AfriLabs to Spotlight Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Building at Bridge Africa Summit 2025
AfriLabs to Spotlight Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Building at Bridge Africa Summit 2025 AfriLabs, the largest network of innovation and technology hubs across Africa, will participate in the Bridge Africa Summit 2025, hosted by the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Benguerir, Morocco, from July 17–19, 2025. The summit will convene influential voices from across the continent to reimagine innovation, responsibility, and action in shaping Africa’s development future. As part of the official programme on Friday, July 18, AfriLabs’ Chief Operating Officer, COO, Ajibola Odukoya, will join a high-level panel session titled “Unlocking African Entrepreneurship”, contributing to a strategic dialogue on how to create stronger enabling environments for entrepreneurship across the continent. The session brings together diverse actors from academia, ecosystem support organizations, and innovation policy to explore the systemic levers that can shift Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape from promise to performance. It will spotlight the roles of universities, government institutions, catalytic programs, and platforms like AfriLabs in building the architecture for scalable, inclusive entrepreneurship. “Across the continent, entrepreneurs are innovating in high-impact sectors, but without systems to support them, scale remains elusive,” said Ajibola Odukoya, COO of AfriLabs. “This conversation is about unlocking the real value of entrepreneurship through intentional collaboration, aligned investment, and infrastructure that grows with the entrepreneur.” Drawing from AfriLabs’ work with over 500 hubs in 53 countries, Ajibola will offer practical insights into how innovation ecosystems can: ➜ Facilitate meaningful access to finance and mentorship, ➜ Strengthen collaboration between education institutions and startup communities, ➜ Drive localized policy advocacy that removes systemic barriers to growth, ➜ Position Africa’s entrepreneurs to compete and lead globally. AfriLabs’ participation reinforces its mission to create interconnected, resilient ecosystems that support entrepreneurs from ideation to expansion. From capacity building and access to markets to influencing startup-friendly policy, AfriLabs serves as a continental enabler, fostering environments where African innovation can thrive and scale sustainably. The Bridge Africa Summit’s emphasis on co-creation and innovation aligns with AfriLabs’ vision of entrepreneurship not as an isolated act but as a system-wide effort, involving both public and private actors, local talent, and global partnerships. UM6P’s leadership in convening this dialogue reflects the growing consensus that innovation must be backed by strong research, talent development pipelines, and policy coherence. The university’s presence in global innovation corridors points to a future where African entrepreneurs engage with the world on equal footing. This critical conversation also builds momentum toward the AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2025, taking place in Nairobi, Kenya, from October 7–9. Under the theme “Africa’s Innovation Future: Policy, Partnerships & Progress,” the Gathering will be a pan-African platform to deepen these discussions and forge the partnerships required to realize them. “We are no longer asking whether Africa can innovate; we’re showing how it already is. What we now need are the systems that allow innovation to scale across borders, sectors, and generations,” Ajibola added. The “Unlocking African Entrepreneurship” session is a timely contribution to Africa’s broader development agenda, one that understands that entrepreneurship is not just about opportunity, but about the ecosystems that enable ideas to become industries. For more on AfriLabs’ work or to connect during the summit, reach out to comms@afrilabs.com or visit www.afrilabs.com.
AfriLabs to Drive Global Collaboration for Africa’s Innovation Ecosystem at the 5th India-Africa Entrepreneurship & Investment Summit in Nairobi
AfriLabs to Drive Global Collaboration for Africa’s Innovation Ecosystem at the 5th India-Africa Entrepreneurship & Investment Summit in Nairobi AfriLabs, the largest network of innovation hubs across Africa, will serve as a strategic partner and participant at the upcoming 5th India-Africa Entrepreneurship & Investment Summit, taking place in Nairobi, Kenya from July 17–18, 2025. The summit will convene key players from across India and Africa, including government leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem builders to explore new pathways for innovation, trade, and inclusive development. AfriLabs’ involvement reflects its commitment to strengthening cross-continental collaboration and unlocking global opportunities for African innovation hubs. Represented by our Executive Director, Anna Ekeledo, AfriLabs will spotlight Africa’s growing innovation ecosystem while advancing conversations around capital access, digital transformation, and sustainable growth. On Day 1 of the summit, Thursday 17th July 2025, Anna Ekeledo will speak on a high-level panel titled “Building Scale: How Government, Capital & Networks can enable the Next Generation of High-Impact Ventures,” scheduled from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. She will be speaking alongside Vipul Parekh, Co-Founder of BigBasket, and Dr. Tonny Mwansa, CEO of the Kenya Innovation Agency. The session will be moderated by Anirudh Damani. This conversation will explore the vital roles that networks like AfriLabs, policy frameworks, and investment ecosystems play in scaling transformative ventures across emerging markets. “This summit connects two dynamic regions shaping the future of innovation,” said Anna Ekeledo, Executive Director of AfriLabs. “Strategic partnerships like these open doors to new resources, connections, and possibilities that are critical for scaling African-led solutions.” AfriLabs’ engagement at the summit aligns squarely with its strategic vision, one that prioritizes global cooperation, resource