TIA Grassroots Innovation Programme (GIP)

The TIA Grassroots Innovation Programme is the agency's entry route for South African individuals developing ideas outside institutional research settings. TIA operates under the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and uses the programme to move early inventions into a more structured development path. It supports idea development, business training, prototype development, and mentorship. The headline funding reaches ZAR 200,000 for technology development, plus a ZAR 60,000 project fee for each 12-month period. Applications are rolling, and the programme is open to individuals rather than companies or universities. This is the right fit for a solo innovator with a concrete concept, a willingness to work through mentoring, and enough discipline to turn an idea into a prototype. Within TIA's funding ladder, it sits below the development and commercialisation funds and acts as an early step toward more formal support. The strongest applications show a practical problem, a plausible build plan, and a clear reason the idea deserves further support.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.