Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) - Innovation for Inclusive Development Fund

The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) is a national public entity that serves as the key institutional intervention to bridge the innovation chasm between research and development from higher education institutions, science councils, public entities and the private sector, and the commercialisation of these innovations.

The Innovation for Inclusive Development (IID) Project Management Unit (PMU) is a ring-fenced pilot programme of DSI. The PMU represents TIA’s efforts to fully deploy its mandate. 

The objective of this Project Management Unit (PMU) is:

• To develop knowledge products, decision support tools and policy briefs that promote the mainstreaming of science, technology and innovation for sector departments and service delivery challenges.
• To establish community-based innovation centres that develop solutions through co-creation approaches, geared for local challenges.
• To support grassroots innovators that have simple, social innovations (products and services) developed by people in rural and township communities that respond to the immediate local needs.
• To support the innovation for local economic development strategies of districts and municipalities.

The services this PMU offers are:

• Grant funding.
• Technology diffusion.
• Technology development, IP support, business development support, and market access opportunities for grassroots innovators.

Application process

Call 012 472 2700 or email. You are required to register on the database here.