Among other things, an enterprising person is one who is passionate about turning entertaining activities into a profitable venture.
An innovation hub is a physical or virtual space that brings together individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as entrepreneurs, startups, creators and innovators, researchers, and industry experts, to share ideas, resources, knowledge and nurture them into industry-changing products and services. It can be the focal point of a city or a center of activity within an innovation district that encourages collaboration, serves as a springboard for new ideas and helps innovators pursue creative solutions.
An innovation hub fosters creativity, collaboration, and innovation. Innovation hubs can focus on specific areas like technology, sustainability, or social impact. They may offer resources like:
- Collaborative co-working spaces
- Valuable mentorship programs
- Funding opportunities
- Dynamic networking events
- Access to cutting-edge technology
- Critical access to funding
- Investment opportunities
- Incubation programs
- Collaborative projects
- Workshops and training
Some examples of innovation hubs include:
- Silicon Valley (California, USA)
- Silicon Roundabout (London, UK)
- Berlin Startup Scene (Germany)
- Station F (Paris, France)
- Innovation Centre (Singapore)
A hobby is an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation, rather than as a main occupation. It is an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure.
From hobbies to hubs
Taking creative ideas from indoors to industry requires an innovation hub which serves as a bridge between creativity and productivity. Innovation is beneficial creativity with commercial value.
Creative hobbies are meant for pleasure and enjoyment, while innovation hubs are meant for research and development.
Creative hobbies are served indoors, while innovation hubs are services in industry.
Creative hobbies are offshoots of passion, while innovation hubs are built on vision.
Creative hobbies are strictly happiness oriented, while innovation hubs may lead to serious business.
Creative hobbies don’t necessarily lead to innovation, but innovation hubs foster creativity.
Creative hobbies don’t necessarily need serious investment of resources, but innovation hubs do.
Creative hobbies are necessary for mind development among other things, while innovation hubs are necessary for nation building.
Creative hobbies are the building blocks of skills, while innovation hubs host skilled individuals and industry experts.
Creative hobbies are lifestyles, while innovation hubs are legacies.
Creative hobbies require creative intelligence, while innovation hubs require collective intelligence.
Creative hobbies focus on general, social and leisure (recreational) activities, while innovation hubs focus on specific areas like social entrepreneurship, technology entrepreneurship, sustainable development, etc.
Engaging in a creative hobby can bring joy and fulfillment to your life. Here are some ideas for creative hobbies you might enjoy:
- Painting or drawing
- Sewing or embroidery
- Writing (poetry, stories, journalism, etc.)
- Photography
- Crafting (knitting, woodworking, pottery, etc.)
- Graphic design
- Playing a musical instrument
- Dancing
- Gardening or flower arranging
- Cooking or baking
Which one of these creative hobbies resonates with you, or do you have something else in mind?
African technology and innovation hubs have become the epicenters of creativity. They offer a wide range of entrepreneurship and cutting-edge solutions. They are transforming the lives of millions and redefining global perceptions of the continent. These hubs have cultivated a vibrant ecosystem from Lagos to Cairo.
Africa has a thriving innovation ecosystem, with numerous hubs across the continent. Here are some notable innovation hubs in Africa:
- Cape Town, South Africa:
– Silicon Cape
-Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative (CiTi)
- Lagos, Nigeria:
– Yabacon Valley (aka “Silicon Yaba”)
– Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB)
– Lagos Innovation Hub
- Nairobi, Kenya:
– iHub
– Nairobi Innovation Hub
– Gearbox
- Accra, Ghana:
– Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST)
– Ghana Innovation Hub
- Kigali, Rwanda:
– Kigali Innovation City
– Rwanda Innovation Fund
- Cairo, Egypt:
– Cairo Innovation Hub
– GrEEk Campus
- Johannesburg, South Africa:
– JoziHub
-Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct
These hubs support startups, entrepreneurs, and innovators in various fields, such as:
- FinTech
- HealthTech
- AgriTech
- CleanTech
- EdTech
They offer resources like funding, mentorship, co-working spaces, and networking opportunities, contributing to Africa›s growing innovation landscape.
Here are some innovation hubs in Nigeria:
- Co-Creation Hub (CCHub): Nigeria’s first tech hub, located in Lagos.
- Wennovation Hub: With multiple locations in Lagos, Ibadan, and Abuja.
- nHub Nigeria: Supporting the technology community through incubation programs.
- Greenhouse Capital: An innovation accelerator.
- Mest Africa: Operating in Nigeria.
- UNILAG Design Studio and University of Ibadan Innovation Hub.
The University of Ibadan is actively working on establishing an innovation hub in collaboration with Opolo Global Innovation. This hub will be located within the Faculty of Technology and aims to support the ideation, incubation, acceleration, and commercialization of research outcomes and innovations.
Additionally, the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) at the University of Ibadan, established in 2002, also plays a significant role in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation among students and faculty.
The Global Innovation Hubs Index (GIHI) developed by the Center for Industrial Development and Environmental Governance (CIDEG) at Tsinghua University, with data services and translation support from Nature Research Intelligence, has been tracking and analysing year-on-year changes and the latest trends in global innovation since 2020. The GIHI2023 continues to apply scientific, objective, independent and impartial principles in evaluating 119 GIHs by three indicators known as research innovation, innovation economy, and innovation ecosystem, providing a reference for policy-makers, entrepreneurs, and practitioners.
Entrepreneurship of Creativity, Necessity and Sustainability (CNS) fosters strategic innovation, commercialization of innovation and societal transformation, respectively. Innovation hubs play crucial roles in the ideation, incubation, acceleration, and commercialization of research outcomes and innovations.
PS: “An enterprising person is one who sees opportunity in all areas of life. To be enterprising is to keep your eyes open and your mind active. It’s to be skilled enough and confident enough and creative enough and disciplined enough to seize opportunities that present themselves… regardless of the economy.”
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