LakeHub
LakeHub Foundation is a Kenya-registered non-profit that runs a tuition-free two-year software engineering academy (Zone 01 Kisumu) plus incubation and women-in-tech programs for underserved African youth, supported by grants and partnerships with GIZ, UNDP, and other development organizations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersKisumu, Kenya
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What LakeHub does
LakeHub Foundation is a Kenya-registered non-profit organization founded in 2013 in Kisumu, operating as an innovation hub and youth skills-development platform for underserved African youth aged 18 and above. Its flagship offering is LakeHub Academy (Zone 01 Kisumu), a tuition-free two-year software engineering apprenticeship that delivers cohorts of 100+ students at its Lake Basin Mall campus, operating 365 days a week. The Academy uses a licensed teacherless, peer-to-peer, gamified, self-paced pedagogy sourced from 01Talent, a methodology that has been deployed in over 40 countries, and culminates in a stated 100% job placement guarantee through a global talent agency partnership with Nation.dev.
The Foundation runs a parallel Incubation Program for early-stage entrepreneurs, including the Agribiz 4 Youth program (with GIZ, supporting 120 young agripreneurs) and the Pepea na Agribiz acceleration program (with seed grants up to KES 300,000), plus specialized initiatives: FemiDevs (women in tech), e-GEM (female university mentorship with Maseno University and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), the Woman Founders Award (with the Leila Janah Foundation), ICON (policy leadership), and the Chichwa E-Commerce Program. The organization's stated impact includes 600+ Academy graduates since 2019, 1,500+ youths trained over the last three years, and an alumni network spanning five Western Kenya counties (Siaya, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Kisumu).
The business model is donor- and partnership-funded rather than commercial: LakeHub Foundation receives grants and in-kind support from development organizations (GIZ, UNDP Kenya, French Embassy), philanthropic foundations (Leila Janah Foundation), and corporate partners, and is extending into programmatic geographies (Tanzania, Uganda) via the Kijani Space Project Consortium. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Governance rests with Co-Executive Directors Caleb Nyoiro and Dorcas Owinoh, supported by a lean staff of approximately 12 technology and business professionals, with the organization positioned as a non-profit training, incubation, and community operator rather than a venture-backed commercial entity.
LakeHub firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LakeHub
- Legal name
- Lakehub Foundation
- Website
- https://lakehub.co.ke
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- LakeHub Foundation is a Kenya-registered non-profit that runs a tuition-free two-year software engineering academy (Zone 01 Kisumu) plus incubation and women-in-tech programs for underserved African youth, supported by grants and partnerships with GIZ, UNDP, and other development organizations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LakeHub industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Technology Education and Youth Skills Training
- NAICS
- Computer Training (61142), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Technical Bootcamps & Accelerated Reskilling (Full-time/Part-time) (BPAEANAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD), Robotics, Engineering & Makers Camps (EDAMALAE)
Keywords
Where LakeHub is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kisumu
- HQ country
- Kenya
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices2 records
Markets served
LakeHub business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donor and Foundation Funding: As a non-profit organization, LakeHub operates primarily through grants, donations, and partnerships with development organizations, governments, and corporate sponsors. Revenue supports Academy operations, incubation programs, and student scholarships.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Multi-year contract | Zero tuition - Free Academy program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
LakeHub product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LakeHub Foundation delivers a tuition-free, two-year intensive software engineering boot camp (Zone 01 Kisumu / LakeHub Academy) using a proprietary teacherless peer-to-peer gamified learning model, paired with a portfolio of youth and women entrepreneurship incubation programs (Agribiz 4 Youth, Pepea na Agribiz, Woman Founders Award, Chichwa E-Commerce, FemiDevs, e-GEM, ICON). All programs are offered at zero cost to participants, funded through grants, donations, and development partnerships, and graduates are placed with global employers via the Nation.dev talent agency partnership.
