The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, Africa’s largest dedicated engineering award, has named Elly Savatia of Kenya as the 2025 winner for his AI-powered sign language translation app, Signvrse Terp 360. Savatia will receive £50,000 to scale the application, which converts speech into sign language using lifelike 3D avatars. The tool aims to tackle interpreter shortages and improve accessibility in classrooms and public services across Africa.
The 11th Africa Prize winner was announced at the Africa Prize Final event on 16 October in Dakar, Senegal. This event concluded an eight-month programme that provided 16 African innovators with training, mentoring, and business support. The final was partially funded by the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and marked the first time the prize was hosted in Francophone Africa, a move aimed at increasing awareness and applications from the region.
Special recognition went to the three finalists. Vivian Arinaitwe from Uganda, Neo Nest; Eng. Carol Ofafa, HSC, PE, MIEK from Kenya with E-Safiri, a sustainable transport initiative; and Frank Owusu from Ghana with Aquamet each received £10,000. The event also included a £5,000 One to Watch prize awarded to Rui Bauhofer, selected by the live audience for future potential. Bauhofer’s venture, Eco-Plates, produces disposable plates from recycled maize husks that are fully biodegradable and infused with seeds that can germinate when discarded.
The Africa Prize continues to highlight innovations that solve practical challenges while supporting African entrepreneurs in scaling solutions that can drive economic and social impact across the continent.
