AfriLabs Launches Capacity Building Programme For African Hubs

The pan-African network of tech and innovation hubs has launched the AfriLabs Capacity Building Programme (ACBP) at the just concluded AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2019 which was held at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Many promising African individuals and groups establish hubs to help build more sustainable and successful startups that are relevant in today’s global economy.

However, hub founders on the continent and their staff lack access to Africa-tailored content, models and best practices for hub management and startup support considering the unique and challenging African business environment. This makes it more difficult to deliver to their target demographic.

To this end, AfriLabs has designed and is set to implement the AfriLabs Capacity Building Programme (ACBP) – a 2 million euros, 36-month intensive capacity building programme for hubs, funded by the Agence française de développement (AFD).

Key facts to note about ACBP:

• The first online certification course for hub managers and staff, in partnership with a major academic institution
• 30 physical workshops across 15 convening cities
• Financing support to hubs in form of Capacity Building Awards
• Support for hubs to organize community meetups across 36 African cities

We are confident that strengthening hubs will have a multiplier effect and contribute to growing the African innovation ecosystem while increasing the percentage of successful and investment-ready startups on the continent. The ACBP will include:

• 30 Physical workshops in 15 convening African cities, in partnership with Afric’Innov and African Business Angels Network (ABAN)
• 12 Quarterly Hubs Learning Weeks – a series of peer to peer virtual capacity-building webinars
• Full Hub Management Certification Course in partnership with a major African University
• Hubs-in-Residence at AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2020 and 2021
• Toolkits on business development and investment management
• SDG meetup grants (2,000 euros per selected hub)
• Capacity building awards (15,000 euros per selected hub)
• Sponsorship for hubs in residence program, physical workshops, etc.

“Never before has a Capacity Building project of this scale, depth and level of engagement been executed in the African innovation hub space! We are fully committed to working together as a Community to ensure maximum success and impact for hubs and startups within and outside the AfriLabs Community,” Anna Ekeledo, Executive Director, AfriLabs.

The Projected Impact of the ACBP include:

• 600 hub managers across Africa trained online and via practical physical workshops
• At least 200 full certificates on Hub Management earned by hub managers and staff
• At least 1000 badges earned by hub managers and/or staff from completing part of or the full certificate
• At least 3,600 young innovators, entrepreneurs, developers and other stakeholders engaged during the SDG Meetups across 36 African cities
• Awareness of the ACBP and the impact of the work hubs do among at least 200,000 stakeholders of the African start-ups and innovation ecosystem
• Increased capacity of all participating hubs in key areas of their local economies.