AfriLabs has further expanded its network of over 50 technology and innovation hubs across 20 African countries with the addition of 11 new tech hubs.
The new development sees the pan-African network of technology innovation hubs increase its membership base to Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo, two African nations that were previously not represented within the ranks of AfriLabs.
Other nations that increased their representation within the network supporting innovation infrastructure include Malawi, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, with AfriLabs adding three new Nigerian tech hubs.
The new AfriLabs network members include nHub Nigeria, inCUBE8 Malawi, iBridge Nigeria, Lumumba Labs Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Wenak Labs Chad, Sote Hub Kenya, The Innovation Village Kampala Uganda, The Tech Village Zimbabwe, BitHub Kenya, dLab Tanzania, and Startpreneurs Nigeria, according to ITNewsAfrica.
New AfriLabs tech hubs add to entrepreneurial ecosystem
Anna Ekeledo, head of secretariat at AfriLabs, revealed the importance of the work her network does in linking like-minded tech hubs and supporting their growth.
“We are constantly looking to work with tech hubs and other stakeholders of the African entrepreneurial ecosystem to foster institutional linkages and collaboration, advocate for better enabling policies as well as provide entrepreneurs and innovators access to the right tools, environment and finance to scale in Africa and beyond,” Ekeledo said, according to DisruptAfrica.
“We are pleased to have these new hubs join our network,” she added.
Founded in 2011 with an original group of five tech hubs, AfriLabs has worked to build a community around technology hubs throughout the continent, making it the largest network of African tech hubs.
The network supports the development of startups, technology, and innovation, while playing an important role in fostering partnerships between tech hubs across the different regions.
There are now fifty-six hubs within the AfriLabs entrepreneurial ecosystem spanning across 20 African countries, and there are no signs that this expansion is going to slow in the near future.
Describing themselves as a “technology networking and acceleration association that supports technology incubators and accelerators in Africa,” AfriLabs works to support “hubs as infrastructure for indigenous technology innovation and knowledge creation, enabling Africa to participate in the global digital economy—a key contributor to future economic growth,” according to the pan-African network’s website.
Article Source: afkinsider.com