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After going virtual for the first time last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s AfriLabs Annual Gathering which coincides with AfriLabs 10th year anniversary will be held in Marrakesh, Morocco from 25th-27th October 2021.
The theme for this year’s Gathering is “AfriLabs at 10: A Decade of Empowering and Inspiring Innovation across Africa” and Douar Tech, an AfriLabs Member Hub based in Morocco will be a co-host of the event.
The history of the African Innovation Ecosystem is a story of resilience, growth, collaboration and creativity. More than before, Africans are developing scalable solutions to their problems and one factor that is contributing to it is the growth of the support systems like innovation hubs (incubators, accelerators etc.) in the entrepreneurship and innovation space.
A network organisation of over 220 innovation hubs across 48 Africa, countries, AfriLabs has for a decade played an important role in the empowerment of innovation hubs across the continent. In their 10th year of existence, they reflect on the journey so far in providing support to the ecosystem. They celebrate their strides and that of their community and plan for the future with the dream of a thriving innovation economy in Africa.
A YEAR OF GOLDEN CELEBRATIONS
“This year, AfriLabs will be 10 years old and we will be celebrating and reflecting on the strides of the Innovation Ecosystem in Africa. If you have been part of our story, we would like to say a big thank you! If you haven’t joined us in building the Africa of our dreams…well, let’s make it happen in 2021.”
– Anna Ekeledo, Executive Director, AfriLabs
For this year’s Gathering, AfriLabs is riding strongly with their community and for the first time, they were actively involved in the selection of the theme, and their choice is a reflection of AfriLabs impact in empowering hubs and driving innovation across the continent. The 6th edition of the AfriLabs Annual Gathering will highlight 10 years of AfriLabs existence and they will be hosting a series of exciting events throughout the year which climaxes in Morocco in an effort to share the successes and challenges of the last decade while looking forward to a future of more collaborations and opportunities.
Looking back at all AfriLabs previous Annual Gatherings, this year’s event will spotlight the impact of innovation in Africa in the last decade, drive more strategic collaborations and engage more stakeholders in the African Tech Ecosystem as well as continue to build sustainable capacity for hubs on the continent.
The organisation’s Ecosystem Event’s Manager, Jennifer Okeke Ojiudu further explains this year’s Gathering objectives: “ This year, we look forward with the utmost anticipation to a post-pandemic world with fervent hopes to convene the Ecosystem in Morocco. 2021 will cumulate to the 10th year anniversary of the founding of AfriLabs; which will be the focus of most of the year’s events leading to a Finale at AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2021. Hosting the AfriLabs Annual Gathering in Marrakech is promised to be a unique and world-changing experience. More information to follow shortly.”
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