African Technology Policy Studies Network

What African Technology Policy Studies Network does

The African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) is a Nairobi-headquartered, Africa-focused non-profit founded in 2000 that connects researchers and policymakers to address science, technology and innovation (STI) challenges across the continent. It operates with a small team (11–50 employees) and positions itself as an intermediary between African research institutions and international policy bodies, convening stakeholders around STI policy themes rather than selling commercial products or services.

The organization's core activity is programmatic convening and policy research dissemination. A representative 2026 initiative is the co-organization of a webinar titled 'Innovative Science and Technology Solutions for Water Security and Sanitation in Africa' with the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) and the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), tied to the African Union's 2026 theme on sustainable water availability and to SDG 6 targets. The underlying "platform" is therefore a policy network and knowledge-convening function rather than a technology product; no proprietary technology stack, software products, apps, or API surface is disclosed in the available data.

ATPS's business model is implicit non-profit/grant-funded: no revenue, pricing, or funding round data is disclosed, and no commercial pricing models or paying customer segments are identified in the source material. Its "customers" are effectively researchers, policymakers, and institutional partners across Africa, with multilateral partners (UN OSAA, ACBF) representing its most visible counterparties. Given the data limitations, the organization should be understood primarily as a thought-leadership and convening body whose strategic value lies in its network, brand, and policy access rather than in any commercial product offering.

Name

African Technology Policy Studies Network

Legal name

African Technology Policy Studies Network

Website

https://atpsnet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ATPS is a Nairobi-based, Africa-focused non-profit founded in 2000 that connects researchers and policymakers to address science, technology and innovation challenges across the continent through convening and policy research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Advocacy Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL), Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

Keywords

• Policy research network
• Science technology innovation
• Research capacity building
• Policy advisory services
• African development research

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Core offering

The African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) is a non-profit organization that connects researchers and policymakers to address Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) challenges in Africa. It functions as a multi-disciplinary network producing and disseminating policy-relevant research, convening stakeholder dialogues such as webinars (e.g., on water security and sanitation with the UN OSAA and ACBF), and building capacity for evidence-based STI policy across African countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• STI Policy Research and Publications

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2026OSAA is co-organizing a webinar with ATP S Network on 'Innovative Science and Technology Solutions for Water Security and Sanitation in Africa'. This partnership aligns with the African Union's 2026 theme on sustainable water availability and addresses critical water security challenges affecting Africa, where approximately 411 million people lacked access to basic drinking water in 2020.
• African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2026ACBF is co-organizing a webinar with ATP S Network on 'Innovative Science and Technology Solutions for Water Security and Sanitation in Africa'. This collaboration focuses on addressing the projected 40% freshwater demand exceeding supply by 2030, threatening SDG 6 achievement. The partnership aims to explore innovative science and technology solutions for water security and sanitation across Africa.

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA): UNECA produces policy research and convenes African member states on economic and technology issues. As a UN system body with far greater resources, it competes with ATPS for influence on continental STI policy frameworks.
• AUDA-NEPAD (African Union Development Agency): AUDA-NEPAD is the African Union's continental development agency coordinating implementation of AU priorities including science, technology, and innovation. As a larger, AU-mandated body, it works on the same STI policy themes ATPS addresses but at significantly greater scale and political weight.

Direct peers

• African Academy of Sciences (AAS): AAS is a pan-African honorific society that funds and convenes African scientists and shapes continental science policy. Its mandate to bridge researchers and policymakers mirrors ATPS's network model and competes for the same continental STI policy funding.
• African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF): ACBF is a Harare-based African intergovernmental think tank building capacity for policy analysis and economic management. ATPS and ACBF are already co-organizing partners, and both serve as African capacity-building intermediaries linking research to policy.
• Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA): CODESRIA is a Dakar-based pan-African social science research council that convenes researchers and influences policy. It shares ATPS's network-and-convener model and serves overlapping scholarly communities across the continent.

Peers

• African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS):

Emerging players

• International Development Research Centre (IDRC): IDRC funds applied research for development across the Global South, including substantial STI policy work in Africa. As a Canadian Crown corporation and a leading funder of African think tanks, IDRC is both a peer and a likely donor to ATPS.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/atpsnetwork
• Facebookfacebook.com/AfricanTechnologyPolicyStudiesNetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atpsnetwork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 African Technology Policy Studies Network