TIA-Tuksnovation
SEED FUND innovation CHALLENGE
2025/2026
Are you an entrepreneur with an innovative tech idea?
CLOSING DATE: 9 JANUARY 2026
Completed application forms should be sent to:
tia.funding@tuksnovation.co.za
The TIA-TuksNovation Seed Fund is seeking to award innovative tech entrepreneurs with funding and incubation support.
TuksNovation is the technology business incubator at the University of Pretoria and has launched The TuksNovation Seed Fund in 2021 and has partnered with the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) to host the 2025/2026 Seed Fund Innovation Challenge to help Tech entrepreneurs find seed funding to assist in developing their technology.
1. Background
The purpose of the TIA Seed Instrument is to assist innovators and small medium, micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) in bridging financial requirements to translate their ideas into fundable propositions for further development. Fundamentally, the Fund is expected to increase the quality and quantity of project proposals to other TIA funds and improve the commercialisation probability of South African technologies that emanate from innovators. The Seed instrument is a limited resource made available to the TIA Seed Fund Programme (SFP) implementing partners. Assistance is being provided for an agreed set of focused activities with clear deliverables, at least one of which should be a viable plan for taking the idea forward, which can be considered by other possible funders including TIA.
This call aligns with TIA’s national mandate to support the development and commercialization of innovative technologies across South Africa and aligns with the TuksNovation mandate of supporting high quality technology driven startups with business development, technology development, funding and market access. This combination os support significantly reduces the risk associated with early stage technology based ventures.
This call will be focused on the following priority areas:
- Advanced Manufacturing and Industrial Modernization
- Impact driven technologies that address national priorities, including but not limited to safety and security, agricultural Innovation and Food Security
- Digital Transformation and Inclusive Innovation
2. Objectives of the Fund
The objectives of the fund is to support SMMEs and grassroots innovators to de-risk, develop and commercialize innovations into products and services with enhanced market potential.
This category of innovators is often marginalized and operates on the fringes of formal innovation institutions and have limited access to infrastructure, funding and expertise.
3. Funding Instruments
The purpose of this funding is to ssupport advanced-stage innovations to optimise technologies, achieve Minimum Viable Product (MVP), meet regulatory requirements, and prepare for market entry.
SEED FUNDING
The purpose of this funding is to support advanced-stage innovations to optimise technologies, achieve Minimum Viable Product (MVP), meet regulatory requirements, and prepare for market entry.
Instrument:
- Conditional grant- up 1.5X the initial capital invested:
- SAFE and convertible notes
- Discounting measures to apply for transformation Agenda and high socio-economic impact targets
- Funding Limit: R1 500 000
- Development Stage: TRL 5 and TRL 6
- Fundable Project Duration: Up to 24 months
Fundable Activities:
- Technology optimisation
- Sourcing of intellectual property opinions
- Production of market samples
- Conducting field studies
- Supporting of certification activities and specification sheet development
- Small batch piloting and technology scale up
- Techno-economic evaluation studiesMarket development and technology showcasing
- Industry collaborations (industry expert opinion and engagement)
- Technology road mapping
- Other activities aligned with development stage
Non- Fundable Activities:
- Working Capital and Operational costs
- Tech at TRL 3 and TRL 4
- Early-stage research projects
- Equipment (except specialised equipment required to enable qualifying activities)
4. Eligibility Criteria (for Pre-Seed and Seed Fund applicants)
- Must be a South African registered SMME.
- Priority will be given SMME’s that are incubated through TuksNovation
- Must not be insolvent or under debt review.
- Must possess a valid tax clearance status.
- SMME/Directors Must not be under any investigation
- No restrictions for any of the directors (e.g. Employed by government)
- Innovation must align with national and sector priorities.
- Demonstrated team capacity and relevant expertise.
- Priority given to South African, previously disadvantaged youth, women, and persons with disabilities owned SMME’s.
- No double dipping.
5. General Funding Information
Applications will be adjudicated based on merit, with emphasis TuksNovation investment criteria and the TIA SFP Pre-Seed and Seed Fund framework.
Applicants must submit a complete application pack, including:
- Fully completed approved application form
- Project plan with milestones and clearly defined deliverables
- BBBEE certificate/affidavit
- CIPC registration
- Any additional information in support of the application, including but limited to technical report, IP strategy, market report and or proof of uptake.
Closing Date for Submission:
9 January 2026
Submission Method:
Completed application forms should be sent to tia.funding@tuksnovation.co.za
Enquiries:
All enquiries should be directed to TuksNovation 012 420 3003 or email: funding@tuksnovation.co.za
Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for further correspondence. Preference will be given to incubated SMMEs, successfully completed pre-seed funded projects and projects with strong potential for market uptake.
Applicants owned by South African youth, women, and persons with disabilities will be given preference. Applications may be declined based on funding availability and prioritisation.