Pan-African tech and innovation hub network AfriLabs has partnered innovation ecosystem Jokkolabs to grow its network to include 135 hubs.
AfriLabs has member hubs across 36 African countries, and supports innovation centres in building successful entrepreneurs.
It recently increased its membership base to 123 hubs, but has further expanded that via a partnership with Jokkolabs, a non-profit ecosystem of open innovation and a network of innovation centres.
The 12 hubs in the Jokkolabs network, based in Senegal, Cameroon, The Gambia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Mali, have become members of the AfriLabs network, and Jokkolabs as an organisation has become a partner of AfriLabs. The partners will work together to design programmes for both networks.
“Since the launch of one of the first innovation hubs in Africa eight years ago in Senegal, Jokkolabs has been dedicated to the building of a great ecosystem of African innovation for a shared prosperity with our partners. To join the AfriLabs network is another stage of “building a bridge instead of a wall” between the various initiatives and regions with the profit of entrepreneurs on the continent as the end goal,” said Karim Sy, founder of Jokkolabs.
“We are excited to work with Jokkolabs on programmes that will have an impact on our joint communities and to contribute to the realisation of our vision of open markets for African startups, regional integration, the promotion of the innovation and technology for social development and economic development on the continent,” said Anna Ekeledo, executive director of AfriLabs.
