Chief Executive Officer, Start Innovation Hub, Mr Hanson Johnson has said the company would attract a minimum of $100million funding for start ups in Akwa Ibom State.
Johnson who said the company used its first ten years to groom non-existent tech talents, stated that the next 10 years would be for the incubation of startups that will thrive in Akwa Ibom state.
The CEO explained that SIH has so far groomed thousands of tech talents who are today contributing to the digital economy in Nigeria and across the world.
He explained that for the next ten years, starting from 2025, the company would focus on venture building, technology innovation, supporting start up founders to ideate, and launch into the fast growing tech market.
He stated that the ideation programme would support homegrown startups resident in Akwa Ibom State attract funding that would create job opportunities for youths and help reduce unemployment in the state.
“In the last ten years, Start Innovation Hub decided to focus on tech talent development. The reason is that tech talents were and is still very scarce globally. It was a problem that everyone could relate with.
“In the last ten years, we have focused on doing that and have done that very well. As of today, we can prove to you with evidences that vibrant, world class talents have passed through Start Innovation Hub and are doing very well.
“Lack of tech talents that are very skilled was a problem. People were not able to see talents to work with even when they have the money. We have been able to solve that problem. It took us ten years to get to where we are today.
“In the next ten years, starting from 2025, we would be focusing on venture building, technology innovation, supporting start up founders to ideate, launch into the market faster and grow rapidly.
“Between now and 2035, which is the next 10 years, you will be able to setup a startup that would create a minimum of 100million dollars in funding, and the headquarters would be here in Uyo. That journey of a thousand miles is beginning today,” he stated.
In 10 years of its existence, Start Innovation Hub has partnered international and national bodies like the World Bank, Federal Government, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Foundation for Partnership in the Niger Delta (PIND), Akwa Ibom Association of Nigeria, USA Inc. (AKISAN), Akwa Ibom State Government, LEAD Africa, and other corporate bodies to train youths in various digital skills.
It is currently partnering World Bank and the Federal Ministry of Education on the Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) project to improve Nigeria’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system, and NITDA for the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme.
Many Persons with Disability (PWDs) are a part of the IDEAS project.
