The AfriLabs Capacity Building Programme is a 36-month intensive capacity building program for tech hubs to improve their capacity to support the growing number of startups and MSMEs in their communities across Africa. It is funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) through the Digital Africa Seed Fund.
The Programme is structured into the following components: Physical Workshops in convening African cities, quarterly Hubs Learning Weeks – a series of peer-to-peer virtual capacity-building webinars, Meetup Grants, Hub Management Certificate course in partnership with a major African University, Hubs-in-Residence at AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2020 and 2021, Capacity Building Awards, and toolkits on business development and investment management.
The Curriculum Framework which will guide the curriculum and content development process is being developed by Strathmore University, Kenya and is divided into 3 Major components; Early Stage Hub, Growth Stage Hub and Scale Up Hub. For Content Development, AfriLabs is looking to contract experts within the African Innovation Ecosystem with expertise and relevant practical experience in developing curriculum and contents for technology hubs and startups to serve as content development experts to organize, create and develop content for the modules outlined in the curriculum framework of the Capacity Building Programme Curriculum.
There are a total of 16 modules to be developed and experts can apply for a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 3 modules based on their proven areas of expertise.
Scope of work;
- Review Curriculum Framework
- Review and provide necessary feedback and recommendations regarding the usefulness and practicability of the curriculum framework currently being developed by Strathmore University.
- Review and advise on the methods of content delivery and assessment methods.
- Training
- Attend virtual workshop training organized by curriculum development framework team (Strathmore University) to acquire detailed guidance on the content. development framework.
- Develop module content
- Write draft content for each module outlined in the curriculum framework assigned to you strictly adhering to the guideline on the writing template to be provided by AfriLabs.
- Provide video scripts and graphics for modules where necessary.
- Update the final draft content to reflect feedback from Strathmore University and AfriLabs focus group.
Key Requirements
- Excellent communication and writing proficiency in English.
Content Development Expert Profile
- Must possess a minimum of 3 years’ experience in the African Innovation Ecosystem.
- Must have demonstrated experience in curriculum development for innovation hubs and startups in the African Innovation Ecosystem.
- Must possess evidence of expertise and in depth knowledge of the selected modules.
- Must possess verifiable experience in writing content for selected curriculum module(s).
- Must have demonstrable practical experience (including implementation or design of projects) in one or more of the curriculum modules.
Note: Individuals may apply for more than one module for which they possess necessary criteria.
Curriculum Modules
1. Common Modules
CM 1 Innovation Ecosystem Lifecycle
Key Objectives
The purpose of the module is to introduce Innovation Hubs to the stages of development of the larger innovation ecosystem including the objectives, challenges, necessary linkages, and interventions that characterize each growth phase.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Analyze the development phases of an innovation ecosystem.
- Identify the critical role of Innovation Hubs in the development of the innovation ecosystem.
- Evaluate avenues for the development of an ecosystem at each phase.
Content
CM 1.1 Introduction to an Innovation Ecosystem
CM 1.2 Phases of ecosystem development
CM 1.3 Challenges & Interventions in development of an innovation ecosystem
CM 1.4 Learnings from other innovation ecosystems
CM 1.5 Case study
CM 1.6 Develop location specific innovation ecosystem life cycle (Actual or projected)
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for Virtual session delivery and practical use toolkits access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 6 hours of contact time, 4 hours of toolkit access.
CM 2 Innovation Hub Lifecycle
Key Objectives
This module will introduce Innovation Hubs to the lifecycle of business models unique to their role in the ecosystem.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Describe the role of innovation hubs in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship
- Analyze the development phases of an innovation hub
- Evaluate the available business models for innovation hubs
Content
CM 2.1 Introduction to the role of Innovation Hubs within the ecosystem
CM 2.2 Types of Business Models for Innovation Hubs
CM 2.3 Phases of Innovation Hub development
CM 2.4 Challenges & Interventions in development of an innovation hub
CM 2.5 Learnings from other innovation hubs
CM 2.6 Case study: Innovation Hub Lifecycle
CM 2.7 Develop your innovation hub life cycle (Actual or projected)
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for Virtual session delivery and Practical use toolkit access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 6 hours of contact time, 4 hours of toolkit access
CM 3 Developing a Hub Business Plan
Key Objectives
The purpose of the module is to provide guidelines on developing business plans for an innovation and tech startup support organization.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Critique market need and gaps
- Identify which niche to focus on, support and develop
- Create a viable business plan for the hub
Content
CM 3.1 Conducting market research
CM 3.2 Analyzing research results and gaps
CM 3.3 Identifying your niche
CM 3.4 Case study on establishment of an innovation hub
CM 3.5 Writing your business plan
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for Virtual session delivery and toolkit access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 6 hours of contact time, 4 hours of toolkit access.
