KUBATANA MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2022
AFR I LABS
According to the AfriLabs Needs Assessment Report 2019, 80% of entrepreneurs indicate that self-researching through the web is how they gain new knowledge. The report also states that there is a need to design Africa-centric, self-paced virtual enterprise development and management programs where entrepreneurs can access relatable content. These programs will also guarantee access to expert mentors with experience in African markets to support the development and growth of startups across the continent. The development of the AfriLabs Academy stemmed from the need to create a system to bridge the existing capacity and skill gap in training innovation hub managers and ESOs across Africa. So far, the innovation ecosystem in Africa has relied on using content outside Africa. Examples are Y-combinator, Silicon Valley and so on. This content, while effective, does not inculcate and reflect the dynamics of the African ecosystem. Professor Bitange Ndemo in a webinar said that “African Innovators must create solutions for the problems in Africa and not adapt western problems as our own.” The curation of the curriculum and content for the AfriLabs Academy brought together partnerships between Strathmore University
Kenya, Africa Business Angel Network (ABAN) and seasoned curriculum development experts from across the African continent, including experts within the Francophone African ecosystem. These partners worked through a series of reviews, focus group discussions with crucial ecosystem actors, and plagiarism monitoring to develop a standard academic curriculum. The programme addresses the specific challenges of African hubs and start- ups and ensures that innovation hub managers and their staff can raise successful companies in Africa. Some of the challenges addressed include fundraising for hubs and startups, sustainability, business model growth and expansion, and preparing startups to scale among many others. The Academy’s content is split into modules that address the different growth levels of African hubs. At each stage of growth, the challenges faced by the hubs are identified, and each learner is taught about the application of solutions that work. While most LMS platforms like Udemy and Coursera have courses focused on entrepreneurship, the AfriLabs Academy is focused solely on innovation hubs and ESO support. In the coming years, we expect to adapt the curriculum to reflect changes in the ecosystem and ensure inclusion of other common African languages.
AFRILABS ACADEMY: REVOLUTIONISING INNOVATION SUPPORT IN AFRICA THROUGH E-LEARNING
BY NANKO MADU, Director of Programmes, AfriLabs & AND FUNMILAYO CAULCRICK, Programmes Officer, AfriLabs
PICTURED: AfriLabs and Strathmore University partnership signing ceremony
PICTURED: AfriLabs programmes team
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