What EtriLabs does

EtriLabs is a Pan-African innovation and acceleration center headquartered in Cotonou, Benin, operating as a project of ETRI (Educational Technology and Research International), a US-registered nonprofit. Founded around 2015 (with a 10-year operating milestone cited on its About page), EtriLabs runs a portfolio of fellowship, accelerator, and training programs targeting EdTech startups, women leaders, and youth in francophone West Africa. Its core programs include the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship (Benin and Senegal), OWLA (Ouagadougou Partnership Women Leadership Accelerator, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), WHISPA (women software/digital marketing/web design training), FLESH (youth employment and skills), VSP (Visiting Startups international immersion), and ANRP (African NGOs Resilience Platform). In-house technology assets include the OWLA Leadership Lab (OLL) digital platform and the Bidofi data visualization tool, alongside an incubated startup portfolio spanning Sewema (e-learning), Happierco (OKR management, 350+ companies), Logeco (school management), Yello (offline audio learning), kSANTÉ (offline community health training with integrated AI assistant), and Tama (African digital library, 36,000+ readers).

The business model blends foundation grants (Mastercard Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), program and acceleration fees, custom corporate innovation engagements delivered as bespoke advisory and technology solutions, recurring coworking revenue at three physical sites (Cotonou Cocotiers HQ, Cocotiers Annexe, Parakou), and short-format training (Sewema Institute, Learn2Code camps, WHISPA). Customer acquisition is community-led and event-driven: programs such as OWLA, WHISPA, FLESH, and the EdTech Fellowship function both as impact initiatives and as customer/portfolio-pipeline channels, while flagship events (EdTech UEMOA Conference 2025 with 200+ participants, ESSIC, Impact Match, Event Connect Inclusion) generate demand and convening power across investors, government, startups, and enterprises.

Over 10 years EtriLabs claims to have trained more than 30,000 people, accelerated 92+ startups, facilitated 2,000+ jobs, mobilized ~$5.5M of ecosystem investment, and built a community that is 65% women. Operating geographies span Benin, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Togo, and Guinea, with international immersion placements in Europe, Nigeria, and Kenya via VSP. The organization is privately held and founder-led (CEO Senam Beheton), with no disclosed equity funding and a nonprofit project structure.

Name

EtriLabs

Legal name

EtriLabs

Website

https://etrilabs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EtriLabs is a Pan-African innovation and acceleration center in Cotonou, Benin, running fellowships and training programs (EdTech, OWLA, WHISPA, FLESH) for startups, women leaders, and youth across francophone West Africa, supported by foundation grants, coworking, and corporate innovation services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup and Innovation Acceleration Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415), Marketing Consulting Services (541613)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Strategy & IT Advisory (BPAEAAAA), AI Application Enablement Platforms (Copilot/Agent Frameworks, SDKs) (HDAEANAJ)

Keywords

• Startup acceleration programs
• Innovation incubation services
• Corporate innovation consulting
• Leadership development training
• Coworking workspace services

Headquarters

HQ city

Cotonou

HQ country

Benin

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Acceleration and Incubation Services: Revenue generated from acceleration and incubation programs targeting startups and young entrepreneurs, including program fees, investment readiness support, and access to the EtriLabs ecosystem.
2. Corporate Innovation Solutions: Custom technology solutions, digital transformation advisory, and innovation consulting for enterprises looking to adopt digital tools, offered as bespoke engagements.
3. Coworking and Event Spaces: Modern coworking spaces and professional event hosting services at Cocotiers, Cadjehoun, and Parakou locations, generating recurring rental income.
4. Training and Capacity Building: Short-format and intensive training programs (including Sewema Institute, Learn2Code camps, and WHISPA) offered to entrepreneurs and professionals for skill development.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

EtriLabs runs a Pan-African innovation center that accelerates and incubates startups and leaders through structured programs (Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, OWLA, WHISPA, FLESH, ANRP, VSP) delivered across three Beninese sites and online. It sells corporate innovation consulting, recurring coworking memberships, capacity-building training, and hosts flagship events such as EdTech UEMOA Conference and ESSIC. Its portfolio includes incubated/affiliated startups such as Sewema, Happierco, Bidofi, Logeco, Yello, kSANTé, and Tama, and it operates the OLL online leadership development platform under the OWLA program.

