The AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2022 themed, Intra-Africa Connectivity, Collaboration and Innovation held from the 26th-28th of October 2022 at the Ciêla Resort, Lusaka, Zambia in collaboration with AfriLabs member hubs consisting of Bongo Hive, Jacaranda Hub, NyamukAfrika and W.E.A.C.

The Gathering, which was the 7th edition of the event aimed at facilitating and fostering collaborations as well as innovations between African countries.  It promoted conversations around the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) thereby highlighting the impact and need for a unified economy in Africa which will stimulate the emerging market economy of African nations. 

The event had exciting and intriguing discussions through various panels and workshops led by ecosystem support organisations consisting of GIZ Make-IT, Wylde International, Intel, Mozilla,International Trade Centre (ITC), and AfriLabs member hubs.There were also mainstage  presentations from other partners  such  as Briter Bridges, the African Union under the AU Tech Fellowship and a fireside chat by Afreximbank. Through these activities, the Gathering proved to be a great opportunity for AfriLabs’ partners to gain excellent visibility within Africa’s innovation ecosystem.

The AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2022 also saw the launch of several initiatives such as AfriLabs Connect, Kubatana by AfriLabs Magazine Issue 2, AfriLabs policy pathways, Intel Deep Tech Report and the Pan-African Agri-Tech Consortium (P.A.A.C).

Beautiful memories from the Gathering consists of:

The AfriLabs Annual Gala themed “The African MetGala; Ultra Glam Africa” took place on the 26th of October 2022 in partnership with the Ministry of Technology and Science, Zambia. It was aimed at showcasing the rich culture within the AfriLabs Network which consists of 400 technology and innovation hubs across 52 African countries. In line with AfriLabs tradition, the Annual Gala was a chance for our attendees to network, enjoy local sights and sounds. The 2022 Gala dress code was a Haute Couture, ultra glamorous African Attire.

AfriLabs Partners Dinner: AfriLabs hosted its partners at a dinner to round up the 2022 AfriLabs Annual Gathering. An intimate dinner to appreciate our partners’ work with the organisation, receive feedback from their experiences working with AfriLabs and get recommendations that could be leveraged to better serve the ecosystem.

Dinner and Cocktail events hosted by the following hubs and organizations: VC4A, Madica,  Bongo Hive, W.A.E.C.

The activities on the last day of the Gathering included a tour of the Zambian technology and innovation ecosystem where members of our community such as Bongo Hive, NyamukAfrica and W.A.E.C were visited. Zanaco was also visited during this tour.