The timbuktoo ManuTech Hub

Set to Drive Africa’s Manufacturing Transformation

November 11, 2025

Opening of the timbuktoo ManuTech residency programme - 17 startups are joined by representatives from the government, development partners and UNDP

When UNDP Ethiopia launched the ManuTech Hub in Addis Ababa in 2024 as part of the wider timbuktoo Africa initiative, one of the first questions that arose was: What is Manufacturing Technologies?

Unlike the other timbuktoo hubs on the continent, such as HealthTech, GreenTech or FinTech, the concept of manufacturing technologies was not immediately familiar to many. This meant that much of our early conversation began by explaining what ManuTech was and why it matters for Africa’s future.

Africa’s manufacturing sector is mainly characterized by low technology products such as garments, textiles and consumer goods ICG. The sector’s contribution to national economies varies greatly across the continent ISS. Given this landscape, it is no wonder that the concepts of manufacturing technologies and conversation around technology-driven production are less common.

Manufacturing Technologies refers to products, processes and tools that enhance operations, increase productivity, and ensure consistent quality in manufacturing. These technologies can range from sophisticated tools in smart factories that predict machine maintenance needs, to data systems that improve production planning and supply chain management, or Agri-tech solutions that bring efficiency to Agri-processing.

Why the timbuktoo ManuTech Hub

Among the key structural constraints limiting the potential of Africa’s Manufacturing sector are technology gaps, capital constraints, and the unfavorable business climate (ISS). The capacity to innovate also plays a vital role in overcoming these challenges and creating the ability to take advantage of gaps in the market (KPMG).

With an ambitious goal to mobilize $1 billion of public and private funds, create 1,000 “gazelles” startups, and generate $10 billion in ecosystem value across the continent in the next ten years, timbuktoo is paving the way for increased productivity and innovation across key sectors including ManuTech.

When UNDP Ethiopia launched the ManuTech Hub in Addis Ababa in 2024 as part of the wider timbuktoo Africa initiative, one of the first questions that arose was: What is Manufacturing Technologies?

Africa’s manufacturing sector is mainly characterized by low technology products such as garments, textiles and consumer goods ICG . The sector’s contribution to national economies varies greatly across the continent ISS. Given this landscape, it is no wonder that the concepts of manufacturing technologies and conversation around technology-driven production are less common.

Why the timbuktoo ManuTech Hub

This timbuktoo initiative focuses on growing world-class startups and bridging the gaps in early-stage risk capital across ten sectors in Africa through four distinct offers: Unipods, thematic hubs, policy impact unit and timbuktoo Innovation Foundation. With an ambitious goal to mobilize $1 billion of public and private funds, create 1,000 “gazelles” startups, and generate $10 billion in ecosystem value across the continent in the next ten years, timbuktoo is paving the way for increased productivity and innovation across key sectors including ManuTech.

The ManuTech Hub is designed to address the challenges facing Africa's innovation ecosystem in the Manufacture sector, such as the academic-industry R&D gap, a lack of local investors, and small, fragmented markets. It builds on key continental frameworks such as AfCFTA to promote inter-African trade and take advantage of the growing domestic consumer market.

The ManuTech hub is also located in Ethiopia to leverage the unique advantage and ambition Ethiopia has in the manufacturing sector. From the outset, the Government of Ethiopia, through the Ministry of Industry, played a pivotal role in shaping the hub’s focus and operational framework. This collaboration was formalized in November 2024 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between UNDP and the Ministry, underscoring Ethiopia’s commitment to leveraging advanced manufacturing technologies for industrial transformation.

Through this partnership and curated programmes that are expertise-technology-led, the hub provides a place for ManuTech and technology-led manufacturing startups to grow from an idea stage to a market ready business with the capacity to absorb seed funding and scale to venture funds.

ManuTech hub programmes and platforms

At its core, the hub provides sector specific programing and platforms that allow timbuktoo to build a pipeline of investment ready ManuTech and technology led manufacturing startup. These startups will feed into the Industrial fund being established by the timbuktoo Africa Foundation in Kigali.