CM 4 Management of Innovation Hubs
Key Objectives
This module will build an understanding of key elements for the effective management of innovation hubs.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Describe hub management
- Evaluate financially sustainable operations
- Create guidelines for specific management thematic areas e.g Ethics & Governance
- Explain the regulatory environment of hubs
Content
CM 4.1 Introduction to Hub Management
CM 4.2 Ethics & Governance
CM 4.3 Financial Management & Planning
CM 4.4 Team: Recruitment & Management
CM 4.5 Stakeholder Engagement
CM 4.6 Policy & Regulatory Compliance
CM 4.7 Risk Management & Planning
CM 4.8 Community Management
CM 4.9 Brand Identity & Communication
CM 4.10 Event Execution, Presentation & Report Writing Skills
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for virtual content delivery, coaching sessions, reading material, and toolkit access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 10 hour contact time, 8 hours of toolkit access.
2. Early Stage Hub Modules
E1 Supporting Successful Ventures
Key Objectives
The main purpose of innovation hubs (hubs and incubators) is to support the building of successful Innovative African Ventures. This module takes a deep dive to guide the innovation hubs on elements constituting the building of these ventures, their complexities and support structures toward sustainability
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Overview of effective support of early-stage ventures
- Recruit and manage venture and stakeholder pipeline
Content
E 1.1 Early stage venture building
E 1.2 Designing venture building programmes
E 1.2.1 Capacity building curricula
E 1.3.2 Mentorship
E 1.3.3 Coaching
E 1.3.4 Industry Linkages & Networking
E 1.3 Developing a venture and stakeholder pipeline
E 1.3.1 Building a venture & stakeholder management guideline
E 1.3.2 Lead generation and recruitment process for ventures and stakeholders
E 1.3.3 Designing and executing activities for ventures and stakeholders
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for virtual content delivery, reading material, and toolkit access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 8 hour contact time, 4 hours of toolkit access
E2 Product Development
Key Objectives
This module enables innovation hubs to understand the product evolution process deduced from venture customer interactions and feedback
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Create a product evolution strategy
- Analyze and develop insights from customer experiences and business environment
- Explain how to deliver a product transition process
Content
E 2.1 Introduction to Product Evolution and Growth
E 2.2 Tools for analyzing customer experiences & feedback
E 2.3 Stages of product evolution
E 2.4 Managing the product evolution process
E 2.5 Intrapreneurship
E 2.6 Assignment| Create a product evolution strategy
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for delivery via video conferencing, provision of reading materials, case studies and toolkit access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 8 hour contact time, 4 hours of toolkit access
E 3 Fundraising for Early-Stage Ventures
Key Objectives
This module provides a comprehensive guideline related to fundraising for growth stage ventures. Hubs will understand the various avenues available and the process of fundraising
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Understand the types and opportunities for fundraising
- Understand how to prepare venture legal documents
- Comprehend and synthesize investment terms
- Efficiently navigate the fundraising process
Content
E 3.1 Introduction to types of funding sources for ventures
E 3.2 Venture legal documents
E 3.3 Types of investment terms
E 3.4 Venture Fundraising Process
E 3.5 Negotiation
E 3.6 Assignment| Develop sample legal documents
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for delivery via video conferencing, provision of reading materials and toolkit access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 8 hour contact time, 4 hours of toolkit access
3. Growth Stage Hub Modules
G1 Business Model Evolution Growth and Expansion
Key Objectives
This module will provide a framework for the evolution of business operations for ventures entering the growth phase and future expansion.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Examine different types of business models
- Synthesize and use insights on the evolution of business models
- Understand how to evaluate current business models to determine readiness for growth.
