in addition to the overall competition which is the General Category, two dedicated segments have been incorporated: the Rodrigues Innovation Challenge and the Mauritius Plastic Challenge. The latter category was carried out in partnership with Mission Verte.

 

The NIC was launched in November 2023. 161 applications were received, and 66 projects were selected to proceed to the filmed audition stage. From these 66 applicants, 56 attended the audition phase, which was conducted in the month of February and March 2024.

 

The outcome of the auditions was the selection of 26 finalists. The selection was conducted taking into consideration the innovativeness, practicality, relevance, scalability, potential impact, and feasibility of projects.

 

Each finalist was awarded a seed money of Rs 20,000, along with a Mentor from the MRIC National SME Incubator Scheme, for the Phase ‘Develop to lide’. During this phase, they had to further consolidate their ideas and come up with a realizable plan/ prototype or concept within a given time scale of 2 months. This stage was completed in May 2024.

 

All the phases of the competition was broadcasted as ‘Inove Moris, National Innovation Challenge’ on the MBC during prime time, under the ambit of a collaboration between the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council and the Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation.

 

A public voting mechanism was set in place for the National Innovation Challenge, giving the opportunity to the public to vote for their preferred innovative projects via SMS. At the end of the competition, a lucky draw was done and 5 members of the public was rewarded with gift vouchers.

 

The final audition was carried out on the 21st and 22nd of May 2024 and the Award Ceremony was done on the 1st June 2024 at Le Meridien Ile Maurice.

 

National Innovation Challenge winners

 

1st Prize winner- Shalini Ramhit and team (Jean-François Yan Leung and Sanjeev Santo) for project “Izy-Filter Greywater Recycling System for Sustainable Water Management at household level in Mauritius”  

 

2nd Prize winner: Dr Nevin Vunka Jungum for project “A Privacy-Oriented Real-Time Elderly Monitoring System”

 

3rd Prize winner: Yashveer Teeluck and Jeffrey Payandy for project The Career Recommendation System

 

Rodrigues Innovation Challenge winner

 

Winner- Marie Arlette Milazar and team (Marius Mercure and Lucille Jolicoeur-St Pierre) for project “Developing an app on sexual and reproductive health”

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Mauritius Plastic Challenge winner

 

Winner- Dassen Sathan for project “Making slabs/pavements from recycled plastic bottles, crushed glass bottles and cement”.

 

People’s Choice Award winners

 

1st Prize winner- Mohammad Mujahid Emambokus for project “MoBrick by Morivert”

 

2nd Prize winner- Yashveer Teeluck and Jeffrey Payandy for project “The Career Recommendation System”.

 

3rd Prize winner- Kevin Henrage for project “Ecolozik - Biodegradable and compostable bioplastic made from seaweed”.

 

Special Jury Award winner

 

Winner- Avinash Ramgotee (c/o Eastern High Security Prison, Melrose) for project “Total recycling of scrap wood and wood by-products.”