Organization · Community
LIONS@FRICA
LIONS@FRICA is a partnership aimed at enhancing Africa's innovation ecosystem by mobilizing resources from public and private institutions to support entrepreneurship and technology-based businesses.
Overview
What LIONS@FRICA does
What LIONS@FRICA is
LIONS@FRICA is a partnership aimed at enhancing Africa's innovation ecosystem by mobilizing resources from public and private institutions to support entrepreneurship and technology-based businesses.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports community capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Community
- Founded
- Founded in 2012
- Approximate age
- About 14 years
- Structured capabilities
- Community
- Last reviewed
- March 5, 2026
Official channels
Find LIONS@FRICA elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
LIONS@FRICA as a community
Community overview
LIONS@FRICA, also known as Liberalizing Innovation Opportunity Nations, is a partnership established in 2012 at the World Economic Forum on Africa. It aims to support 100,000 entrepreneurs in launching and expanding technology-based businesses over the next decade. Managed by the African Technology Foundation, the initiative includes founding partners such as the U.S. State Department, InfoDEV, Microsoft, African Development Bank, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Community focus
LIONS@FRICA invests in capacity building, access to capital, enhanced connectivity to global markets, and raising awareness of Africa's innovation potential. The initiative seeks to spur entrepreneurial activity and expand technology-based businesses across African countries.
Member value
Members benefit from access to resources, networking opportunities, and support in launching and scaling technology-based businesses.
Membership
- Pricing models
- free
Format and cadence
- Modality
- hybrid
- Schedule
- rolling-admissions
- Commitment
- light
Availability
- Membership state
- Accepting
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Founders · Investors
- Benefits
- network-access and mentorship
- Program types
- community
- Selection criteria
- open
- Regions
- Africa
Community activity
Notable members
Founding partners include the U.S. State Department, InfoDEV, Microsoft, African Development Bank, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Common questions
What to know about LIONS@FRICA
Upseed classifies LIONS@FRICA under the Community organization type. Its current public profile includes community capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
March 5, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.