Deadline Date: August 15, 2026
The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), in partnership with the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), is inviting eligible organisations to apply for funding to establish a Castor Oil Living Lab in the Frances Baard District Municipality, Northern Cape Province, to promote innovation-led local economic development.
The programme focuses on local economic development, innovation, technology development, skills development, technology transfer, enterprise development, community-driven innovation, rural industrialisation, castor oil value chain development, youth empowerment, women empowerment, inclusion of persons with disabilities, emerging farmer participation, collaboration through the quadruple helix model, innovation support, activation programmes, and local value chain beneficiation.
The Living Labs Programme is a DSTI initiative implemented through TIA to expand innovation across South Africa by creating locally embedded innovation spaces where communities, government, academia, and industry collaborate to develop and test practical solutions. The proposed Castor Oil Living Lab will support technology innovation, enterprise growth, and skills development while increasing participation in the castor oil value chain.
Eligible applicants must be registered legal entities in South Africa that comply with statutory requirements and have experience in community-based innovation support and castor oil beneficiation or process innovation. Applicants should have the capacity to collaborate with key stakeholders, maintain an operational presence in the Northern Cape Province, and provide an existing facility located in a rural or township community that is suitable for Living Lab activities.
Successful proposals may receive grant funding of up to R4,717,440 for projects with a maximum duration of 24 months. Funding will support the repurposing of an existing facility into a fully equipped Living Lab, delivery of an innovation support programme, activation programmes, and implementation of the quadruple helix co-creation model. The programme also includes targeted support for women and persons with disabilities while prioritising youth participation.
Funding will cover activities related to Living Lab enhancement, innovation support, capacity building, mentoring, incubation, product development, beneficiary stipends, innovation infrastructure, market access initiatives, and collaborative solution development. General operational expenses unrelated to innovation, new building construction, student bursaries, academic research, general office equipment, and primary agricultural production not linked to innovation activities are not eligible for funding.
Applications will be evaluated based on legal compliance, eligibility, implementation capacity, experience, relevance to the castor oil value chain, stakeholder engagement, beneficiary inclusion, and alignment with the objectives of the Living Labs Programme.
For more information, visit Technology Innovation Agency.
