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Global telecoms operator, Orange, has announced the launch of its 7th Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) for students, employees and entrepreneurs in Africa and the Middle East. According to a statement released today, the OSVP will be awarded to innovative projects which use information and communication technologies to improve living standards for Africans and people in the Middle East.

Eligible projects for the competition are those that are less than three years old and focus on areas such as health, finance, education and agriculture.

The competition is open to entrepreneurs over the age of 21 who reside in Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Tunisia, Jordan, Liberia or Burkina Faso. The application process is open from February 28 and closes on June 6, 2017.

Unlike previous competitions, the French telecoms giant said the 7th OSVP awards will unfold in two phases. Candidates will participate first in a national competition in their individual countries, kicking off from July 7 through July 17. Three winners will emerge from each country and move to the next phase of the competition.

The second phase will be at the international level, and that is slated for September 25-October 3. At this stage, a total of 51 national winners will finally compete for the OSVP Grand Prize, with just three finalists receiving the awards at the AfricaCom Awards Ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa, on November 8, 2017.

“This year, 17 countries in which we operate will recognize 3 winners, the better to promote the local start-up ecosystem, in addition to the winners at the international level. This is our way of reaffirming our ambition of becoming a major partner, in particular by showcasing innovation that serves people,” said Bruno Mettling, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Orange Group and CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa.

In addition to consolation prizes for the national winners, the three winners at the international level will receive 25,000 euros, 15,000 euros and 10,000 euros, respectively, alongside start-up creation and funding support from industry experts.

In 2016, Moroccan biotechnology start-up, MedTrucks, clenched the overall prize for the 6th edition of the OSVP awards. MedTrucks was founded to deploy mobile health care units in “medical deserts” to assist patients and healthcare workers in Morocco and other emerging regions.

The OSVP aims to reward the best innovative and socially responsible business project in Africa and the Middle East.