Product overview

EtriLabs is a pan-African innovation center that operates as an accelerator and incubation hub rather than a software product company. Its portfolio consists of accelerator and fellowship programs (Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, OWLA, WHISPA, FLESH, ANRP, VSP) designed to support entrepreneurs, women leaders, and youth across Africa. The organization also incubates startups including Sewema (e-learning platform), Happierco (OKR management app), Bidofi (mapping solution), Logeco (EdTech for schools), Yello (audio-learning), kSANTÉ (health training platform), and Tama (African digital library). Services include coworking spaces, corporate innovation support, and training programs, all focused on education, health, entrepreneurship, and gender inclusion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship Acceleration program dedicated to EdTech startups in Benin and Senegal, providing strategic support, coaching, masterclasses, office hours, and $75,000 grants to help entrepreneurs make quality education more accessible through technology.
• OWLA (Ouagadougou Partnership Women Leadership Accelerator) A 12-month intensive program supporting women leaders in French-speaking West Africa through structured training, mentorship, peer learning circles, and networking to develop professional and leadership skills, with applications opened per cohort.
• OWLA Leadership Lab (OLL) An online and mobile-accessible regional leadership development platform within OWLA offering a progressive three-level journey with interactive micro-modules, webinars, mentoring, peer learning circles, and a regional community.
• WHISPA (Women High Impact Startup Preparation Academy) A one-year training program dedicated to women, developing expertise in software development, digital marketing, and web design to prepare them for tech entrepreneurship.
• FLESH (Future Leaders Employment and Skills Hub) A one-year immersive program connecting young talents with concrete business needs, providing a structuring experience combining practical skills and employment opportunities.
• ANRP (African NGOs Resilience Platform) The first network entirely dedicated to impact actors in Africa, ANRP strengthens the resilience of African organizations against financial disruptions.
• VSP (Visiting Startups Program) A 6-week program introducing promising startups to more mature tech ecosystems in Europe and Africa to enable discovery, learning, and network building.
• Corporate Innovation Services Custom technology solutions, digital transformation advisory, innovation consulting, seminars, and coworking for enterprises seeking to digitize operations, innovate internally, or connect with the African startup ecosystem.
• Coworking and Event Spaces Modern coworking spaces equipped with technology and meeting facilities available to entrepreneurs, startups, and corporate teams on subscription, with three locations in Cotonou (Cocotiers and Cocotiers Annexe) and Parakou, Benin.
• Sewema (incubated e-learning platform) Incubated by EtriLabs, Sewema is a digital platform offering comprehensive courses, tools, and training to help entrepreneurs acquire the knowledge they need for digital entrepreneurship and business growth.
• Happierco (incubated OKR management application) Incubated by EtriLabs, Happierco is an OKR (Objectives and Key Results) management application that helps businesses improve performance, productivity, and team communication through goal setting and 360-degree feedback.
• Bidofi (incubated mapping and data visualization platform) Incubated by EtriLabs, Bidofi is a simple and easy-to-use mapping solution enabling businesses to create structured, filterable data visualizations and interactive maps for storytelling and analysis.
• Logeco (incubated EdTech school management platform) Incubated by EtriLabs, Logeco is an EdTech platform providing web and mobile tools for schools, teachers, parents, and students to facilitate administrative management, pedagogical tracking, and access to educational resources.
• Yello (incubated audio-learning mobile application) Incubated by EtriLabs, Yello is an audio-learning mobile application providing course summaries, quizzes, and audio revision materials accessible offline for Senegalese high school students, with AI-powered content generation.
• kSANTé by Kajou (incubated offline mobile health training platform) Incubated by EtriLabs (via Kajou), kSANTé is a 100% offline mobile training platform for Community Health Agents, distributed via micro SD cards with an integrated AI assistant for health training in French and local languages.
• Tama (incubated African digital library platform) Incubated by EtriLabs, Tama is a digital library dedicated to African literature, offering over 1,600 books with an enriched reading experience and 36,000+ active readers across the continent.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11 EdTech startups reached 8,000+ new learners per year each (Cohort 1 of EdTech Fellowship), totaling tens of thousands of learners in Benin and Senegal
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• ASIN (Agence des Systèmes d'Information et du Numérique)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency participated as a jury member at Impact Match 2025, evaluating EdTech startups and providing feedback on solutions — representing potential regulatory and institutional partnership.
• PNUD (Programme des Nations Unies pour le Développement)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN Development Programme participated as a jury member at Impact Match 2025, contributing expertise on development impact and potential funding pathways for EdTech solutions.