- Create effective business growth strategy
- Examine threats for business growth, design and identify efficient solutions
- Conduct performance tracking for growth strategies
Content
G1.1 Types and analysis Business Models
G 1.2 Stages of business model evolution
G 1.3 Processes for business model evaluation
G 1.4 Introduction to business growth dynamics
G 1.5 Types of business growth strategy
G 1.6 Identifying business growth opportunities and threats to business growth
G 1.7 Designing effective business growth strategies
G 1.8 Operational structures for business growth and expansion
G 1.9 Assignment |Analyze, interpret and propose evolution journey from a venture case
Mode of Delivery
Virtual lecture sessions, case study toolkit
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 6 hour contact time, 4 hours of toolkit access
G 2 Validation of Product Market Fit
Key Objectives
This module addresses the types of support innovation hubs can provide to growth stage ventures on evaluating their product-market fit as an entry requirement to a growth stage hub.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Acquire skills to ascertain product-market-fit for ventures
- Explain the type of support needed at growth stage
- Evaluate different product-market fits at growth stage
Content
G 2.1 Customer development process
G 2.2 Product validation
G 2.3 Product-market fit assessment (Case study exercise)
G 2.4 Different support hub support structures at growth stage (financial, networking and operational)
G 2.5 Critique product-market fits at growth-stage through case studies
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for delivery via video conferencing, provision of reading materials and toolkit access with product market fit case studies and exercises
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 6 hour contact time, 4 hours of toolkit access.
G 3 Sustainable Business Partnerships
Key Objectives
This module will enable hubs to consider and effect diverse ways for ventures to generate revenue or business by working with other aligned organizations.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Synthesize and utilize types of partnership models and principles of partnerships.
- Identify and exploit partnership opportunities
- Facilitate relationship building for different types of potential venture partners.
- Evaluate how to mediate conflict for initiated partnerships
Content
G 3.1 Types and principles of venture partnerships
G 3.2 Designing a partnership development plan
G 3.3 Building and maintaining sustainable partnerships
G 3.4 Analyzing different forms of venture partner relations
G 3.5 Apply the different forms of venture partner relation to current hub activities
G 3.6 Identify and evaluate different conflict resolution mechanisms
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for delivery via video conferencing, provision of reading materials and toolkit access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 6 hour contact time, 4 hours of toolkit access.
G 4 Global Entrepreneurship Landscape
Key Objectives
This module is an informational and experience sharing session developed to examine trends of the tech entrepreneurship landscape. Innovation hubs will review contextual factors for entrepreneurship and forecast future trends for the African Innovation ecosystem.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Analyze and contextualize case studies from innovation ecosystems within Africa and across the innovation ecosystem.
- Determine growth trajectories for ventures within the hub.
Content
G 4.1 Key cases of high growth ventures
G 4.2 Analysis of growth accelerators in scaling venture
G 4.3 Societal impact of ventures
G 4.4 Management systems trends
G 4.5 Emerging market trends
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for delivery via video conferencing, provision of reading materials and toolkit access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 6 hours of contact time, 4 hour of toolkit access.
G 5 Fundraising for Growth Stage Ventures
Key Objectives
This module provides a comprehensive guideline related to fundraising for growth stage ventures. Hubs will explain various avenues available and the process of fundraising
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Critique types and opportunities for fundraising
- Describe how to prepare venture legal documents
- Comprehend and synthesize investment terms
- Analyze the fundraising process
Content
G 5.1 Introduction to types of funding sources for ventures and challenges
G 5.2 Venture legal documents
G 5.3 Types of investment terms and its applications
G 5.4 Venture Fundraising Process, its challenges and opportunities
G 5.5 Negotiation
G 5.6 Assignment| Develop sample legal documents
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for delivery via video conferencing, provision of reading materials and toolkit access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 6 hours of contact time, 4 hour of toolkit access.
4. Scale-Up Hub Modules
S1 Business Expansion for Scale Up ventures
Key Objectives
This module will enable innovation hubs to adequately comprehend the scale-up process and acquire the necessary skills to support ventures to be scale ready.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Analyze scale needs for ventures
- Examine and synthesize the scale up process
- Support venture scale up efforts.
Content
S 1.1 Assessment of scale up readiness & prerequisites of scaling
S 1.2 Venture scaling process
S 1.3 Challenges to an effective scale process and opportunities
S 1.5 Sustainable scale-up structures and processes
S 1.6 Assignment | Design a scale up model for a venture using a case study
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for delivery via video conferencing, provision of reading materials and toolkit access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 6 hours of contact time, 4 hours of toolkit access.
