What Innovation Support Network (ISN) Hubs does

Innovation Support Network (ISN) Hubs is a Nigerian non-profit organization founded in 2019 and headquartered at 17 Chapel Street, Yaba, Lagos. It operates as the country's largest coordinating network for innovation hubs, currently encompassing 230+ hubs spread across 37 states plus the Federal Capital Territory. ISN's core offerings are the ISN Hub Network (a national directory and membership platform), the ISO Audit & Certification Framework (a three-tier Foundational/Standard/Advanced certification standard for Innovation Support Organizations, developed with GIZ and EU support), the annual Nigerian Innovation Hub Assessment Report, and an Opportunities Portal that distributes exclusive programs (Google for Startups cloud credits up to $100K, Microsoft Azure AI Accelerator, AWS Activate up to $100K, MTN Y'ello Hub, Tony Elumelu Foundation $5K seed, and GIZ matching grants up to €50K) to certified member hubs.

ISN is funded primarily through development partners, principally GIZ DTC Nigeria, the European Union, and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with supplementary corporate partnership support. The organization is governed by a six-member Board of Directors chaired by Hanson Johnson (Founder, Start Innovation Hub), with other seats held by founders and CEOs of member hubs and ecosystem programs. Its go-to-market is community-led: it recruits hub members, runs an annual gathering (232 hubs convened in Kano in 2025), and serves as the primary consultative body for the Nigeria Startup Act, working directly with NITDA, SMEDAN, NOTAP, NBTI, and ONDI on policy and certification matters. The 2026-2030 Strategic Outlook reorients the network toward Deep Tech and Industrialization (AI, IoT, Robotics) and sets quantitative targets of ISO-certifying 120+ hubs and training 30,000+ Nigerians in digital skills by Q4 2027. The core operating team is small (1-10 employees), with most ecosystem activity executed through the member hub network rather than ISN's own staff.

Name

Innovation Support Network (ISN) Hubs

Legal name

Innovation Support Network (ISN)

Website

https://isnhubs.org.ng

Company type

Private

Founded year

2027

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Innovation Support Network (ISN) Hubs is a Lagos-based non-profit coordinating a national network of 230+ innovation hubs across 37 Nigerian states plus FCT. It provides hub certification, policy advocacy as consultative body for the Nigeria Startup Act, and an opportunities portal distributing grants and cloud credits from GIZ, Google, Microsoft, AWS, and MTN to member hubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation Ecosystem Coordination Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

Keywords

• Innovation hub network
• ISO certification framework
• Ecosystem coordination services
• Startup incubation support
• Innovation policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Yaba

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Non-profit / Grant Funding: As Nigeria's largest non-profit organization of innovation hubs, ISN is funded through development partners including GIZ DTC Nigeria, European Union, and German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The network also receives support from corporate partners for specific programs and initiatives.
2. Membership & Certification Fees: ISN offers the ISO Audit & Certification Framework for innovation hubs at different tiers (Foundational, Standard, Advanced). Organizations meeting criteria can be certified, providing a mark of global excellence.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ISN operates as Nigeria's largest non-profit national network coordinating 230+ innovation hubs across 37 states plus the FCT. Its core offerings include a hub membership directory, an ISO Audit & Certification Framework for evaluating and certifying Innovation Support Organisations, an Opportunities Portal connecting hubs with grants and enterprise partnerships, and policy advocacy as the primary consultative body for the Nigeria Startup Act. The organization is funded by development partners (GIZ, EU, BMZ) and supplemented by tiered certification fees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ISN Hub Network Membership & Directory National network membership and public directory service for innovation hubs across Nigeria. Member hubs gain ecosystem visibility, directory listing, and collective advocacy representation. Hub operators across 37 states plus FCT are the primary users.
• ISO Audit & Certification Framework Structured certification framework that audits and certifies Innovation Support Organisations (ISOs) based on operational maturity, governance, and impact, offered at multiple tiers (Foundational, Standard, Advanced). Developed with GIZ and EU support for hubs seeking a mark of global excellence.
• Nigeria Innovation Hub Assessment Report Comprehensive annual report mapping Nigeria's innovation hub landscape, commissioned by ISN and supported by GIZ and the European Union. Provides data-driven insights into hub operations, sustainability, and ecosystem impact for policymakers, investors, and ecosystem stakeholders.
• ISN Opportunities Portal Self-serve platform where member hubs apply for exclusive programs, infrastructure grants, and service onboarding opportunities from enterprise and development partners. Provides access to Google for Startups Cloud ($100K credits), Microsoft Azure AI Accelerator, AWS Activate ($100K), Tony Elumelu Foundation ($5K seed capital), MTN Y'ello Hub integration, and GIZ Digital Transformation Grants (up to €50K).