• Lux Dev (Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxembourg's development agency participated as a jury member at Impact Match 2025, bringing an international development perspective to the evaluation of EdTech startups.
• MTN BeninminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMTN Benin participated as a jury member at Impact Match 2025, bringing a telecom and mobile connectivity perspective to evaluate EdTech solutions leveraging mobile distribution.
• Fondation BatongaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFondation Batonga participated as a jury member at Impact Match 2025, contributing expertise in youth and education-focused impact investing.
• PADME (Promotion et Appui au Développement des Micro-Entreprises)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeninese micro-enterprise development agency participated as a jury member at Impact Match 2025, evaluating startups' potential to create economic impact and jobs.
• Sèmè City (Agence de Développement de Sèmè City)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBenin's strategic urban development agency for knowledge and innovation participated as a jury member at Impact Match 2025 and is represented on the OWLA Consultative Council.
• TekxlminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTech ecosystem entity co-branded as an EtriLabs partner in logo displays. CEO Senam Beheton is also founder of Tekxl, indicating a closely aligned ecosystem entity. Jointly featured as part of the innovation ecosystem.
• AIESECminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational youth organization co-branded as an EtriLabs partner. AIESEC provides access to young international talent and global exchange programs, complementing EtriLabs' youth empowerment mission.
• UNFPAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations Population Agency co-branded as an EtriLabs partner. Supports reproductive health and gender equity programming, aligning with EtriLabs' OWLA program focus on sexual and reproductive health leadership.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• MEST Africa: Pan-African entrepreneur training and seed-stage investment program operating in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Senegal. Directly comparable as a pan-African entrepreneur accelerator with structured 12-month training, seed funding, and pan-continental expansion ambitions similar to EtriLabs' EdTech Fellowship and WHISPA.
• AfriLabs: Pan-African network of over 400 innovation hubs, accelerators, and tech communities across the continent. Directly comparable as both organizations operate pan-African innovation hub networks with foundation partnerships and member-driven service models in similar emerging-market geographies.
• BongoHive: Zambian innovation hub providing acceleration, incubation, coworking, and corporate innovation services in Southern Africa. Comparable as a mid-sized African hub operating similar programs (Seedstars partner, Mastercard Foundation collaborator) targeting early-stage entrepreneurs in an emerging market.
• Jokkolabs (formerly CTIC Dakar): Senegalese innovation hub network with presence across West Africa, offering acceleration, coworking, and corporate innovation services. Direct regional peer — both organizations serve francophone West African entrepreneurs, often with overlapping corporate clients and foundation partnerships.
• iHub: Nairobi-based innovation hub supporting African tech entrepreneurs through acceleration, coworking, and corporate innovation programs. Closely comparable as a pioneer African hub offering similar acceleration, community, and corporate services, with a stronger software-development focus.
• Co-creation Hub (CcHUB): Lagos-based innovation hub operating across Nigeria, Kenya, and Rwanda with deep foundation backing (Mastercard Foundation, Gates Foundation) and corporate innovation services. Directly comparable business model combining acceleration, corporate innovation, and ecosystem building, though operating at larger scale and English-speaking markets.

Broad incumbents

• Tony Elumelu Foundation: Pan-African philanthropy funding and training African entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries with $5,000 seed capital and 12-week training. Comparable as a larger pan-African entrepreneurship program with foundation-style funding model, though operating at much greater scale and broader geographic scope.
• Impact Hub Network: Global network of over 100 impact-focused innovation hubs across 60+ countries, including African locations. Comparable as a larger, more established player in the innovation hub space offering acceleration, coworking, and community programming, with greater geographic diversification but less sector specialization.
• Seedstars: Swiss-based emerging markets accelerator running programs across 80+ countries including extensive African presence. Comparable as a broader emerging-markets player offering acceleration, competitions, and capacity building with similar target market (early-stage African tech entrepreneurs) but more capital-light model.

Emerging players

• Baobab+ (formerly Baobab Network): Pan-African investor network and platform connecting mission-aligned investors with early-stage African startups. Comparable as an ecosystem player enabling capital flows to African founders through curated deal flow and community events similar to EtriLabs' ESSIC and Benin Business Angels activities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EtriLabsCotonou
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/etrilabs
• Facebookfacebook.com/ETRILABS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/etrilabs
• Instagraminstagram.com/etrilabs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EtriLabs