S 2 Product Evolution
Key Objectives
This module enables innovation hubs to evaluate the product evolution process deduced from venture customer interactions and feedback
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Describe the product-evolution process at scale-up stage
- Create a scale-up product evolution strategy
- Analyze and develop insights from customer experiences and business environment of hubs at scale-up stage
- Analyze how to deliver a product transition process
Content
S 2.1 Introduction to Product Evolution and Growth of hubs at scale-up stage
S 2.2 Tools for analyzing customer experiences & feedback of hubs at scale-up state
S 2.3 Stages of product evolution (case study of hubs at scale-up stage)
S 2.4 Managing the scale-up product evolution process
S 2.5 Intrapreneurship
S 2.6 Analyze scale-up transition ideas and processes
S 2.6 assignment| Create a product evolution strategy at scale-up stage
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for delivery via video conferencing, provision of reading materials, case studies and toolkit access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 6 hours of contact time, 4 hours of toolkit access.
S 3 Corporate Structures
Key Objectives
This module will introduce techniques of how to build the structure of a venture in order to enhance productivity and innovation. Hub management teams will learn how to support the transition of ventures into established enterprises.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Examine and develop insights on the types of organizational structures.
- Analyze how to design and develop effective corporate structures.
- Design inclusive governance structures and regulations.
- Critique how ventures become established entreprises
Content
S 3.1 Types and case studies of corporate structures in growth stage ventures.
S 3.2 Corporate structures and processes
S 3.3 Designing governance guidelines
S 3.4 Relation between law and governance guidelines (global and local case studies)
S 3.5 Recruiting members to fill in governance structures
S 3.6 Analysis of ventures that have become established entreprises
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for delivery via video conferencing, provision of reading materials and toolkit access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 6 hours of contact time, 4 hours of toolkit access.
S4 Fundraising for Growth Stage Startups
Key Objectives
This module provides a comprehensive guideline related to fundraising for growth stage ventures. Hubs will understand the various avenues available and the process of fundraising
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Analyze The types and opportunities for fundraising of hubs at scale-up stage
- Describe how to prepare venture legal documents of hubs at scale-up stage
- Explain and synthesize investment terms of hubs at scale-up stage
- Evaluate the fundraising process
Content
S 4.1 Introduction to types of funding sources for ventures
S 4.2 Venture legal documents
S 4.3 Types of investment terms and its applications
S 4.4 Venture Fundraising Process (case study of specific ventures)
S 4.5 Negotiation
S 4.6 Assignment| Develop sample legal documents
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for delivery via video conferencing, provision of reading materials and toolkit access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 6 hours of contact time, 4 hour of toolkit access.
S5 Establishing & Executing Exit Strategies
Key Objectives
The module provides knowledge and skills to establish and execute exit strategies for mature ventures. is
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Analyze the various exit strategies for ventures
- Support venture stakeholders through the exit strategy process.
- Examine the opportunities and threats in exit strategies
Content
S 5.1 Identify conditions for exit strategies
S 5.2 Explain types of exit strategies
S 5.3 Describe how to supporting ventures for exit (structures, processes and procedures needed)
S 5.3 Examine the optima exit strategies (case study of ventures that have executed exit strategies)
S 5.4 Supporting ventures post-exit
Mode of Delivery
The module is recommended for delivery via video conferencing, provision of reading materials and toolkit access.
Duration
We recommend the module be delivered as: 6 hours of contact time, 4 hours of toolkit access.
Content Development Expert Deliverables
- Curriculum framework recommendations shared with Strathmore.
- Participated in training of trainer in the use of curriculum framework
- Scripts and graphics for each content developed delivered
- Approved curriculum/content modules developed using the templates provided by AfriLabs.
Key Performance Indicators
- Number of meetings held with curriculum framework development team; The number of times framework team meets with content developers to review the curriculum and also for training purposes. This indicator will be tracked using the outcomes of meeting sessions.
- Number of modules developed on time: This is an indicator that will track the output of the modules developed. The baseline will be the number of modules to be developed per content developer and It will be measured using the time taken to develop and approve the content.
Education
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification.
To Apply: Send a CV/profile application showing the following criteria to: nanko@afrilabs.com cc funmilayo@afrilabs.com
- Personal Bio: Name, Organization/Hub (If a member of the AfriLabs network), Country, Region, Language(s).
- Years of experience in the African Innovation Ecosystem.
- Relevant experience in curriculum development for innovation hubs and startups in the African Innovation Ecosystem.
- Evidence of expertise and in depth knowledge of the selected modules.
- Verifiable experience in writing content for selected curriculum module(s).
- Demonstrable practical experience (including implementation or design of projects) in one or more of the curriculum modules
Deadline for Application: May 9th, 2021
Preferred Start Date: Immediately
Location: Remote.
Duration: 5 man days
Remuneration: 500 euros per day
