The Milken-Motsepe Prize in Circular Economy invites scalable companies using technology to strengthen circular economy practices across industries in Africa. The competition offers $2 million in total prizes, including a $1 million Grand Prize. Participants can also access networking opportunities and pitch their businesses to industry leaders and key decision-makers.
Programme Snapshot
Programme: Milken-Motsepe Prize in Circular Economy
Category: Innovation Prize
Focus Region: Africa
Total Prize Pool: $2 million
Grand Prize: $1 million
Runner-Up Prize: $250,000
Registration Status: Open
Eligible Applicants: Companies meeting the stated business and operational requirements
About the Milken-Motsepe Prize in Circular Economy
The prize supports commercially viable, technology-enabled circular economy businesses operating in Africa. Eligible solutions should have a clear path to scale while creating stronger and more resource-efficient value chains.
The winning business must demonstrate how its model reduces waste and keeps materials in circulation. It should also deliver measurable environmental and social impact.
The programme considers businesses working across several industries:
• Agriculture and food systems
• Plastics and packaging
• Electronics
• Textiles
• Construction and the built environment
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Prize Structure and Participant Opportunities
The competition progresses through three award rounds. Selected companies receive financial awards as they advance through the programme.
✓ Ten semifinalist companies will receive $50,000 each
✓ Semifinalists will pitch their innovations to industry leaders and decision-makers
✓ Five finalists will receive an additional $50,000 each
✓ One winning company will receive the $1 million Grand Prize
✓ One runner-up company will receive $250,000
✓ Participating companies can access networking opportunities
The five finalists will submit additional materials for consideration in the final award round.
Eligibility Requirements
The programme seeks established companies that have demonstrated operational capacity, business growth, partnerships, and measurable impact.
Applicant companies must meet the following requirements:
• Have more than two years of continuous operation
• Have more than $500,000 in revenue and raised capital
• Have institutional, corporate, or public-sector partnerships
• Have a solution currently deployed on the African continent
• Provide clear evidence of social impact and job creation
• Demonstrate operational readiness to deploy more than $1 million in funding
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection. Companies will still be assessed through the competition’s evaluation process.
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Evaluation Criteria
The prize seeks businesses with scalable circular economy solutions and a clear capacity to generate commercial, social, and environmental results.
Teams will be evaluated according to four main areas:
• Commercial viability
• Market scalability
• Workforce and social impact
• Circularity and environmental impact
Applicants must submit metrics relevant to their selected industry. The submitted information should demonstrate how the company’s model performs and how it can expand its operations in Africa.
What a Competitive Business Should Demonstrate
The official programme page describes the expected winning company as a commercially viable business with a technology-enabled circular economy model.
Its solution should:
✓ Reduce waste
✓ Keep materials in circulation
✓ Improve resource efficiency across value chains
✓ Deliver measurable environmental impact
✓ Deliver measurable social impact
✓ Present a clear path to scale in Africa
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How to Submit an Application
Eligible companies must use the official prize portal to register and submit their applications.
Before applying, companies should confirm that they meet every stated eligibility condition. They should also prepare evidence related to their business performance, partnerships, social impact, job creation, operational readiness, and industry-specific circular economy metrics.
Apply Here
Submit your application through the official application link below.
