Partners involved in delivering the Africa Technology and Innovation Partnership (ATIP) across seven countries recently gathered in an IDS-facilitated learning session to reflect on how different forms of support matter at various stages of an innovation’s journey, from early ideation to fully mature, market-ready solutions or enterprises. The discussion emphasized the importance of adaptive and stage-aware support, noting that while common tools such as training, mentoring, funding, and networks are used throughout, their application and “flavour” evolve significantly depending on whether the support is aimed at individuals or enterprises and the stage of innovation.
At the early stages, support is typically hands-on and exploratory, focusing on building entrepreneurial skills, validating ideas, and creating safe spaces for experimentation and learning from failure. Risk-tolerant funding and exposure to testing environments help innovators assess assumptions and adapt when approaches do not succeed.
During the mid-stages, support shifts toward refinement and readiness. Efforts focus on enhancing technical expertise, strengthening business models, facilitating partnerships, and preparing innovators for investor or market engagement. Tools such as mentorship and investee meetups help innovators pivot from less marketable ideas and scale impact once capabilities have matured.
In later stages, credibility becomes a key lever for growth. Mature ventures benefit from external validation and backing by trusted support organizations, which can unlock opportunities previously inaccessible. Support at this stage emphasizes signaling confidence, derisking scale, and assisting ventures in navigating rapid growth and complex systems rather than hands-on guidance.
The discussion highlighted essential capacities and mindsets for initiatives supporting innovation, including risk tolerance, long-term perspective, and showing up for innovators when needed. Inclusive approaches are critical at early stages to ensure underrepresented innovators can access opportunities, while later-stage support requires the ability to identify high-potential innovations, broker partnerships, and provide tailored support that enhances trust and investability within ecosystems.
Partners also noted that short funding cycles, overlapping supporters, and differing national ecosystems make it challenging to claim success individually. Nevertheless, sharing processes, learning, and outcomes is vital for building track records and ultimately enabling innovators to attract more support.