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NASENI Innovation Hub (NIH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2026Hosted the official launch of the Nigerian Innovation Hub Assessment Report. Nigeria's leading innovation infrastructure for science, technology, and industry focused communities.
• Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2026ONDI recognizes hubs as the connective tissue between talent, capital, and opportunity. Supports strengthening Innovation Support Organisations (ISOs) across Nigeria.
• NITDA (National Information Technology Development Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2026NITDA's broader agenda depends on a network of capable, well-resourced hubs functioning as true innovation intermediaries. Supports digital maturity assessment.
• NITDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssessing digital maturity and service delivery of innovation hubs through the ISO Framework partnership.
• SMEDANcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmall and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria - validating entrepreneurship and MSME outcomes through hub ecosystem.
• NOTAPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion - evaluating technology transfer and intellectual property processes in hub ecosystem.
• NBTIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Board for Technology Incubation - benchmarking enterprise incubation and sustainability.
• AfriLabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPowers the NASENI Innovation Hub (NIH), Nigeria's leading innovation infrastructure for science, technology, and industry focused communities.
• Google for StartupscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGoogle for Startups Cloud Program offers ISN member hubs access to $100,000 in Google Cloud credits, technical training, and mentorship from Google engineers for hubs scaling cloud infrastructure.
• MicrosoftcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMicrosoft Azure AI Accelerator - 12-week intensive program focused on AI/ML integration with Azure credits, technical mentorship, and access to Microsoft enterprise clients for hubs with AI/Deep Tech focus.
• Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual $5,000 non-refundable seed capital, training, and mentoring for African entrepreneurs. ISN hubs can nominate top startups for the program.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAWS Activate Program offers up to $100,000 in AWS credits, technical support, and training resources for early-stage startups building on AWS infrastructure.
• MTN NigeriacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMTN Y'ello Hub Network Integration allows certified ISN hubs to integrate with MTN's network for mobile services, payments integration, and connectivity solutions.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB): A leading Nigerian innovation hub and ISO Certified member of ISN. Comparable because CcHUB operates its own incubation/acceleration programs and pan-African platform (CcHUB Syndicate), competing for the same enterprise partnerships and donor funding that flow through ISN's network.
• AfriLabs: Pan-African network of 400+ innovation hubs across the continent. Direct peer because ISN partners with AfriLabs (powers NASENI Innovation Hub) and serves an overlapping role as a national hub coordinator, though at a continental rather than national level.
• iHub (Kenya): Nairobi-based innovation hub that pioneered the African hub model and is part of the broader AfriLabs network. Comparable because both operate as flagship African innovation spaces with incubation, training, and corporate partnership programs serving similar enterprise and startup audiences.

Regional players

• Innovation Village (Uganda): Ugandan innovation hub and community of hubs, comparable to ISN's national coordinator role but at the Uganda level. Comparable because both serve as innovation ecosystem anchors and intermediaries between government, donors, and entrepreneurs in their respective markets.

Others

• Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF): Africa-wide entrepreneurship programme providing $5,000 seed capital to African entrepreneurs; ISN hubs can nominate startups for TEF. Comparable because both are African entrepreneurship/seed-funding channels with overlapping target entrepreneurs, though TEF is a foundation rather than a hub network.
• NITDA (National Information Technology Development Agency): Nigerian federal IT regulator and ISN strategic partner. Comparable because both engage on national digital innovation policy and hub capacity building; NITDA is a government regulator while ISN is the implementation/coordination layer.
• GIZ Digital Transformation Center Nigeria: GIZ DTC Nigeria is a primary funder of ISN's Hub Assessment Report and certification framework. It is a peer because both operate in the digital innovation / ICT4D space in Nigeria, but GIZ is a development donor rather than a membership network.
• SMEDAN (Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria): Federal MSME agency validating entrepreneurship outcomes through the hub ecosystem; ISN partner. Comparable because both sit in the Nigerian entrepreneurship/SME support infrastructure, though SMEDAN is a government agency while ISN is a non-profit.
• Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI): Federal government initiative supporting ISOs across Nigeria; ISN strategic partner. Comparable because both work on strengthening innovation support organisations, though ONDI is a government programme rather than an independent non-profit network.

Broad incumbents

• NASENI (National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure): Federal agency that operates the NASENI Innovation Hub (NIH), which hosted ISN's 2026 Hub Assessment Report launch. Comparable because both operate in the national innovation infrastructure space in Nigeria and engage overlapping government and donor stakeholders.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/isnhubs
• Facebookfacebook.com/isnhubs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/isnhubs
• Instagraminstagram.com/isnhubs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Innovation Support Network (ISN) Hubs