RS South Africa, a global product and service solutions provider for industrial customers, recently announced the launch of the RS Grass Roots Student Project Fund 2025. This exciting programme is designed to support engineering students by offering up to R10,000 worth of RS products to help bring their innovative projects to life. Reflecting RS South Africa’s dedication to promoting practical learning, prototyping, and experimentation, the fund empowers students to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application.
The application process is straightforward: students are invited to submit a project proposal outlining its goals, how the fund will aid in achieving them, and the potential impact on the industry or community. The programme particularly encourages projects that incorporate practical components to enhance learning outcomes, especially those aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Successful applicants will gain access to RS DesignSpark, a global community that provides software, learning resources, and valuable networking opportunities. In addition, they will have the chance to showcase their projects to industry leaders and peers. Winners will also be expected to create content on DesignSpark, order their products, and submit updates on their projects, including a short video introducing themselves and their work.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applicants must be aged 18 and over as of the date of entry.
- Must be enrolled in a full-time/part-time university engineering or technology-related programme in South Africa.
- Must be a registered member of RS DesignSpark.
- Both individual innovators and project teams are eligible to apply.
- Formula Student Teams have a separate Build Fund and cannot apply to the Student Project Fund for Formula Student support.
Applications opened on 31 January 2025 and close on 31 May 2025, with winners announced on 20 July 2025. The RS Grass Roots Student Project Fund has previously played a crucial role in fostering creativity and innovation among students, enabling them to bring their engineering concepts to life.
“At RS South Africa, we are passionate about empowering the next generation of engineers and innovators. The Student Project Fund is our way of supporting students in turning their ideas into reality, helping them develop practical skills that will shape the future of technology and industry,” says Wesley Hood, Education and Social Impact Specialist at RS South Africa.
This commitment to education and hands-on learning underscores RS South Africa’s goal of making a lasting impact on students’ professional growth. By fostering creativity, problem-solving, and technological advancement, RS South Africa continues to play a pivotal role in guiding tomorrow’s leaders today.
The 2024 winners included Nelson Mandela University’s Autonomous Solar Panel Cleaning Robot, Mishay and team from UCT’s project to conserve the endangered Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, and Michael from UCT’s low-cost sensor array for early disease detection. Annabelle and Team TuksBaja from UP built a single-seater off-road vehicle for SAE Baja, while Shamira from Wits developed anaerobic bio-batteries using banana waste for energy storage. Lebogang from UJ designed a real-time sensor system to detect heavy metal contamination in water, highlighting the ingenuity of South Africa’s future engineers and innovators.
Reflecting on her journey, Shamira Pillay shared: “Winning the RS South Africa Student Project Fund has been instrumental in advancing my research on high-energy bio-batteries from banana waste. The support from RS has provided the necessary resources to push this innovation forward, empowering sustainable energy solutions for the future.”
The PerchScale team, another group of winners, expressed their gratitude: “Winning the RS South Africa Student Project Fund has given us the opportunity to take our project to the next level. The support from RS is empowering the next generation of engineers by providing the essential tools we need to drive innovation and make a real impact.”
Lebogang Moloto, who also benefited from the fund, shared her experience: “The support from RS afforded me the opportunity to make significant progress in my project. Here’s to a future of safe water for all, thanks to RS South Africa for making this possible.”
Do you have an innovative project that could benefit from R10,000 worth of RS products? Apply today and take your innovation to the next level!
For more details and to submit your application at: RS South Africa
Discover more about how RS is empowering the next generation of innovators on their website. For ongoing updates, follow them on LinkedIn.
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About RS
RS is a global product and service solutions provider for industrial customers, enabling them to operate efficiently and sustainably.
We operate in 36 markets, stock over 800,000 industrial and specialist products and list an additional five million relevant for our industrial customers, sourced from over 2,500 suppliers. This extensive range supports our customers across the industrial lifecycle of designing, building, and maintaining equipment and operations. We enhance their experience through a tailored service model, leveraging our efficient physical, digital and process infrastructure sustainably. We combine a technically led and digitally enabled approach with an exceptional team of experts; ultimately, it’s our people that make the difference.
Our purpose, making amazing happen for a better world, reflects our focus on delivering results for people planet and profit.
RS Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange with stock ticker RS1 and in the year ended 31 March 2024 reported revenue of £2,942 million.
For more information, please visit: www.rsonline.co.za
PR contact details:
PR Contact Person – RS South Africa:
Princess Tlou
Communications & Content Specialist
RS South Africa
+27 11 691 9366
Media Contact Person – NGAGE Agency:
Thobile Ndlovu
PR Account Executive
+27 11 867 7763
Further information is available via these links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rs-south-africa
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rssouthafrica
- X: https://twitter.com/RSOnlineSA
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Wesley Hood, Education and Social Impact Specialist, RS South Africa
Wesley Hood, Education and Social Impact Specialist, RS South Africa
RS Grass Roots Student Project Fund 2025
RS Grass Roots Student Project Fund 2025 - RS South Africa launches 2025 Student Project Fund to support innovation and work-readiness_ Wes
RS South Africa launches 2025 Student Project Fund to support innovation and work-readiness_ Wes
RS South Africa launches 2025 Student Project Fund to support innovation and work-readiness_ Wes
