The Commissioner of the Lagos State Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Olatubosun Alake, has stated that tech platforms that bring the ecosystem together to collaborate and share ideas are critical for the growth of the ecosystem and are major vehicles for creating opportunities.
He said this while speaking during an interview at the 2024 Moonshot conference, themed “Building for the World. In his words, “this event has become a crucial platform for industry stakeholders to converge, share ideas, and drive innovation.”
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Mr. Alake highlighted the event’s significance, stating that “It’s a good rallying point for different pillars of the ecosystem to connect, explore new trends, form partnerships, and discover new products.”
Alake also shed light on the government’s active role in nurturing the tech ecosystem. He mentioned their partnership with companies like Mayan to improve infrastructure, such as laying fibre in areas like Yaba. He also stated that the government has also been instrumental in start-up funding, having supported over 60 start-ups in the past three years and funded more than 70 R&D initiatives in various universities.
Furthermore, he said “the government has been facilitating global exposure for local startups. For two consecutive years, they’ve been showcasing value-creating startups to international investors in Dubai, aiming to increase company valuations and create jobs. This initiative, along with their direct funding efforts, has resulted in significant job creation within the startup ecosystem.”
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On his part, Mr. Mudiaga Mowoe, CEO of Matta, praised the conference, stating, “The Moonshot conference is an amazing initiative, and conferences like this have a way of building out the ecosystem in ways that people can’t imagine.”
He emphasised the importance of technology in addressing the fragmentation of African markets, noting that it’s key to stimulating demand and aggregating supply effectively. He also stressed that Technology is the way forward for building ecosystems and the economies of nations.
The Moonshot conference, backed by TechCabal, continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of technology and innovation in Africa, fostering an environment where ideas can flourish and collaborations can thrive.
