Africa's young builders,
backed to win.

Accelerating Africa's founders, especially first-timers, building AI-powered and engineering-led/deep-tech companies that create jobs and drive economic growth.

X
Your dream, defined
0X
Faster to first customer & investment
AI+
Engineering-led startups
🌍
Built for Africa, global reach

Built for Africa's young builders

MakerX Labs is a founder-led platform that turns Africa's young builders, students and recent graduates from technical institutes and universities, into job creators who solve the continent's most pressing challenges, not job seekers. We accelerate mainly first-time founders building AI-driven, engineering-led, deep-tech, and IoT ventures that solve the continent's biggest problems.

MakerX Labs began as the University Engineering Innovation Bootcamp, a grant-funded project under the Royal Academy of Engineering's Leaders in Innovation Fellowship (LIF)

Mission
Make the founder journey faster and more successful through engineering support, investment readiness training, and direct capital access, cutting time to first customer and investment by 3X.
Vision
By 2031, 300,000 jobs will have been created through a thriving African innovation ecosystem where engineering and AI-led startups drive economic transformation and global competitiveness.

X belongs to every founder

X is not a variable. It's your dream, your ambition, your invention. Whatever your X is, we help you build it.

Possibilities

Your X could be..

Whatever stage you're at, X is the thing you're building toward. Here's what it could look like.

X =
A startup idea
The company you've been imagining since the problem first hit you.
X =
A new technology
An AI system, deep-tech product, or engineering breakthrough.
X =
A societal fix
A solution to a real problem that millions of people face.
X =
A scalable company
A venture-scale business that creates jobs and drives growth.

Industry Verticals

The sectors we advise in

From healthcare to financial technology, we work alongside founders solving Africa's most pressing sector challenges.

Inclusive AI
AI-powered tools, built to be accessible to everyone.
HealthTech
Tools and care models improving access to health.
Advanced Manufacturing
Engineering-led production for local markets.
AgriTech
Technology raising yields and farmer incomes.
E-Mobility
Cleaner, smarter ways to move people and goods.
EdTech
Platforms expanding access to learning.
ClimateTech
Solutions for resilience and clean energy.
FinTech
Expanding access to capital and financial tools.
DisabilityTech & Inclusive Design
Products and services designed for accessibility from the ground up.

The journey

From idea to investment

We compress the founder journey, cutting the time from idea to first customer, first revenue, and first cheque.

1 2 3 4 5
University & Technical Institute Innovation Bootcamp
A founder discovery phase, sourcing participants for our programs.
Define your X
Clarify the problem and assumptions.
Build & launch
Talk to users, ship your MVP.
Revenue & investment
Connect founders to the wider ecosystem: hubs, accelerators, angels, and VCs.
Scale
Fund, grow, expand globally.

What we provide

The full founder stack

Every resource a first-time founder needs, in one platform.

01

Innovation Bootcamp
Sourcing talented student engineers from universities to join our programs.

02

Founder mentorship
Guidance from founders who've built and scaled before, not just advisors.

03

Technical expertise
Engineering-focused support to help you build the right product, fast.

04

Venture-building
A labs environment for experimentation, prototyping, and company creation.

05

Investment readiness
Training, pitch coaching, and warm introductions to capital networks.

06

Early-stage capital
We invest $1K-$5K directly in first-time founders to get them moving.

07

Market access
Connecting African founders to the UK and other premium global markets.

Built for builders

Primarily for first-time founders, and the ecosystem that supports them.

Primary: founders
Founders First-time founders Student entrepreneurs AI innovators Deep-tech builders Engineers University innovators Student interns
Secondary: ecosystem
Venture capital firms Angel investors Development organisations Corporate innovation African diaspora investors UK ecosystem partners

Our impact framework

Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals

The sectors we advise in map directly to global development priorities, so the founders we back are building toward measurable, shared goals.

2
Zero Hunger
3
Good Health and Well-being
4
Quality Education
8
Decent Work and Economic Growth
9
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
13
Climate Action
17
Partnerships for the Goals

"X is every founder's dream.
This is where they build it."

Built by Founders. For Founders.

Define your X →

Who we've worked with

Supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering, Leaders in Innovation Fellowships
Relevant
National ICT Innovation HubNational ICT Innovation Hub