Renson Mwakandana
To meet the demand for technology hubs in Africa, AfriLabs was founded in 2011 to build a community around the fast-growing tech hubs-innovation spaces. The hubs often serve as meeting points for entrepreneurs, developers and investors.
According to an AfriLabs and Briter Bridges ecosystem report, an innovation hub is a community and learning center that nurtures innovative ideas and market disruption. Moreover, it supports creative ways of solving problems by offering on ground support and consultancy across the entire startup.
These hubs are centres that provide support to African developers, entrepreneurs, innovators and youths.
The organization has a management team that is led by Anna Ekeledo who is the Executive Director with Ajibola Odukoya as the Chief Operating Officer. Together with the board, chaired by Moetaz Helmy,AfriLabs seeks to support innovation hubs and their communities to raise high potential entrepreneurs that will stimulate economic growth and development in Africa.
AfriLabs’ belief is that in supporting the development of the African technology and innovation ecosystem, it enables Africa to participate in the global on matters knowledge and innovation market place thereby stimulating economic growth and capacity building resources l.
The organization pursues its mission of building a more reliable community around the rapidly emerging innovation hubs across Africa. This is done through providing financial mentorship, networking opportunities.
As at now, AfriLabs has admitted 27 new members to its network which brings the total number of members to 225 in 47 African countries. Some hub members under AfriLab include; Flat6Labs, Parotech, Beehive Incubator and Coworking, Dreams Tech Hub, Ehub, T-Hub among many others.
By providing inclusive training and business, legal and financial support, the hubs help in fostering successful entrepreneurs who will create jobs and develop innovative African-centered solutions.
