Spurt! – The Execution Partner for African Innovation

Powering the Ecosystem: How Spurt! Accelerates Enterprise Support Organisations (ESOs)

Innovation is concentrated in major cities, leaving national potential untapped

A 5-month capacity-building initiative supporting 37 innovation hubs across Nigeria, combining virtual training, an international exchange component, and certification. The programme strengthened hubs' ability to support local startups, built a statewide network of mentorship and incubation services, and helped hubs secure long-term sustainability through partnerships with local governments, educational institutions, and corporations positioning them as regional centres of innovation.

100%

National Coverage: Successfully managed operations in 36 States + FCT

Capacity Built across 37 Innovation Hubs, upskilled and networked.

Startups advanced to Regional Demo Presentation Stage

85%

Participant Satisfaction Rate achieved throughout the programme.

THE CHALLENGE

Innovation is concentrated in major cities, leaving national potential untapped

Vision vs. Execution

Across Nigeria, innovation hubs play a critical role in supporting early-stage startups, but many lack the structured capacity, networks, and long-term sustainability to fully serve their local ecosystems. Without stronger technical skills, cross-hub collaboration, and institutional partnerships, hubs risk remaining isolated and under-resourced limiting their ability to drive regional innovation and economic growth.

Governments, Development Agencies, and NGOs (ESOs) hold the mandate and capital to drive innovation in Africa. However, translating high-level policy into grassroots impact is difficult due to fragmented infrastructure.

The Execution Gap

While capital exists, the operational rails to deliver standardised support across remote or underserved regions are often missing.

The Result

Innovation remains concentrated in major cities, leaving vast national potential untapped.

“What made the programme work was how the trainings were delivered. We had enthusiastic facilitators who provided hands-on exercises, and content that felt immediately relevant to the work we were already doing. ”

THE SOLUTION

Our approach was a dual-track intervention (Hubs)

Infrastructure Capacity Building

Designed and facilitated the Upskilling Program for 37 Hub Managers.

We focused on transitioning Hub Managers from space providers to innovation catalysts

To design the curriculum, we gathered insights from a needs assessments survey to anchor the content in the lived realities of the hub operators.

We then implemented the Tyler’s Objectives-Based Model, through which we ensured that every session was mapped to a clear learning objective.

To move beyond one-off training, we deployed a Learning Management System (LMS) that serves as a centralised Knowledge Hub, providing 24/7 access to recordings, and resources.

THE IMPACT

Startup Incubation Management

Our approach shifted from general support to a milestone-driven incubation architecture

The National Multiplier Flywheel

One arm strengthens the institutional intermediary rails. The other funnels vetted early-stage ventures through milestone-gated incubation across all 37 jurisdictions.

Building a Scalable Delivery Engine

By upskilling the 37 Hub Managers first, we created a multiplier effect as the hub operators served as the frontline machinery, delivering a standardised curriculum to startups locally, overseen by our centralised quality control.

From Central Training to Local Impact

The incubation was governed by a modular curriculum that aligns with the distinct stages of startup development.

Train the Trainers, Standardise the Support

We integrated a Peer-Support Channel into the management cycle. This created a real-time feedback loop, allowing startups to troubleshoot challenges immediately instead of having to wait for scheduled sessions.

We don’t leave our clients, we follow through with excellence

Let us turn your mandate into a market-leading reality. We have the operational rails to turn that vision into impact.

Ready to scale your impact?

Similar Projects

See all