mobilization, and innovation diplomacy as central levers for ecosystem growth. The summit provides a powerful platform for: Fostering bilateral and multilateral investment opportunities for African startups and innovation hubs Creating partnerships for shared programming, research, and knowledge exchange between Indian and African hubs Exploring green and digital economy synergies, with an emphasis on climate-smart innovation, digital public infrastructure, and inclusive growth Showcasing Africa’s innovation potential and the critical role hubs play in nurturing local talent, startups, and solutions With over 500 member hubs in 53 countries and the diaspora, AfriLabs brings a continent-wide lens to these conversations, ensuring that Africa’s grassroots innovation engines are at the forefront of shaping global development agendas. This participation also builds momentum toward AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2025, which will take place in Nairobi from October 7–9, 2025. The Annual Gathering is the largest pan-African convening of innovation hubs, development partners, governments, startups, and private sector players. This year’s theme will center on “Africa’s Innovation Future: Policy, Partnerships & Progress.” Together, these two major events signal Nairobi’s growing importance as a continental and global hub for innovation diplomacy and entrepreneurial exchange. With AfriLabs participating in the India-Africa Summit in July and convening the Annual Gathering in October, Nairobi stands out as a focal point for Africa’s innovation leadership in 2025. These convenings will catalyze partnerships, unlock investment flows and amplify the voices of Africa’s innovation ecosystem on the global stage,” added Anna As global challenges become increasingly interconnected, so must solutions. The 5th India-Africa Entrepreneurship & Investment Summit is a powerful demonstration of the potential of South-South cooperation, where shared priorities in digital transformation, youth empowerment, sustainability, and entrepreneurship become catalysts for inclusive growth. AfriLabs is committed to ensuring that African innovation hubs are in this dialogue but central players, solution architects, and collaborators in shaping a future that works for all. To learn more about AfriLabs’ work in strengthening Africa’s innovation ecosystem and explore opportunities for collaboration, visit www.afrilabs.com. If you’d like to connect with us during the summit or schedule a meeting, reach out via comms@afrilabs.com, we’d love to engage with you.
Breaking Down Barriers for Entrepreneurs in Africa: AfriLabs at the 4th AU MSME Forum 2025
Breaking Down Barriers for Entrepreneurs in Africa: AfriLabs at the 4th AU MSME Forum 2025 The African innovation ecosystem will take center stage at the 4th Annual African Union Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSME) Forum, under the theme “Building Resilient MSMEs through Digital Innovation, Market Access & Affordable Financing for Africa.” The event, hosted by the African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the Government of Nigeria, will bring together over 300 stakeholders to shape inclusive pathways for entrepreneurship across the continent. Among the high-impact sessions during this week-long forum, AfriLabs is set to participate in a critical conversation on “Breaking Down Barriers for Entrepreneurs in Africa: The Role of Technology (Incubation and Acceleration) Hubs.” The session is scheduled for Thursday, June 26th, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, WAT. Representing AfriLabs will be Nanko Madu, Director of Programmes, who brings a wealth of experience on how innovation hubs are supporting Africa’s emerging and growing entrepreneurial talent. The session will convene leading accelerators, incubators, and innovation enablers to unpack the vital role that tech hubs play in nurturing early-stage startups, especially in environments marked by limited funding, fragmented infrastructure, and constrained market access. The conversation aims to spotlight how hubs are anchoring Africa’s digital transformation by: Providing startups with access to training, mentorship, and funding opportunities Driving inclusive digital adoption among MSMEs Bridging local entrepreneurs with continental and global markets. Helping startups navigate regulatory hurdles and compliance challenges Promoting inclusive innovation by targeting women- and youth-led businesses. AfriLabs, with its network of over 500 hubs in 53 African countries, plays a critical role in enabling this transformation. Through its programs and advocacy, AfriLabs fosters an environment where African startups can scale and thrive. Set against the broader backdrop of the African Union’s strategy to empower SMEs, this session complements the forum’s focus on digital tools, intra-African trade, and structural financing. Delegates will engage with actionable strategies to: Mobilize public-private partnerships to fund entrepreneurial infrastructure Align hub efforts with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to promote intra-African commerce Embed environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles in entrepreneurial development Encourage joint policy-making efforts between governments and ecosystem enablers Highlight replicable success stories and data-backed outcomes of incubation and acceleration programs. As African economies look to MSMEs as the backbone of job creation and innovation, the forum’s agenda aligns closely with AfriLabs’ mission: to support the development of a knowledge-driven, innovation-led economy across the continent. AfriLabs invites ecosystem actors, investors, policymakers, and partners to join this vital session and explore how collaborative models can dismantle persistent barriers for African entrepreneurs. Event Details Date: Thursday, June 26, 2025 Time: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM (WAT) Venue: Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria Speaker: Nanko Madu, Director of Programmes, AfriLabs To learn more about our participation, please contact Shaka Mutuku at shaka@afrilabs.com