Knowvate Hub and FirstFounders Venture Studio partner to support Black and minority founders

EDINBURGH & LAGOS — March 31, 2025 — Knowvate Hub, a Scotland-based entrepreneurship support organisation, and FirstFounders Venture Studio, with operations in Lagos and New York, today announced a strategic partnership to jointly support underrepresented entrepreneurs across Africa and the United Kingdom.

The collaboration, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding, will focus on creating cross-continental opportunities for ethnic minority and African entrepreneurs through mentorship programs, funding advocacy, training workshops, networking events, and research initiatives.

“I am excited about the partnership between KnowVate Hub and FirstFounders Venture Studio, as it represents a powerful step towards empowering Black and minority entrepreneurs globally,” said Onyinye Igbokwe, Co-founder and Program Director at Knowvate Hub.

The partnership responds to the documented challenges faced by underrepresented founders in accessing mentorship, investment capital, and business development resources. By combining Knowvate Hub’s strong Scottish and European networks with FirstFounders’ venture-building expertise in African startup ecosystems, the alliance aims to build sustainable pathways for innovation and economic development across both regions.

“I see this partnership as a strategy to democratise entrepreneurship through venture building and
community support where founders are provided the resources and funding need to create solutions that
transform economies, change lives while improving the state of the world. More importantly, this enables
an inclusive global community for underrepresented founders,” said David-Lanre Messan, Founder and
CEO of FirstFounders Venture Studio.

Key initiatives planned under the partnership include:

• Cross-border mentorship programs connecting entrepreneurs from both continents
• Joint advocacy for increased funding opportunities, including grants and venture capital access
• Shared resources for community networking and events.
• Co-hosted pitch competitions and investor networking events
• Collaborative research on challenges faced by underrepresented founders

The partnership will officially launch at the African Ecosystem Mixer taking place in Lagos on May 2, 2025.

This inaugural event will bring together entrepreneurs, investors, Government agencies, Academia and other ecosystem players to network, share insights, and explore collaboration opportunities under the new partnership framework.

The collaboration will operate on specific projects to be developed and implemented by mutual agreement. Both organisations will contribute their unique strengths, with Knowvate Hub providing access to the UK entrepreneurial networks and FirstFounders leveraging its venture-building expertise and connections across African startup ecosystems.

“Our ‘Include and Inspire’ event series and Ideation Bootcamps have already demonstrated the immense talent and potential of entrepreneurs from minority communities in Scotland. This partnership with FirstFounders allows us to amplify our impact by creating international connections and sharing best practices across different entrepreneurial ecosystems. Together, we can break down more barriers to inclusion in the business community,” added Emeka Ebeniro, Growth Manager at Knowvate Hub.

The partnership represents a significant step toward creating more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems in both regions and facilitating greater cross-continental collaboration in innovation and business development.

The partnership will officially launch at the African Ecosystem Mixer taking place in Lagos on May 2, 2025. This inaugural event will bring together entrepreneurs, investors, Government agencies, Academia and other ecosystem players to network, share insights, and explore collaboration opportunities under the new partnership framework.

The collaboration will operate on specific projects to be developed and implemented by mutual agreement. Both organisations will contribute their unique strengths, with Knowvate Hub providing access to the UK entrepreneurial networks and FirstFounders leveraging its venture-building expertise and connections across African startup ecosystems.

“Our ‘Include and Inspire’ event series and Ideation Bootcamps have already demonstrated the immense talent and potential of entrepreneurs from minority communities in Scotland. This partnership with FirstFounders allows us to amplify our impact by creating international connections and sharing best practices across different entrepreneurial ecosystems. Together, we can break down more barriers to inclusion in the business community,” added Emeka Ebeniro, Growth Manager at Knowvate Hub.

The partnership represents a significant step toward creating more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems in both regions and facilitating greater cross-continental collaboration in innovation and business development.

About Knowvate Hub

Founded as a spinout from Black Professionals United Kingdom in 2023, Knowvate Hub is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs from minority ethnic backgrounds in the UK and globally. Through its digital resource platform and community-focused events, Knowvate Hub is committed to overcoming barriers to entrepreneurial participation and facilitating connections with tech ecosystem partners from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. Backed by Scottish Enterprise, the organisation has already engaged over 300 ethnic minority entrepreneurs across Scotland and beyond.

About FirstFounders Venture Studio

Established in Lagos and New York, FirstFounders Venture Studio is a venture studio partnering with
early-stage founders worldwide to build profitable ideas for the African market. With a community of over 1500 entrepreneurs and five portfolio startups, FirstFounders employs a six-step startup development model to build Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), support startup growth, and provide initial funding for startups to reach Product-Market-Fit. Founded by David-Lanre Messan, FirstFounders is committed to lowering entry barriers and increasing success possibilities for African entrepreneurs through product creation expertise, growth strategies, and investor access.

Media Contacts:
Knowvate Hub: Golden, hello@knowvatehub.com
FirstFounders: Fiona, hello@firstfounders.cc