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Afrilabs Director - Tayo Akinyemi
This document introduces AfriLabs, a network of 13 technology hubs across 11 African countries that supports tech entrepreneurship on the continent. It provides details on each hub and explains that AfriLabs was launched in 2010 by 5 founding partners to provide resources like mentoring, networking opportunities and best practices to hub managers and entrepreneurs. The document outlines AfriLabs' strategic priorities of learning about needs, connecting hubs, and executing impactful activities. It invites potential members and partners to get involved and help shape Africa's tech ecosystem.
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- 1. INTRODUCTION TO AFRILABS: AFRICAWEB GATHERING 2.4.13
- 2. AfriLabs has 13hubs in 11 countries across eastern, southern and western Africa. AfriLabs Network 1. ActivSpaces (Cameroon) 2. Bongo Hive (Zambia) 3. Co-Creation Hub (Nigeria) 4. Habaka (Madagascar) 5. Hive Colab (Uganda) 6. Iceaddis (Ethiopia) 7. iHub (Kenya) 8. iLab Liberia 9. MEST (Ghana) 10. NaiLab (Kenya) 11. Ndar Numérique (Senegal) 12. Rlabs (South Africa) 13. Wennovation Hub (Nigeria)
- 3. AfriLabs exists tosupport African tech entrepreneurship. AfriLabs launched in 2010 by 5 founding partners: ActivSpaces, Appfrica Labs, iHub, NaiLab, and VC4Africa. AfriLabs exists to support the growth of communities around African technology hubs and to encourage expansion of the network by providing tools and resources for emerging hubs. We do this by providing best practices, mentoring, networking opportunities and other resources for hub managers and high-potential entrepreneurs. As a network, we want to: • understand the landscape of African technology entrepreneurship • identify our highest/best use • work with partners to build the ecosystem Critical
- 4. We have coreprinciples that shape who we are and what we do… 1 Encourage technology innovation and entrepreneurship in all forms. Promote the creation of African-made technology, with a special 2 focus on the web and mobile sectors. Provide an environment characterized by open collaboration, technical 3 innovation and support for the community at large. Demonstrate commitment to mentorship, networking and forming bonds 4 that will serve as building blocks for a new generation of thinking.
- 5. AfriLabs has threeprimary strategic priorities.
- 6. In the comingmonths, AfriLabs needs to learn, connect, and execute… What do hubs need? What does AfriLabs want to Learn Learn Which programs are effective? achieve? How can stakeholders engage? What does effective implementation look like? What partnerships are useful? AfriLabs AfriLabs What resources are needed? How can hubs work together? Connect Connect Execute Execute In order to link specific activities to our strategic priorities.
- 7. Key activities overthe next 6-12 months will include… Learn Learn AfriLabs AfriLabs Connect Connect Execute Execute Learn Connect Execute Understand network needs Create collaboration platform Engage in impactful activities Speak to AfriLabs members Pilot platform for inter-hub Broker new partnerships Speak to key stakeholders exchange, knowledge sharing Execute projects such as and potential partners and collaboration virtual incubation pilot with Speak to potential Bring AfriLabs network infoDev members* together for annual meeting Recruit new members @ re:publica Share stories via website, twitter, FB
- 8. AfriLabs needs bigideas that can shape the African tech ecosystem. GOT IDEAS? WE’RE LISTENING! Building a global network
- 9. Why join AfriLabs?Here are 3 reasons why you should: 1 2 3
- 10. You can applyfor membership on the AfriLabs website. Demographic Information: Content questions: Name Workspace Email address Activities in public forum Phone number # events hosted Name of lab Staff capacity Lab’s website address Support for visiting entrepreneurs Street address Qualified management team Country Registered accounts City Documented success story Date lab began operations Reason for applying Number of registered What you hope to gain accounts What you can contribute Support for core principles
- 11. Applications are reviewed/approvedby the Director and the AfriLabs board. Hub meets requirements? YES NO AfriLabs currently has three tiers of membership, which are under review. Tier 1 New Tier 2 Growing Tier 3 Mature
- 12. AfriLabs is committedto building a community that will shape the ecosystem for African tech entrepreneurship… So, if you are a/an…. African tech/innovation hub Apply to become an AfriLabs member; leverage AfriLabs expertise to build your hub and support your members Corporate Collaborate with AfriLabs hubs to build the tech community, and engage budding technoproneurs Foundation Support AfriLabs’ activities via operational, program, and resource support Academic institution Create knowledge-sharing partnerships; support ongoing research on ICT hubs and the innovation ecosystem Investor Connect with the network to source and support entrepreneurs Miscellaneous Get in touch! We’re open to new ideas for collaboration
- 13. LET’S GET TOWORK!
Editor's Notes
- #7 After reading the job description and doing a bit of research, this was one of my first thoughts. Creating a network of African entrepreneurship/innovation hubs solves a big problem for those who support African entrepreneurship. With the launch of AfriLabs, members of the entrepreneurship community will know where to go when they want to find investible businesses, connect with like-minded technologists, provide support services to talented African entrepreneurs, launch new hubs, co-develop events and programs, or just experience a sense of community. Additionally, the hubs and their members will have access to each other, potentially unleashing a powerful exchange of resources and knowledge. However, a poorly-managed network could potentially “get in the way” of real work, imposing structure from above, and disrupting the organic evolution of each hub. Thus, it will be important to balance the opportunity presented by pooled resources with the challenge of maintaining the flexibility and identity of each hub.
- #8 This is a very high level overview of what I would do, and what I would prioritize. These are preliminary thoughts that are very open to challenge and discussion.