The hub offers three programming phases and two platforms, designed to help startups continually define, refine and strengthen their business models until they become investment ready. The programme is designed in partnership with implementing partners that build on in-county talent and expertise across the continent.

Bootcamp: Every startup entering the hub starts with a 4-week virtual bootcamp, offering a crash course in rapid prototyping, pitching, and financial foundations. At the end of the program, the startups will have an opportunity to pitch to join either the incubation or the acceleration programmes, depending on the stage of the startup.
Incubation: Selected startups then move into a 12-week applied programme tailored for founders who have demonstrated strong potential and now need structured support to operationalize their business models, evaluate traction, and build investable businesses. Unlike the bootcamp, which focuses on foundational tools such as market validation, MVP design, and business modeling, the incubation programme emphasizes real-time execution and measurable progress. At the end of the programme, startups will again have a chance to pitch to get into the acceleration programme.
Residency: A key component of the programme is a week-long residency in Addis Ababa, where startups in the incubation programme engage directly with the manufacturing ecosystem in Ethiopia. They participate in peer learning, firsthand experiences, and exposure to industry leaders around policy, legal framework, investment, and marketing.
Acceleration: The one-month acceleration programme provides selected startups with access to up to $20K equity-free grants to demonstrate market growth and customer traction. Through mentorship, networking and investor-focused pitches, the programme helps startups to refine their business models, strengthen their market strategies, and prepare for seed funding.
Webinars and Events: The hub hosts regular webinars and events on emerging issues within the manufacturing and manufacturing technologies space from AI and automation to blockchains for supply chains and many others. These platforms foster dialogue among manufacturers, academia, policy makers, and investors around emerging trends, and policy related issues.

How the program will evolve in 2026

Programming at the hub is designed to evolve and adapt to the needs of startups, investors, and the broader market. Given the niche and emerging nature of the the ManuTech sector, the hub continues to refine its approach based on the lessons learned from each cohort. These are the key areas of evolution planned for next year:

Supporting technology led manufacturing more broadly - While the hub’s core mission remains supporting ManuTech startups, moving forward the hub will focus on technology adoption in priority manufacturing sectors. Unlike other hubs in the timbuktoo ecosystem, ManuTech operated in a space where there is not necessarily a robust enough ecosystem of manufactures leveraging technologies to increase productivity and operational efficiency. Therefore, the hub will place additional emphasis on the use of technology to enable manufacturing and value chain efficiency, improving the manufacturing ecosystem overall.

Startups presenting their business at the opening of the ManuTech residency programme

Introduction of pre-accelerations - to better connect to the industrial fund under the timbuktoo Foundation with the hub, there will be an introduction of a transition program between incubation and acceleration programme. This pre-acceleration format will engage partners that are also investment firms to host a longer period acceleration programme (3 months) with the additional responsibility of securing funds for the startups. Moreover, the equity-free grant in the pre-acceleration program will be restructured into an interest-free loan to promote sustainability and help startups build a financial history.

Deeper engagement with local incubators - To make the in-person component of the incubation program more impactful, the hub will partner with local incubators to provide more hands-on support and deeper connection to the national innovation ecosystem for the startups. This will complement the virtual incubation program, which provides access to pan African expertise. The hub will also provide training and technical support to the incubators to ensure consistency and quality across different countries and regions.

As the timbuktoo ManuTech hub continues to evolve, it is providing more than a space for innovation, it is laying the groundwork for African’s industrial revolution. By equipping startups with the tools, knowledge, and capital they need to thrive, the hub is helping African innovators transform production systems, create high value jobs, and build resilient supply chains rooted in local capacity. With each cohort, the hub is nurturing startups, fostering collaboration across the sector, and bridging critical gaps in technology and investment. The journey is just beginning, and the impact promises to resonate far beyond the walls of the hub.

* This blog was written by Wudasse Berhanu, Head of Exploration, Accelerator Lab, UNDP-Ethiopia