AfriLabs, the largest pan-African network of 174 technology and innovation hubs across 45 African countries will be hosting the 5th edition of its Annual Gathering in Marrakesh and Ben Guerir, Morocco from 12th-14th October 2020. The Gathering-themed “Building a Sustainable and Innovative Africa” will be hosted by AfriLabs hub member Douar Tech Morocco.
The AfriLabs Annual Gathering has been held in four different locations across Africa. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th editions held in Accra-Ghana (2016), Cairo-Egypt (2017), Dar es Salaam-Tanzania (2018), and Addis Ababa-Ethiopia (2019) respectively.
The Annual Gathering 2020 will usher in the last decade to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 while highlighting the African technology and innovation ecosystem’s capacity to tackle the challenges that the continent faces.
The Gathering will feature different key players/stakeholders of the African tech and Innovation Ecosystem; and will present an opportunity to assess the scope for scaling up sustainable innovations to make an impact on a larger scale through the AfriLabs network.
With the expansion of Technology and Innovation Centres on the continent, Africa stands a greater chance of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Based on this, this year’s gathering will drive the conversation around various areas of the UN’s 2030 SDGs and the role of the African Innovation Ecosystem in not only ensuring that these goals are met but also in collaborating with other stakeholders to take deliberate steps in achieving these goals. A few key areas include Affordable and Sustainable housing, smart cities and waste management, Tech for rural economies and Natural resources management. Thematic sessions shall include but not limited to;
- Innovation; the Blueprint to Africa’s Economic and Social Development and Sustainability
- The Role of Technology Hubs in Implementing the SDGs
- Africa’s Advancement to a Green and Smart City
- Fostering collaboration between hubs, Academia, Private Sector, etc
Each session, dialogue, and other activities will be tailored towards consolidating collaboration within ecosystems to cross-fertilize approaches towards reaching a Sustainable Innovative Africa. The Gathering will prioritize sharing technology and people-driven frameworks that will foster collaboration between stakeholders to optimize investment, research, creativity, skills, and other forms of support for sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship to thrive in Africa.
This is in line with AfriLabs vision of an African continent characterized by open collaboration, African-made solutions, and jobs for all driven by technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
To register and keep updated about the 2020 AfriLabs Annual Gathering, please visit https://www.afrilabs-gathering.com.
“The African innovation ecosystem has been booming since last decade. Building Sustainable and innovative Africa is one of the most effective ways to fight poverty and create employment. AfriLabs is very excited to come to Morocco this year, we are very confident that our hosting hub – Douar Tech Morocco – will organize an extraordinary event and gathering for all the African entrepreneurship ecosystem”
Moetaz Helmy, Board secretary of AfriLabs.
“We want to surface all the initiatives that will make Africa the resilient, sustainable and innovative continent its youth aspire to build. This gathering will be the opening of a decade where the vibrant African tech ecosystems catalyze the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals. It’s a powerful stance highlighting the African innovation capacity to answer continental and global challenges!”
Hanae Bezad, CEO of Douar Tech, Morocco.
About AfriLabs
AfriLabs is a pan-African network of 174 technology innovation hubs across 45 African countries. AfriLabs was founded in 2011 to build a community around rapidly emerging tech hubs, with a mission to support the growth of these technology hubs and their communities to raise high potential entrepreneurs that will stimulate economic growth and social development in Africa.
For more information about AfriLabs and partnership, please visit: www.afrilabs.com or call +2348149612015. You can also send us an email to secreteriat@afrilabs.com.
About Douar Tech Morocco
Douar Tech is a decentralized hub for rural communities which is aimed at promoting the economic independence of young people in douars, especially women from precarious backgrounds in rural areas of Morocco through several training in innovative entrepreneurship and intensive technology.
For more information about Douar Tech, kindly visit: www.douar.tech.