Crowdsourced Map Reveals Booming Technology Sector in Africa
African technology entrepreneurship has enjoyed a 300% growth according to the first ever on-line map of Africa’s technology hubs, business incubators, hacker spaces and university technology hubs.
The figure represents a threefold increase on what ‘industry insiders’ had previously believed was the true number.
In fact 35 technology hubs in 13 countries have so far been mapped on-line at AfricaHubs. The crowdsourced research was carried out by BongoHive, Lusaka’s Technology and Innovation Hub to provide a more realistic picture of technology entrepreneurship on the African continent.
The initiative was more than just a data collecting exercise as it is hoped that tangible benefits will materialise.
“One or two tech hubs like the iHub in Nairobi have earned well-deserved acclaim for their work”, said Lukonga Lindunda, co-Founder of BongoHive, “but we suspected that there were many less well known hubs out there like BongoHub Zambia.”
“We knew from our experience here in Lusaka that bringing tech enthusiasts together creates real benefits; enormous synergy comes from people sharing their experience and providing practical help and motivation for each other. Now we want to reproduce those network benefits on a pan-African scale by enabling reciprocal learning between technology hubs in many different countries.”
What is a Technology Hub?
A technology hub is a building where entrepreneurs, enthusiasts and experts collaborate, share experiences and devise and develop innovative ideas. Some of these hubs provide office space for start-ups and many organise programs and events to strengthen networks and help provide a creature environment that nurtures innovation and innovative thinking.
Putting African Technology on the Map
The interactive map is easy to use. Clicking on one of the red dots will reveal more about a particular centre and anyone can add a new hub to the map.
The clear picture that emerges from this exciting crowdsourcing initiative is that in 2012 the technology sector in Africa is booming.
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