Since its founding in 2010, the Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB) has been at the forefront of enabling technology innovation and empowering entrepreneurs in Nigeria. What began as an experimental project has grown into a thriving ecosystem supporting innovative startups and driving groundbreaking digital solutions.
With initiatives like its incubator programs, accelerator programs, innovation centers, funding opportunities and research projects, CcHUB has directly impacted over 500,000 people. It has supported over 120 early-stage startups that have gone on to raise more than $40 million USD in investments.
CcHUB’s Vision for Fostering Innovation
CcHUB was founded with the vision to be a major catalyst for tech innovation in Nigeria that could make meaningful impact. It wanted to create a collaborative space where people could co-create novel solutions, hence the name “Co-Creation Hub”.
Some key aspects of realizing this vision included:
Providing Infrastructure and Support
By providing reliable infrastructure, funding, mentors and opportunities for collaboration, CcHUB enables entrepreneurs and startups to focus on bringing their innovative ideas to life. World-class internet connectivity, power supply and facilities remove infrastructural barriers.
Promoting Knowledge Sharing
CcHUB facilitates knowledge sharing through forums, workshops and informal engagement. This promotes cross-pollination of ideas and faster learning for entrepreneurs. Mentors and seasoned professionals also share real-world insights.
Building a Strong Community
From university students to tech companies, CcHUB houses a diverse community clustered around the common goal of problem-solving with technology. This community offers valuable networking, partnership and talent acquisition opportunities.
Encouraging Collaboration
Joint problem-solving sessions, user feedback forums, hackathons and mixers all drive collaboration. There are more creative solutions when disciplines converge – artists inspire engineers, doctors inform designers etc.
Providing Funding and Incubation
CcHUB offers seed funding and incubation for early-stage startups with innovative solutions. Over $250,000 USD has been invested by CcHUB in startups. Selected startups get workspace, internet and utilities for 6-24 months alongside support.
How CcHUB Supports Innovation – Programs and Initiatives
CcHUB runs a number of targeted programs and initiatives to provide practical support for driving impactful innovation. Some key ones are highlighted below:
Incubation Program
This program provides workspace, funding, mentoring, and access to CcHUB’s network to early-stage startups working on software or hardware tech solutions. CcHUB has supported over 78 startups under this, like BudgIT, Wecyclers, Lifebank etc.
Growth Capital Fund
The fund offers financing between $25,000-$100,000 to startups that have traction and are ready to scale up operations for greater impact. Riby, WellaHealth, DrugStoc etc. have benefitted.
Design Lab
The design lab helps tech entrepreneurs better understand human-centered design to develop more user-friendly products/services. User research, prototyping and iteration are encouraged to refine solutions.
Investor Demo Day
CcHUB organizes an annual event where startups pitch their solutions to investors for second-round funding opportunities. Up to $1.3 million USD has been raised in a single day.
Digital Skills Training
Free training workshops on graphic design, web development, digital marketing etc are offered to young people and entrepreneurs to improve their tech skills. Over 5,000 have benefitted.
University Student Programs
Student interns from 10 universities have access to CcHUB’s mentors, internet and facilities to develop their ideas into prototypes or proof-of-concepts over 6-12 weeks.
Research
CcHUB carries out extensive thematic research on youth, governance, infrastructure, education etc. to inform innovation-for-development approaches and policy reforms.
Partnerships
Strategic partnerships with Microsoft, government agencies, universities etc. have enabled CcHUB to scale programs and amplify impact across Nigeria. More partnerships are continually being explored.
Flagship Innovation Centers
Beyond its main hub in Lagos, CcHUB has established additional innovation centers focused on edtech, healthcare, governance etc across Nigeria to drive impact.
i-HQ Innovation Center – Abuja
Focused on governance innovation by harnessing emerging tech and open data to improve transparency, accountability and citizen engagement, in partnership with National Information Technology Development Agency.
GovInnovation Lab – Abuja
Embedded within the Federal Ministry of Communication, it aims to digitize government processes to make access to government services faster, easier and more efficient.
Digital Health Innovation Lab – Kano
It incubates startups applying technology to improve last-mile access and affordability of primary healthcare in rural communities across Northern Nigeria.
EdTech Center – Kaduna
It supports innovators developing tech solutions from robotics kits to data analytics to improve teaching and learning outcomes in schools.
Ondo Innvation Hub – Ondo
Established with Ondo State’s tech agency, it focuses on using technology to power economic growth and government efficiency across the state.
Ventures Platform Hub – Abuja
In partnership with Africa’s pioneering early-stage tech VC firm, it offers world-class incubation support to high-potential, pan-African startups. $1.25 million invested so far.
Impacts and Looking Ahead
In its decade of pioneering tech innovation in Nigeria, CcHUB has enabled several pioneering solutions and positively impacted millions of lives; from BudgIT enhancing fiscal transparency to LifeBank expanding access to blood banks using drones.