Africa’s premier hub for creativity and innovation ‘Make A Difference (MAD) House’, which represents a symbol of disruption and innovation has concluded its Lens-Based Incubation Programme, awarding $10,000 in seed funding to the winner of its Demo Day pitch competition which took place recently in Lagos.
The firm’s commitment to creating an impactful creative community is evident, as it provides mentorship programs, workshops, and networking events to bridge the gap between academia and industry.
The organisers designed this programme in collaboration with the University of Lagos to equip African creatives with essential business skills to establish profitable ventures.
Speaking Manager of MAD House, Udoh Christopher Emmanuel, “This initiative is timely, addressing the demands of Nigeria’s creative industry, where the visual arts are increasingly recognised for their contributions to cultural identity and societal progress. The programme brought together 20 participants from Nigeria, Rwanda, Nairobi, South Africa, and Ghana, selected from over a thousand applications.
“Our selection criteria included a strong vision and scalability of the business idea. We are encouraging participants to create product-based solutions, like photography equipment from recycled materials and fabrics inspired by microorganisms, challenging international companies and showcasing local innovation.”
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Folasade Ogunsola shared the university’s approach and investment in molding talents for Africa’s creative economy. “Our school was established to provide manpower for the nation. As Nigeria’s population has increased, we have a very young population with a high unemployment rate. It became clear to us that we needed to develop manpower for people who are going to be employers of labour rather than chase this job market that does not exist.”
Highlighting the importance of harnessing creativity Ogunsola said: “Whenever a community starts to rise, it starts with the creatives because they are an expression of self. The musicians, actors, entertainers, etc are making a living and creating employment from their talents. So we felt it was important for us to also develop the talent of our students. Bayo Omoboriowo, the founder of Mad House, was one of our alumni, and working with him ensures that the Humanities and the Creatives have a way to turn their talent into business.”
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