Lagos Tech Hub Backed By Israel Opens In Lagos
By Bukar BOLORI
Lagos Tech Hub will soon be opened by Innov8, an Israeli backed technology innovative centre in the country.
Already Innov8 has been involved in building innovators across the country at its facilities in Abuja for some years now.
The Centre has selected no fewer than 40 start-ups (persons) for the fourth rounds of recruitment exercise to be trained and mentored on basics of in innovation.
Innovate8 is an Israeli sponsored technology hub which acts as a focal point for Innovation Start-up Incubation, Technology Transfer, Knowledge & Skill Impartation, Prototype Development and Fabrication.
The not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation , has a mandate to enhance socio-economic growth and human capital development in Nigeria and beyond; through innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship, capacity building and venture creation. As well as to inculcate the culture and instigate the process of innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and venture creation.
The hub has worked with 132 innovators since its inception in the country.
Speaking on the next plan of the centre, the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister, Sharren Miriam Haskel-Harpaz, disclosed that the initiative has been able to attract millions of dollars investment into the country.
Haskel-Harpaz said it is part of the efforts to build bridges and people to people connections across the globe.
The Deputy Minister while commending Nigerian youth for their creativity and resilience in the face of all odds, said: “And with the investment of the Tech Fund today that was announced, of a few more millions that were invested in this project, we are happy to announce that we are now opening this project for another 40 startups that will be able to apply now for a new programme and a new internship.
“And I invite the Nigerian brilliant and creative minds to apply to this programme. Where now instead of 20, we’ll have 40 startups that will be able to be chosen. Some of the top ones to make their dream come true.
“To learn the skills on how to develop it and how to produce what they want to advance humanity and to advance your country. I think that this is part of what we’re talking about. The relationship, the government to government, people to people.
“This is what’s building the bridges and strengthening the bonds. It’s important for me also to state and to mention, I’m very happy to come here.”
On the Direct Foreign Investment the initiative has been able to attract, the visiting Foreign Minister said Samsung has invested $250 million on one of the startups, while another one attracted $250,000.
“Yes, we got directly to Tetra, a project called FGCI, it’s $250,000. This is just one project with $250,000, just one of it. You were talking about the graduates. Yes, the graduates and how much investments they were able to bring in. Yes, the graduates, we put, for example, Samsung. Samsung, it’s worth $250 million.
“Samsung bought them. And how much did they invest in it? $250 million. $250 million. Just for another, just one graduate.
“ So I think this is how you need to see it. The investments that we put here in the internship and in teaching them on how to develop their product and how to market it and what comes next.Three terms, okay, of 20 startups. Okay, now we’re opening the fourth one with the help of the Tetfund and the Minister of Communication. Another 40 startups, but just one that was bought by Samsung brought into this country $250 million, just one of them.
“So it’s remarkable and the sky’s the limit with what is, with innovation and with technology, with healthcare, recycling and building and fashion.”
On expanding the initiative to other part of the country, the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister said plans are already on going to establish one in Lagos.
She said “So this is the negotiation with the Minister of Technology and Innovation. And we’ve been discussing it. This is a product that’s up and coming.”
