African Startup heatmap

Find here great opportunities for entrepreneurship, technology, and sustainable development across the African continent. Created by DEEP Ecosystem members, it showcases each leader’s vision, initiatives, and collaborative projects that are shaping Africa’s innovation future.

Welcome to the African Collab

It showcases the significant opportunities for entrepreneurship, technology, and sustainable impact across the African continent.

Created by DEEP Ecosystem members, it highlights the vision, initiatives, and collaborative projects of leaders who are shaping Africa’s innovation landscape and driving meaningful change.

Meet Active Members of the African Collab

Connect With our most active members

Kelvin Mateyu

Co-Founder of Capital Catalyst Ecosystems

Kelvin Mateyu is the Co-Founder of Capital Catalyst Ecosystems, a forward-thinking organization established in 2025 to drive sustainable economic growth, technological innovation, and environmental resilience across Malawi and the wider African continent.

Read Kelvin’s latest article: Unlocking Youth Potential

UNLOCKING YOUTH POTENTIAL: A NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN MALAWI

This thought-leadership article, co-created by Kelvin Mateyu, co-founder of Capital Catalysis Ecosystems, and DEEP Ecosystems, highlights a new partnership strengthening Malawi’s innovation landscape. Unlocking Youth Potential: A New Partnership for Entrepreneurship in Malawi outlines how Capital Catalyst Ecosystems, the University of Lilongwe, and ThinkingLabs are working together to expand opportunities for young innovators. The initiative focuses on bridging education and industry

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Yeetah Kamikazi

Partnerships and Resource Mobilizer at kLab

Yetetah is an economist, entrepreneur, and tech enthusiast known for her creative and innovative approach to building partnerships and mobilizing resources. Currently serving as Partnerships and Resource Mobilizer at kLab, she brings extensive experience from her previous role as General Manager of kLab, one of Rwanda’s leading innovation hubs

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Boubacar Demba Coly

Ecosystem Builder |Business Coach

An ecosystem builder and entrepreneurship coach dedicated to strengthening innovation and startup growth across Africa. With a strong background as a business coach and tech conceptor, he focuses on empowering entrepreneurs to turn creative ideas into scalable ventures.

Read Boubacar’s latest article: Transforming West Africa Through Innovation and Collaboration…

Transforming West Africa Through Innovation and Collaboration

This thought-leadership article, co-created by Boubacar Demba Coly and DEEP Ecosystems, highlights the rising wave of innovation and collaboration across West Africa. Transforming West Africa Through Innovation and Collaborationexplores how new ecosystem leaders are reshaping the region through Boubacar’s work with Gambia Tech Hub and the DEEP Startup Ecosystem Accelerator. The article delves into how mentorship, digital skills training, and global–local knowledge exchange are building stronger pathways for emerging founders and turning community-driven ideas into impactful ventures.

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Exploring the African Economy Through Data

New projections show a clear shift in the investment landscape. After a slowdown in 2024, total startup funding across the continent is expected to rise sharply in 2025 — reaching 2.65 billion USD, the highest level in three years.

This recovery points to renewed investor confidence and a stronger belief in Africa’s ability to scale solutions in areas like fintech, climate, health, and logistics.

Africa’s Startup Landscape: The Next Continental Growth Story

Nigeria and Egypt lead the continent’s startup activity, while Algeria, Tanzania, and South Africa are showing signs of rapid emergence. These ecosystems are entering a stage where collaboration, capital, and connectivity can drive sustained acceleration.

Nigeria already counts more than 3,000 startups — evidence of strong networks and entrepreneurial drive. Egypt follows with growing density, showing that innovation can scale locally and regionally.

Europe currently leads globally on equal pay legislation — but parts of Africa are moving forward in meaningful ways. Sub-Saharan Africa reaches a score above 57, placing it ahead of regions such as Northern America, the Middle East and Northern Africa, and Eastern Asia & the Pacific.

The progress points to an emerging shift: stronger legal frameworks are slowly taking shape, laying the groundwork for more inclusive labour markets. Entrepreneurship and gender inclusion are increasingly developing in parallel — and this connection will matter for the growth of future industries.