CcHub and GIZ Launch UNI:NNOVATORS Startups-in-Residence Programme to Boost Innovation in African Universities
Co-Creation Hub (CcHub) has recently unveiled a groundbreaking co-funded initiative in collaboration with the Make-IT in Africa project, executed by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The initiative, known as the UNI:NNOVATORS Startups-in-Residence Programme, aims to foster innovation within African universities, focusing on Nigeria, Namibia, and Kenya.
With the objective of bolstering and accelerating academic institutions' participation in the emerging innovation ecosystem across the continent, CcHub plans to support 30 student-led innovations through this new programme.
Selected startup teams will be engaged in a design sprint, enhancing their research-based innovations and developing prototypes with a focus on greentech and smart city solutions in specific sectors, including agriculture, energy, circular economy, water, and healthcare.
Following the pitch demonstration, eighteen student-led teams that successfully scale through will be rewarded with a knowledge exchange opportunity, collaborating with leading researchers in their respective fields. These teams will also have the unique chance to travel to Germany for in-person sessions, significantly enhancing the strength of their prototypes. Moreover, they will receive funding and advisory services to aid in building and deploying their Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) in the marketplace, and establishing partnerships with relevant industries.
The programme will culminate in a two-day summit in Nairobi, Kenya, where the selected startups will have the opportunity to pitch their innovative solutions to an international audience of investors and stakeholders. This summit aims to highlight the crucial role that higher education institutions play in the broader innovation ecosystem on the African continent.
CcHub expressed its high hopes for the programme, aiming to support numerous research-led innovations developed by Masters students, PhD students, and even undergraduate students in universities. The ultimate goal is to address some of the most pressing and profound challenges faced by the African continent.
CcHub plans to collaborate with six higher education institutions across Nigeria, Namibia, and Kenya. Specifically, in Nigeria, the focus will be on the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos. In Namibia, CcHub will work with the University of Namibia and Namibia University of Science and Technology. In Kenya, the partnering institutions will be Riara University and the University of Nairobi.
The UNI:NNOVATORS Startups-in-Residence Programme promises to be a significant step towards nurturing innovation within academic circles and advancing the broader innovation landscape in Africa.
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