In the last ten years, Africa has experienced unprecedented growth in its digital technology sector. The tech ecosystem is a fast-paced, high-growth environment that has seen the continent witness more than 700 tech hubs and counting.
These African tech hubs offer tech startups access to venture funds from all over the planet. They support and promote home-grown solutions to local, and sometimes global, problems. Many African entrepreneurs have also benefited from the professional and social networks these tech hubs provide.
Cities such as Lagos, Nairobi, Cairo, Cape Town, and Johannesburg lead with the highest number of tech hubs with each having a minimum of 20. The likes of Accra, Tunis, and Abuja are home to at least 15 tech hubs. Other African cities such as Bamako, Kampala and Dakar can each count a minimum of 10 tech hubs.
Nigeria (85), South Africa (80) and Kenya (50) lead the pack in terms of the number of tech hubs in each country. The likes of Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, Ghana, and Ivory Coast are also hotpots. This article highlights the foremost tech hubs in Africa.
1. Wennovation Hub, Nigeria
Founded in 2010, Wennovation hub has developed some of the most popular tech platforms in Nigeria. The likes of Asusu, Reliance HMO, Crop2Cash, AfriMash, FarmMonie, and ProNov are some platforms that have been supported by Wennovation hub.
2. Silicon Cape Initiative, South Africa
Silicon Cape is a tech ecosystem enabler that was established in 2009. It is an inclusive environment that brings in renowned entrepreneurs and tech talents across the continent to help startups achieve their goal of creating globally respected organisations.
3. Co-Creation Hub (Cc Hub), Nigeria
Cc Hub was established in 2010 and currently has its offices in several parts of Nigeria including Lagos and Abuja. This incubator also functions as a multi-organisation, supporting new solutions to social problems. The tech hub is in partnership with American tech giants such as Facebook, Microsoft, and Google. So far, they have supported more than 95 startups.
4. SmartXchange, South Africa
Established in 2012, this South African IT hub provides enterprise support and development to tech startups. It also partners with tertiary institutions. So far, SmartXchange has supported the likes of AdNotes, SMEPlus, and Mzansi Smart TV.
5. iHub, Kenya
Launched in 2010 and located in Nairobi, iHub has the central purpose of connecting investors with talented entrepreneurs in the country. iHub is in partnership with multiple local and international investors and tech companies including Oracle, Google, Facebook, and Safaricom. The hub has so far supported more than 450 tech startups. Some of them include M-Farm, Giftchain, Secvate Solutions, and Biashara Africa.
6. Flat6Labs, Egypt
This seed and early stage venture capital firm runs arguably the most advanced startup program in Africa. The North African tech hub selects 100 tech startups each year and also funds these platforms. Flat6Labs provides investment capital of around $500k. Some of the tech platforms it has supported include Hawaya, Chefaa, Moneyfollows, and Instabug.
7. Nailab, Kenya
The Nairobi-based startup incubator provides programs that help tech entrepreneurs figure out solutions to some of their pain points. Established in 2011, Nailab has so far incubated the likes of MyOrder, KejaHunt, and Tusque.
8. MEST, Ghana
Also known as Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology, MEST is a Ghanaian incubator that was founded in 2008. The Accra-based ecosystem provides tech skills, funding, training, and support to tech entrepreneurs. It also has branches in Lagos, Nairobi, and Cape Town. Kosmos Energy and Anitrack are some of the successful startups the tech hub has supported.
9. Iceaddis, Ethiopia
Based in Addis Ababa, Iceaddis was founded in 2011 as a coworking and an innovation hub. The hub supports tech founders in their quest to build sustainable tech solutions. Addiscan, GOSTAR, and Kartra are notable startups that have sprung up from Iceaddis.
10. ActivSpaces, Cameroon
ActivSpaces offers short courses on digital skills and provides coworking space and internships for tech-inclined young people. The hub was created in 2010 and has so far grown more than 80 startups.
Final Words
Several thriving African tech startups have sprung up from organisations such as Jumia, Konga, and Andela. However, since these were not founded as tech hubs, they do not appear on our list.
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