AfriLabs, the pioneering force in Africa’s innovation ecosystem, unveiled the AfriLabs
Connect Deal Room (ACDR) during the 2023 Annual Gathering event.
The ACDR addresses the critical challenges of identifying, funding and accessing investible
startups in Africa.
The primary mission of ACDR is to streamline financing for innovative startups across
diverse sectors in Africa while providing investment funds access to a Pan-African pipeline of investible and de-risked startups.
AfriLabs’ Chief Operating Officer, Ajibola Odukoya, inaugurated this strategic initiative, signaling a pivotal moment for the continent’s innovation landscape.
In a statement released on January 23, 2024, AfriLabs said promoting a dynamic investment ecosystem, funds and investors can register their portfolio startups into a private pool through the Deal Room.
“This pool makes it easier to match companies precisely based on factors like ticket sizes, sector of interest, and detailed specifications using AI,” the statement read in part.
Additionally, AfriLabs’ vast network of over 500 physical innovation and technology hubs spread across 54 countries and over 250 cities, facilitates the provision of follow-up support for ACDR’s effort.
This is through fostering Pan-African collaboration and offering additional investment readiness resources to the startup founders involved in the initiative. 
Global venture capital networks such as Renew Capital, International Accelerators, Neterra Capital and business support tools and services such as Silicon Valley in Your Pocket are pioneer partners in the AfriLabs Connect Deal Room (ACDR).
Ajibola Odukoya, Chief Operating Officer of AfriLabs, highlighted ACDR’s strategic
focus, stating, that AfriLabs Connect Deal Room (ACDR) is targeted at hubs with mature
startups aiming to scale with sizable PreSeries, Series A, B, and C type of funds.
“We’ve lined up an investor pipeline that has Africa in mind. These investors are adapting
their business processes to the continent, and they are ready to work with startups looking to scale up,” said Odukoya.
The ACDR will operate on AfriLabs Connect, a purpose-built ecosystem engagement
platform that assembles Africa’s largest community of innovation enablers.
The statement added that the initiative marks a transformative step towards propelling Africa’s startup ecosystem to new heights, reinforcing AfriLabs’ commitment to fostering innovation, collaboration, and sustainable growth across the continent.
According to it official website, AfriLabs Connect is designed to empower the African technology ecosystem to thrive, accelerate, and transform Africa and the world for a better present and sustainable future.
AfriLabs Connect aim to provide Automation and visibility among stakeholder groups for easy identification of opportunities.
