Impact Hub Lagos Hosts New Economy Booster Close-Out Event
By Opeyemi Solaru
On Friday, April 16, Impact Hub Lagos hosted the New Economy Booster Close-Out Event in Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria. It was an opportunity to celebrate the 50 ventures that participated in the program and allow them to showcase the tremendous accomplishments they have achieved over the past 8 months. Not only was it a night of networking, musical performances and celebration, but also an opportunity to focus on entrepreneurship in Nigeria post-COVID and the way forward.
Navigating the New Economy
Keynote speaker, Afiola Etomi, an industry expert, discussed navigating the new economy post-COVID. He was an instrumental part of the Accelerator program, as he provided support and business advisory services to the business ventures.
During his keynote presentation, Afiola Etomi emphasized the importance of African investors investing in Africa. “Only 20% of venture cash comes from Africa-based investors,” he shared as he revealed how much investment comes from foreign investors. However, he also mentioned how critical it is to have foreign capital, as it fosters an environment of collaboration and shows the value in validation.
Venture Experiences and Awards
Seromume Ikogho of Detail Africa and Habeeb Kolade of Agbowo both shared their unique experiences from the program. They discussed aspects of the program that were especially impactful and how this would change their businesses for the better. Seromume stated that “[he] has attended quite a few programs, and this definitely tops all.”
Out of the 50 participating ventures in the incubation program, 15 ventures progressed to the Acceleration program. While all the ventures are making noteworthy impact in their respective industries, the Impact Hub Lagos team wanted to highlight a few ventures that went above and beyond in the program. Here are the recipients:
The award for the Most Innovative Venture was awarded to Farmspeak Technology, for being committed to eliminating extreme poverty amongst farmers, improving food security, increasing productivity and profitability by empowering rural poultry farmers with smart hardware devices and farm management platforms.
In addition, BIZCO was also awarded the Most Innovative Venture award. This venture is a Software as a Service that provides wholesalers and retailers the tools to digitise their business. They enable MSME’s to efficiently manage their sales accounting and inventory online with an easy-to-use application.
The Outstanding Leader award was given to Seromume Ikogho of Detail Africa for being consistent and motivating the cohort by setting an excellent example. Seromume is the CEO of a company that creates designs and works closely with the most talented local artisans to bring these designs to life — leading to locally made finished leather products that are globally competitive in terms of quality.
The Rising Star: The Trailblazer was an award to recognize the achievements of an emerging venture in the Cohort who represents the next generation of changemakers. This was awarded to Waziki Life, a venture that enables accessible and affordable health services for everyone. They have created a platform where you can check your symptoms, get the right tips to stay healthy, and keep track of your health records from wherever you are.
The Social Innovation Award, which recognized the venture that demonstrated exceptional social, environmental and economic impact was awarded to Mumspring, whose mission is to empower women and mothers to take care and take on the world.
The Most Valuable Player, an award specifically selected by the IHL team, was awarded to Amina Dyslexia Center, the venture that was most dedicated to the team, being considerate about the cohort consistently and contributing maximum effort to the NEB program.
The Most Engaged Entrepreneur was awarded to Prosper Ukachi of ShortKode Technologies, for his consistent participation and efforts to build community amongst the cohort.
Moving Forward
All in all, the closeout event was a fantastic way to end such a phenomenal program. The Impact Hub Lagos team is grateful to the partners, mentors, facilitators, speakers, industry experts, Lab of Tomorrow and BMZ for working with us to execute the NEB program. The event was just a reminder of how much the ventures benefited from the program and that they are equipped with the skills and tools necessary to exceed in their respective industries and ultimately contribute to a better economy in Nigeria.
