HYBR Group release new research report “Assessing the next innovation ecosystem normal: an African perspective beyond hubs”

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HYBR Group release new research report “Assessing the next innovation ecosystem normal: an African perspective beyond hubs”

HYBR Group has released a new research report “Assessing the next innovation ecosystem normal: an African perspective beyond hubs” – which focuses on the challenges and opportunities posed by Covid-19 in Africa. The global public health pandemic, coupled with a looming economic crisis, are rapidly reshaping the innovation and investment landscape in Africa. Though governments, corporations, and innovation hubs have spent years building innovation ecosystems to help entrepreneurs thrive, this investment is now at serious risk. 

Charles Ojei, HYBR Group CEO explains that “innovation priorities, beyond hubs, remain overlooked. The pandemic has created an opportunity to redefine the role and function of the public sector as a true champion of breakthrough innovation. Reinventing the future requires investing in new capacities and upskilling decision-makers to grapple with the complexities of the unknown. Experiential, simulation-driven, multi-disciplinary approaches will be vital in crafting built-for-purpose solutions. African governments must also adjust their modus operandi to build real creative leadership capabilities that catalyze innovation” 

The report indicates that the rebuild should be inclusive, circular, and focus on climate-smart industrialization, and be aligned to the investment opportunities fostered by advances in medical equipment and agro-processing. This also should be a watershed moment for public health innovation. The report also proposes that a new, virtual center for African innovation should be established to pave the way to a knowledge-driven ecosystem, oiled with data, with mechanics for real-time knowledge exchange, effective feedback loops, and real collective intelligence solutions to forge open and effective pan-African collaboration.

Download the report HERE

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