Through its training and mentoring programs, coworking spaces, and activities, LakeHub fosters the growth of entrepreneurial initiatives and technological innovation.
LakeHub, founded by Kenyan technologist and social entrepreneur James Odede, is a technology innovation center based in Kisumu, Kenya. Since its creation in 2013, LakeHub has been promoting technological innovation and social entrepreneurship in Kenya and Africa.
Its stated mission is to create an ecosystem conducive to developing local talent and solving social problems through digital solutions. To achieve this, LakeHub has set up coworking spaces and offers a variety of activities and programs such as high-tech training to support young talent. In recent years, it has organized boot camps, hackathons, and networking events.
Its incubation program The Lake Hub Incubation offers a full range of support, advice, and resources to help entrepreneurs turn their ideas into successful businesses. The center also organizes discussion days such as the upcoming Ek4 Cyber Security Barcamp on Saturday, October 28, 2023, bringing together cybersecurity enthusiasts, experts, and professionals...
Equally concerned with the inclusion of women in entrepreneurship, LakeHub has set up the FemiDevs program. Launched in 2020, it offers fully-funded scholarships to girls and young women. Recipients gain key skills in front-end and back-end web development, creative thinking, entrepreneurship, graphic design, and interpersonal skills. Other programs such as Engendering Mentorship, which supports female students facing difficulties leading to high drop-out rates in academia, are part of the center's portfolio of activities.
Recently, in July 2023, LakeHub partnered with 01Talent Africa, Kisumu County, and UCLG Africa to create Kenya's first Collective Intelligence. The center, dubbed Zone01, aims to empower young people to achieve excellence in the technology industry.
LakeHub also has an academy that trains its students in web and blockchain development, cybersecurity, and data engineering. The academy offers disadvantaged young people in Kenya free training in software development and guaranteed job placement on completion. Since its launch in 2019, LakeHub's academy has graduated over 600 talented young people from its software engineering boot camp, with a team of over 12 technology and business professionals providing market-relevant insights and training.
LakeHub is supported by several institutions and organizations. These include GIZ, Partners for Equity, Segal Family Foundation, African Visionary Fellowship, Livelihood Impact Fund, and Planet Wheeler.
Melchior Koba
