Part Two of Season One of the Afruturist Podcast, The Diary of The Hub Manager — a conversation with movers and shakers of African innovation and technology entrepreneurship with Mara Michelo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jacaranda Hub, Zambia. In this episode of the Afruturist Podcast, I caught up with Mara, reflecting on Zambia’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship ecosystem. Zambia startup ecosystem is one of the oldest ecosystems, with some of the earliest players in the African ecosystem, such as Bongohive. 

This is the Season One of the Afruturist Podcast, The Diary of The Hub Manager. I’m discussing with movers and shakers of African innovation and technology entrepreneurship. This is a conversation with Sheilah Birgen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), The Cord. We reflected with Sheilah about the Kenya Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship ecosystem. We looked into the role of different players of the ecosystem in supporting ecosystem growth. We explore the role played by Academic Institutions, Corporate Companies, Development Partners, and the Government in supporting the Kenyan startup ecosystem. We shared lessons learned down the years and issues that make the Kenyan startup ecosystem stand out. We also reflected on the role of women-led enterprises and women entrepreneurs in the ecosystem. 

This is the Season One of the Afruturist Podcast, The Diary of The Hub Manager. I’m discussing with movers and shakers of African innovation and technology entrepreneurship. This is a conversation with Michael Oluwagbemi, Cofounder and Executive Partner, LoftyInc Allied Partners. We reflected with Michael about the Nigerian innovation and technology entrepreneurship ecosystem. We talked about the recent success of Nigerian startups. We talked about building LoftyInc, lessons learned along the way and what it takes to be an Angel Investor in Africa. We discussed the urban startup ecosystem in Nigeria and the efforts to support other cities outside Lagos, Ibadan and Abuja. 

This is the Season One of the Afruturist Podcast, The Diary of The Hub Manager. I'm discussing with movers and shakers of African innovation and technology entrepreneurship. This is a conversation with Awil Osman, CEO of Silicon Horn Somalia. Awil Osman is among the most active players in Somalia's emerging innovation and technology entrepreneurship ecosystem. Motivated by what was happening in Nairobi, Kenya, Awil kickstarted his career working with different startups in both Kenya and Somalia. The former CEO of iRise Hub is currently on a mission to address the funding gap in Somalia's Startup Ecosystem by working with different ecosystem partners through his new venture, Silicon Horn.

This is the Season One of the Afruturist Podcast, The Diary of The Hub Manager. I'm discussing with movers and shakers of African innovation and technology entrepreneurship. This is a conversation with Vincent Kumwenda, CEO of mHub Malawi. We talked about everything Malawian innovation, technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem; support to grassroots innovators, funding mechanisms, solutions and government role. Vincent Kumwenda is among the Champions in building the Malawian innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. He cofounded mHub Malawi, Malawi's most reputable innovation, technology and entrepreneurship hub targeting youths. He has been actively involved in using innovation and technology to address challenges facing communities in Malawi. 

This is a conversation with Josiah Kwesi, CEO and Co-founder of Ispace Ghana, one of the leading innovation hubs in Ghana. Ghana is among the leading startup ecosystems in Africa. The country comes just after the top four Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt. I'm reflecting on Josiah lessons learned from the ecosystem and what are the next practical steps of the Ghanaian and African innovation ecosystem at large. We talked about different blocks of the ecosystems and how they interact.