The dream of establishing a dedicated Unisa Innovation Fund is one step closer to becoming a reality. This was the response of Ayanda Noma, Director of the Directorate: Technology Transfer, Innovation and Commercialisation (DITTC), to the news that the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) has approved an additional R20 million grant for the TIA-Unisa Seed Fund.

Over the next two years, TIA will allocate R20 million to the fund to assist Unisa innovators in their research to advance the development of prototypes and prepare for demonstrations of commercialisable products and solutions.  

DITTC has been participating in the TIA Seed Fund programme since 2019 and, jointly, supported 14 projects at Unisa.  Subsequently, in 2024, the DITTC collaborated with TIA to establish the TIA-Unisa Seed Fund programme to support the advancement of early-stage Unisa technologies. The TIA-Unisa Seed Fund programme was officially launched in 2025 and, under the co-funding agreement, Unisa and TIA endeavour to jointly fund qualifying innovations.  

There is a pressing need for seed funding for innovation, and TIA’s R20 million allocation will be music to the ears of Unisa researchers who are just starting their journey towards commercialisation. The recent pronouncement by TIA is a concrete expression of confidence in the innovators at Unisa and the support mechanisms available through the DITTC.

Now that the TIA-Unisa Seed Fund is entering its second year, the next logical step in the innovation funding cycle is to establish a Unisa Innovation Fund for innovations at the final stage of development, poised to embark on commercialisation. This is the "dream", as expressed by Noma.

Transformation targets and thematic priorities

The R20 million allocated to the TIA-Unisa Seed Fund will be disbursed over two years – R10 million in the current financial year, 2026/27, and R10 million in the 2027/28 financial year. This matches the funding made available by the university to support the development and maturation of products and services being developed by teams of dedicated innovators at Unisa.

Clear-cut transformation targets are set for this funding, with at least 50% specifically allocated to previously disadvantaged individuals, thereby advancing innovation projects led by black people, women, youth and people with disabilities.

Unisa and TIA have agreed on thematic areas for the innovations to be funded. The priorities will include the five TIA focus areas and the Unisa Catalytic Niche areas, namely, advanced manufacturing and industrialisation; agricultural innovation and food security; health innovation and well-being; energy sustainability and environmental innovation; and digital economy and inclusive innovation.

Noma also revealed that, in June 2026, DITTC will invite all Unisa researchers to apply for funding from the TIA-Unisa Seed Fund. "The focus will be on projects that are in the early stages of technology development, such as proof-of-concept studies, development of prototypes and conducting market research."

In 2025, when the first call to Unisa researchers went out, 27 submissions were received, 17 were presented to the Evaluation Committee, and, in the end, six projects were selected for funding.

* Compiled by Clairwyn Rapley, Directorate of Research Support