Angola Takes Innovation To Another Level

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Everyone in technology across Africa would immediately recognise the name iHUB. In recent years the Nairobi based tech innovation centre has been both the main catalyst for regional tech acceleration and a role model for tech hubs across emerging markets, focused on nurturing the best innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

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However, southern African can now boast of a similar venture.

Fábrica de Sabão (FdS) is Angola’s first hybrid innovation hub that combines poverty alleviation with nurturing young African startups to supporting niche urban manufacturing.

FdS is located in the heart of the largest slum in Angola, with some 800,000 people and a population density of 23,000 people per square kilometer. The hub aims to narrow the gap between the formal and informal economy by encouraging needs-based innovation.

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Ultimately, Fábrica de Sabão is a place to foster creative-led enterprise. The hub brings together experts and mentors from around the world to share knowledge, harness creative ideas into tangible outcomes and help launch sustainable businesses in Angola.

What was once an abandoned soap factory is now an emerging vibrant hub for sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship in Angola. The hub’s ecosystem aims to attract creative minds in arts, culture, craftsmanship, business and science to educate, train and mentor youth.

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Fábrica de Sabão is a hybrid of an incubator and accelerator hub, co-working space and MakerSpace. It is also a cultural connector where creative explorations can thrive. Very soon, it will have its own local radio station and a residence program for visiting mentors and artists.

It’s main is to create a hub to connect, learn, create and grow – a place for creative and sustainable social change. The hub is comprised of 11 spaces, namely: