Timbuktoo's Joanne Manda on Building Africa's Innovation Engine from Within

African investors are reclaiming the narrative of continental growth. According to the African Private Capital Association, African investors accounted for 45% of total venture fund commitments in 2025, an increase from an average of 23% between 2022 and 2024 [TechCabal reports on timbuktoo's mission]. This represents the highest domestic participation rate the continent has recorded.

For Joanne Manda, Global Lead of timbuktoo, this shift signals a move away from dependency. "We are no longer waiting for handouts," Manda stated during the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali. "We are getting our hands dirty and actually doing the work."

The UNDP-backed initiative, timbuktoo, is positioning itself as a primary architect of this ecosystem. The platform's Q1 2026 report shows it has trained 3,480 innovators and currently operates six pan-African thematic hubs. To tackle the talent gap—a primary barrier to growth identified by investors—the initiative operates 16 University Innovation Pods, with 12 more in the pipeline.

The scale of the ambition is significant. Manda intends for timbuktoo to operate across 54 countries, a task complicated by the distinct markets, cultures, and languages of each nation. The strategy relies on a partnership model involving governments, private sector corporates, and the timbuktoo Foundation to build a unified startup ecosystem.

This transition from external reliance to domestic capital commitment suggests that Africa's technological transformation will be driven by internal architecture rather than external aid. The focus is shifting toward building the infrastructure—talent, university pods, and local venture commitments—necessary to sustain a self-determined economy.

The question for the continent's next decade is whether the current momentum in domestic venture commitments can scale alongside the ambitious expansion of innovation hubs across all 54 nations.