Client: Antler
Project: Identifying emerging start-up and tech innovation hot-spots in Africa
Date: September 2021
We worked with global venture capital firm Antler to equip them with data and research to identify new and emerging areas of growth for start-up activity in the African continent.
Antler is a global early-stage venture capital firm that enables and invests in the world’s most exceptional people. We worked with Antler to equip them with data and research to identify new and emerging areas of growth and sectors for start-up activity in the African continent. This is an exciting time for the region given that from 2015 - 2020 the growth of African tech start-ups receiving financial backing was nearly six times faster than the global average.
Our approach
Using our open-source intelligence network tools, we analysed over two million digital media and social media posts from January 2020 to August 2021 that were centred around the topic of technology and Africa.
We subsequently analysed the narratives of the large data set with a geographical lens to determine regional hot spots and trace where social media conversations that focussed on technology were taking place.
“Tracing where the social media conversations focusing on tech are happening gives an interesting overview of where the emerging tech hotspots are within the continent.” - Antler
What we discovered
The most popular topics centred around:
A future driven by AI
Machine learning (ML)
Cyber security
Software development, with or without code
Emerging technologies that sparked conversations included:
Blockchain
Robotics
Augmented reality (AR)
Our data also found that topics relating to e-mobility are incrementally developing.
Where should investors look next?
The emerging African tech hubs
The Ripple Research data revealed that alongside renowned tech hubs of Africa, a number of semi-urban and second-tier cities are emerging as hives of activity.
