L-R: co-founders- Oluwajoba Oloba, Oluwaseun Awojobi; Former Commissioner, Science and Technology, Lagos State, Adebiyi Mabadeje; Co-founders – Peter Ogedengbe and Olusegun Maleghem, during the unveiling of The Nest Innovation Park in Lagos
By: Theresa Igata
The Nest has launched a Technology Innovation Park in Lagos to create the enabling environment and funding for techpreneurs to thrive, collaborate and achieve the desired results for business growth.
Speaking at the unveiling of the innovation Park in Yaba, Lagos, Fellow Co-Founder, Oluwajoba Oloba, explained what The Nest explained that the park built to focus on dealing with the 3 major problems (enabling environment, funding and power) generally confronting start-ups in Nigeria which is why it is creating an enabling environment to host every idea from ideation to innovation.
“Incubation is available for startups with products and solutions within Nest’s focus areas, providing funding with the objective of helping businesses transform their ideas into successful high growth enterprises.”
Beyond all of these, the innovation park houses a business lounge which allows the Nest members to get much needed productive breaks from work, while ensuring they can network and pitch their ideas to local and international investors in a serene environment. “Technology paves the road to the future, and we are excited to be able to create a smooth ride to this future for Nigeria” he said.
He added that with a robust set of mentors and investors that can invest in ideas, it is not just a work place somewhere techprenuers can get people to mentor and tutor them in terms of how their business can grow and also how to access funds.
“We have good relationship with the banks, so that we can help them secure loans. You won’t be thinking of internet, electricity and the likes. If you’re also having trainings you don’t have to think of a space”.
This has a 50-Seater, state-of-the-art and well-equipped training facility that is safe, comfortable, aesthetically pleasing, and accessible. The nature of work is changing, so we designed the work spaces to cater for your needs, while you focus on your job.
Director of Incubation, Segun Maleghemi, during the fire-side chat said, “The opening of the Nest shows our resolve to continually drive initiatives that place ‘Techpreneurs’ first”.
“At the innovation park, providing the right environment, in addition to technical and mentoring support, Techpreneurs will enjoy a collective experience; professional guidance to making the right decisions in terms of technical, legal, market engagement and even diverting or pivoting of their businesses”.
“Our park is a community that fosters innovation, helping them to thrive by encouraging experimentation, research, and adoption of new and emerging technologies, in another five to ten years, our plan is to create the largest IT focused technology fund in Nigeria.” he added.
Oluwaseun Awojobi, a co-founder reiterated the fact that the intention of the founders is to bring tech start-ups into the business environment.
“In the next three years we’re hoping to have the largest tech funds for techpreneurs in Nigeria because one of our major focuses is on tech fund. Beyond looking for local funds we’ve already met a few Venture Capitalists, we want them to come on board.”
Most importantly, he added that start-ups need structure to know where and how to drive their business.
The Nest Innovation Park for tech start-ups in Nigeria is located in the premium working district of Yaba in Lagos. The area hosts other active hubs similar to the Nest, so perhaps it’s safe to say the suburb can now be referred to as “YabaCon Valley” as there is a growing number of Techpreneurial development springing forth from that location.
