While the power of big data is often demonstrated in the business and technology space, the Planet Earth Institute (PEI) - a UK-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) - aims to harness it for socio-economic impact in Africa.
The PEI will this week run its Africa Data Challenge, calling for innovators from around the world to pitch ideas for projects that can use data to benefit those living on the continent. The NGO says projects are unlimited in scope and focus, and must be designed to have a practical, human application within the next 12 months.
The winning pitch will be rewarded with £7 000 (R121 915) in seed funding and the PEI has pledged its support in the project's rollout.
Dr 'Alvaro Sobrinho, PEI chairperson, said data holds a "huge amount of promise for scientific development in Africa, and for many different business sectors too, but we haven't yet fully explored how it can be used at a local level to improve lives".
He said the competition is part of the NGO's effort to find practical ways to support science and technology, and also "develop and incubate new ideas with real impact". Sobrinho added the organisation wants to leverage its partnerships around the world to strengthen the growing movement for scientific investment and development in Africa.
The competition forms part of the PEI's Science Africa conference, which starts in Westminster tomorrow and is hosted alongside the UN Economic Commission for Africa, the World Bank and the European Commission.
Entrants will present their ideas to a panel including people working at the African Development Bank, publishing company Elsevier, Intel and entrepreneurs.
The PEI expects participants from diverse sectors, including international policy-makers, academics, students and the general public, and the organisation aims to widen competition participation in coming years.
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