Product overview
LakeHub Foundation operates as a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on tech education and youth empowerment in Africa. The core offerings include the LakeHub Academy (Zone 01 Kisumu), a two-year tuition-free software engineering boot camp with 100% job placement, which feeds into the Alumni Network spanning five counties. Parallel programs include the Incubation Program supporting early-stage businesses with emphasis on women-led ventures, and specialized initiatives like FemiDevs for women in tech, e-GEM for female university students, Agribiz 4 Youth for agripreneurs, the Woman Founders Award for women entrepreneurs, Pepea na Agribiz for agribusiness acceleration, and the Chichwa E-Commerce Program. The programs work together to provide a pipeline from skills training through incubation to job placement and alumni support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LakeHub Academy / Zone 01 Kisumu A tuition-free, two-year intensive software engineering boot camp (365/7 on campus) covering web development, blockchain, cybersecurity, and data engineering using a teacherless peer-to-peer gamified learning model. Open to anyone aged 18+ with no coding background required; cohorts of 100+ students; graduates are placed with global employers via the Nation.dev talent agency under a 100% job placement guarantee.
- LakeHub Incubation Program A comprehensive incubation and acceleration program for early-stage businesses led by young people, with emphasis on women-led ventures. Provides training, mentorship, business skills, and seed capital to help entrepreneurs establish self-sustaining businesses across agribusiness, e-commerce, and adjacent sectors in Western Kenya.
- FemiDevs Program A women-in-tech initiative combining scholarships, mentorship, and creative problem-solving hackathons to empower female participants to enter software careers. Reported outcomes include 75% positive attitude shifts toward tech and 64% confidence gains among new learners; in 2020, partnered with UNDP Kenya to graduate its largest class of 200 female developers.
- e-GEM (Engendering Mentorship) Program A mentorship program for female university students at Maseno University facing challenges including early marriage, pregnancy, and gender-based violence. Aims to reduce dropout rates and build confidence to pursue careers in technology, innovation design, and business.
- Agribiz 4 Youth An agribusiness incubation and acceleration program implemented with GIZ under the 'Agri-Jobs 4 Youth' initiative. Supports 120 young agripreneurs aged 18-35 across five counties in Western Kenya (Siaya, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Kisumu) with skills development, mentorship, and selected value chains.
- Pepea na Agribiz An acceleration program for women and youth aged 18-35 leading agribusiness ventures in poultry, groundnuts, passion fruits, and apiculture value chains in Western Kenya. Supports 100 micro, small, and medium enterprises with mentorship and seed grants of up to KES 300,000.
- The Woman Founders Award An annual award program promoting economic empowerment for women entrepreneurs in rural East Africa through access to finance, market linkages, and support to help women-led enterprises become investment-ready.
- Chichwa E-Commerce Program An e-commerce program designed to support entrepreneurs in establishing and scaling online businesses as part of LakeHub's incubation track.
- Alumni Network A community network for LakeHub graduates spanning more than 5 counties (Siaya, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Kisumu), supporting 1,500+ youths who have gained technology training and entrepreneurial skills in the past three years, with ongoing job-placement and entrepreneurship support.
- ICON (Issue-Based Collaborative Network) A Research-to-Change leadership program that empowers young leaders to influence policy through research and data-driven approaches, fostering intergenerational learning and dialogue for informed decision-making.
Companies that use LakeHub
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
LakeHub technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
LakeHub partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Nation.devcoreMemorandum of Understanding signed between Zone01 Kisumu and Nation.dev to strengthen pathways for African software engineering talent to access global opportunities. Partnership ensures apprentices access global roles in software development.
- Kijani Space Project ConsortiumcoreMulti-national consortium of 13 partners from Africa and European Union focused on climate-smart agriculture. Partners include LakeHub Foundation, Plan4all, Smart & Lean Hub Oy, Waziup e.V., Agape Innovations Limited, Africa Bioenergy Program (APBL), Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO), Lake Victoria Basin Commission, Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere University of Agriculture and Technology, HSRS, and Meteoblue AG, led by INNOTEC21 GmbH. Project leverages Copernicus Earth observation data and IoT to enhance agricultural practices in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
- 01TalentcorePartnership bringing world-class software development pedagogy to LakeHub Academy. Powers the Zone 01 Kisumu 2-year software apprenticeship program with proven education methodology implemented in 40+ countries.
- iTalantamajorCollaboration on hackathons including the iTalanta Hackathon, a 24-hour tech event where teams develop software solutions for community challenges using conversational tools like WhatsApp or Telegram.
- ElewamajorPartner in the iTalanta Hackathon event, contributing to technology and innovation initiatives.
- PodiimajorPartner in the iTalanta Hackathon event, contributing to technology and innovation initiatives.
- GIZcorePartnership under 'Agri-Jobs 4 Youth' initiative for LakeHub Incubation and Acceleration program. Supports development of 120 young agripreneurs aged 18-35 across Western Kenya counties (Siaya, Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Kisumu).
