Nigeria’s Nest Innovation Park has entered into a strategic partnership with Germany’s UnternehmerTUM to strengthen support for Nigerian entrepreneurs, particularly the country’s growing population of young founders and SME operators.
Announced by the co-founder of The Nest Innovation Park, the partnership is anchored on the “Africa Meets Bavaria” programme—a two-year initiative backed by the Bavarian State Chancellery. The project connects innovation ecosystems in Africa with Bavaria, Germany, to encourage local innovation, entrepreneurial collaboration, and market access for both regions.
The initiative focuses on addressing major global challenges such as sustainability, climate change, and mobility transformation by enabling African participants to develop local solutions. It also opens the door for German businesses to explore opportunities in Africa’s emerging markets. By linking Bavarian innovation with African creativity and problem-solving, the project aims to fuel sustainable economic growth across the continent.
Entrepreneurial hubs in Ghana, Rwanda, and Kenya are also part of the initiative, including MEST Africa, Impact Hub Kigali, and iHub Nairobi. These hubs, together with Nigeria’s Nest Innovation Park and UnternehmerTUM—which the Financial Times recently named Europe’s top startup hub for 2024–2025—are helping to shape the next generation of African innovators.
According to Nest’s co-founder, many Nigerian entrepreneurs have the ideas and drive but lack access to critical resources such as funding, networks, and infrastructure. The new partnership is designed to close those gaps by creating platforms for training, mentorship, and international collaboration.
The effort also aligns with Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda and supports the Nigeria Startup Act, which aims to build a more inclusive and competitive environment for startups in the country.
Through joint initiatives between Nigerian university labs and UnternehmerTUM, the programme will provide a launchpad for breakthrough ideas and a model for cross-border co-creation that bridges Africa and Europe’s innovation
landscapes.
