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Today’s student entrepreneurs, creators and innovators could be the force that will disrupt the status quo and drive positive change in the future. And now, a call to action gives students in all areas of study a chance to fast-forward the development of their ingenious ideas. The journey begins when they apply for Red Bull Basement by 24 October 2021.

In this global program, young changemakers are empowered to find their voice, showcase their skills and ambitions, and use technology to make tomorrow’s world a better place. Students can tap into resources such as mentoring, workshops, networking events and more – all leading up to a Global Final where thought leaders, entrepreneurs and visionaries from around the world collaborate with student teams representing each of the 44 participating countries.

Solar Mitha Generator was one of 38 finalists in the global Red Bull Basement program for 2020. In South Africa, a public vote narrowed the field to 24 top ideas which was further narrowed to the top 3 by a panel of Dimension Data leaders who served as local judges, an international panel of judges chose Solar Mitha as the best of the best to represent the nation. 

Numerous teams from previous Red Bull Basement events have gone on to expand their ideas on the world stage. The top team from 2019, Austria’s Audvice, has made important strides since their participation, recently receiving six-figure funding in the first investment round for their learning and collaboration tool. And last year – when over 3,800 teams applied – the UK’s Lava Aqua X team wowed the experts as they pitched an ecologically friendly reinvention of the washing machine. With the momentum they gained, they are now working to bring their product to market.

“The cool thing about Red Bull Basement is that it can work for a variety of different ideas. For us, we were able to build a prototype model and make the intellectual property and trademark arrangements. In addition, we took a lot of knowledge from opportunities like the workshops,” said Lava Aqua X co-founder Paramveer Bhachu. “We also wanted to advocate sustainability and saving water, and the event’s outreach put us in touch with people all over the world.”

“The ongoing global partnership with Red Bull Basement aims to empower teams of university students to innovate for good, driven by their ambitions to impact their communities with meaningful purpose. Our role, as Dimension Data, in the program is to enable South African participants to co-innovate by providing hybrid event services that combine the best of in-person and virtual experiences, mentorship and detailed insights into the world of data- driven technology,” says Dimension Data CEO Werner Kapp. 

In its second year as the official technology services partner, Dimension Data will continue to provide mentoring and facilitation to participants, support students across the country to refine their ideas with access to resources and a global network of innovators. 

To apply for the 2021 edition, 18+ years old and currently enrolled students simply need to visit the Red Bull Basement website and upload a video that clearly and concisely explains their team idea. The public will be able to give online “shout-outs” to their favourite ideas, and those shout-outs will be part of the criteria that judges consider – along with feasibility, creativity and impact – to determine the national finalists. Then the national teams will have about five weeks to further develop their ideas with the help of resources including an international mentorship program before attending an immersive, three-day Global Final in Istanbul, Turkey, where teams will pitch their projects to a panel of experts.

Innovation never stops, but the window to apply for Red Bull Basement can be only for a limited time. With an application deadline of 24 October 2021, now is the moment for students to seize their chance and submit their videos at redbullbasement.com.

Timeline, Red Bull Basement 2021

1 September – 24 October:
Application window is open. The public in South Africa is invited to give “shout-outs” to their favorite teams.

25 October – 2 November:
National judges select one team to represent South Africa in the Global Final, concluding with a simultaneous announcement of all selected teams.

13-15 December:
The international teams connect and pitch their ideas at the Global Final in Istanbul, Turkey.