- UNDP KenyacoreCo-sponsor of FemiDevs hackathon and partner in graduating female developers. In 2020, partnered to graduate biggest class of 200 female developers.
- French Embassy in KenyamajorCo-sponsor of FemiDevs hackathon focused on creating tech solutions for women and girls.
- Maseno UniversitymajorPartner in 'Engendering Mentorship' (e-GEM) project to establish mentorship program supporting female students facing challenges including early marriage, pregnancy, and gender-based violence.
- Vrije Universiteit AmsterdammajorAcademic partner in e-GEM project collaboration with Maseno University and LakeHub.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
LakeHub competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Andela: Andela trains and places African software engineers with global employers through a talent-marketplace model. Directly comparable to LakeHub's Academy/Zone 01 Kisumu program in mission, target audience (African developers), and global placement orientation.
- Generation Kenya: Generation Kenya delivers tuition-free, employer-aligned workforce training programs for unemployed youth across sectors including tech. Comparable as a youth-focused, employer-placement-driven, donor-funded training provider operating in Kenya.
- ALX Africa: ALX Africa operates tuition-free, multi-month software engineering and tech training programs across the continent with employer-placement pathways. Closely comparable in funding model (foundation-backed), free-to-learner structure, and African youth developer focus.
- Nailab: Nailab is a Kenyan startup accelerator and incubation program supporting early-stage entrepreneurs with mentorship and funding access. Comparable to LakeHub's Incubation Program in target segment (young Kenyan founders) and acceleration services.
- Moringa School: Moringa School is a Nairobi-based software engineering bootcamp offering full-stack training with employer placement. Comparable as a Kenya-headquartered coding bootcamp serving similar learners, though it charges tuition where LakeHub is free.
- Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB): CcHUB is a leading African innovation hub and accelerator supporting tech startups and social ventures across multiple countries. Comparable in mission (tech entrepreneurship, youth, incubation) and program design (training plus community plus investment readiness).
- iHub Nairobi: iHub is a longstanding Kenyan tech innovation hub supporting startups, developers, and entrepreneurs through coworking, training, and community programs. Directly comparable to LakeHub's innovation hub and incubation roots, though based in Nairobi.
Emerging players
- Tunapanda Institute: Tunapanda Institute provides tech and digital skills training to East African youth with an emphasis on underserved communities. Comparable in geography, target demographic, and tech-for-development mission.
- SheCodes Africa: SheCodes Africa focuses on training African women in software development and supporting their entry into tech careers. Comparable niche overlap with LakeHub's FemiDevs program, though smaller scale and less formalized curriculum.
Regional players
- Outbox Uganda: Outbox is a Ugandan innovation hub and entrepreneurship program supporting young tech founders. Comparable as an East African tech hub/incubator, though primarily serves Uganda rather than Kenya.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LakeHub social profiles
Digital presenceLakeHub financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LakeHub leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
LakeHub funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LakeHub M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LakeHub
What does LakeHub do?
LakeHub Foundation delivers a tuition-free, two-year intensive software engineering boot camp (Zone 01 Kisumu / LakeHub Academy) using a proprietary teacherless peer-to-peer gamified learning model, paired with a portfolio of youth and women entrepreneurship incubation programs (Agribiz 4 Youth, Pepea na Agribiz, Woman Founders Award, Chichwa E-Commerce, FemiDevs, e-GEM, ICON). All programs are offered at zero cost to participants, funded through grants, donations, and development partnerships, and graduates are placed with global employers via the Nation.dev talent agency partnership.
Is LakeHub a public or private company?
LakeHub is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was LakeHub founded?
LakeHub was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is LakeHub based?
LakeHub is headquartered in Kisumu, Kenya, in the Africa region.
How does LakeHub make money?
One revenue line is on record: donor and Foundation Funding.
Who are LakeHub's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Andela, Generation Kenya, ALX Africa, Nailab, Moringa School, Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB) and iHub Nairobi. Emerging players are Tunapanda Institute and SheCodes Africa. Outbox Uganda is listed as a regional player.
Does LakeHub have an API?
No public API is recorded for LakeHub.
What industry is LakeHub in?
LakeHub's product category is Technology Education and Youth Skills Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEANAE, Technical Bootcamps & Accelerated Reskilling (Full-time/Part-time), with a secondary code of EDAMAHAA, Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics. Its NAICS code is 61142 and its SIC code is 8200.