Aly El Shafei wins Innovation Prize for Africa’s grand prize

Egypt’s Aly El Shafei was awarded the Grand Prize of the sixth Innovation Prize for Africa, according to Ventures Africa. El Shafei walked away with USD 100k for his development of Smart Electro-Mechanical Actuator Journal Integrated Bearing (SEMAJIB). SEMAJIB a “smart bearing that significantly improves turbine performance in single line combined cycle plants as well as conventional generator technology.” The device has been patented in the US since 2010, with another patent pending, and “is designed to be used to support energy generating turbines more efficiently and cost effectively in Africa. SEMAJIB is an innovation that does not currently exist in the West, and already Siemens’ has indicated interest in the device.”