Nearly 300 young innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers and stakeholders from Africa and Europe connected online on 23 July 2026 for the sixth edition of the Workshop Series supporting the ongoing implementation of the 10-year AU–EU Innovation Agenda (2023-2033).
Jointly organised by the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU), in collaboration with the Africa-Europe Innovation Platform (AEIP), the workshop focused on youth-led innovations, providing a platform to showcase youth-led initiatives, exchange knowledge and experiences, strengthen capacities, and forge new partnerships across the two continents. This workshop aimed also to mark the third year- anniversary of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda, adoption in July 2023.
Setting the scene for youth-led innovations
The workshop opened with remarks from representatives of the African Union Commission and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. These were followed by an update on the progress in the implementation of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda, of which these workshops are an integral part. Participants learned about the achievements of the first phase of this implementation, with the year 2026 marking the conclusion of the timeframe of the Agenda’s short-term actions.
Speakers emphasised that young people and early career researchers and innovators are key contributors to the collective realisation of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda and essential partners in shaping the future of Africa–Europe cooperation through entrepreneurship, scientific excellence, digital innovation and cross-continental collaborations.
Experience sharing – stakeholders’ testimonials
The experience-sharing session featured three testimonials by young innovators, highlighting how their involvement in the AU-EU Innovation Agenda and related initiatives, such as the 2025 Innovation Fair and the Africa-Europe Innovation Platform (AEIP) has supported the development and growth of their innovative ventures.
The first testimonial was delivered by Isio, a Nigerian start-up developing an AI-powered platform to help emerging African musicians grow their careers through data-driven insights and connections to global opportunities. Isio’s co-founder, Mr Adeoye Samuel Adeboye, described how mentorship helped sharpen the product ahead of launch, opened new industry relationships, clarified the venture’s investment readiness, and built core fundraising and business skills.
Mr Tom Lismonde, from the Belgium-based Ovation, looked back on his experience at the 2025 Innovation Fair in Brussels, where he showcased Ovation Academy – an AI-augmented coaching model helping entrepreneurs and coaches build and grow their businesses across continents. Lismonde recalled pitching the business live to a crowd of more than 500 people at the Fair, underscoring the enthusiastic feedback received from the audience, and the connections made as the most valuable parts of experience.
Ms Elizabeth Zewdu from the NGO “Girl Effect” in Ethiopia, presented the AEIP Youth Entrepreneurship Playbook, a practical resource equipping young entrepreneurs with guidance, tools and opportunities.. Feedback received so far has commended its integrated feedback process for keeping it adaptive and relevant, alongside its case studies and toolkit for engaging young people. Recommendations for the road ahead include building in safeguarding measures and running further validation workshops with youth participants.
The Training and Capacity Enhancement Transformation Scheme session
This session offered practical guidance and training to support youth-led innovative ventures and innovation ecosystems.
Speakers presented a range of initiatives and opportunities from across the Africa-Europe innovation ecosystem, including the Africa–Europe Innovation Platform (AEIP), the Youth Café Network, AEIP’’s Young Academic Mobility Programme, legal and IP essentials for start-ups, university-innovation ecosystem partnerships, the Team Europe Initiative and Global Gateway Flagship “Investing in Young Businesses in Africa (IYBA)”, and the AU-EU Youth Voices Lab.
The session highlighted practical approaches to strengthening innovation, entrepreneurship, research collaboration, and youth engagement across the two continents. Participants gained valuable information on funding and mobility opportunities, innovation and business support mechanisms, legal guidance for entrepreneurs, university-industry collaboration, access to networks and mentoring, participation pathways, and upcoming programmes and activities within the Africa-Europe innovation ecosystem.
Throughout the session, speakers shared concrete entry points and readily available opportunities for young,entrepreneurs and early career- researchers and innovators to build skills, access partnerships and develop solutions to shared societal challenges.
The full recording of this session can be found on the AU-EU Innovation Agenda Interface.
The Networking Café: building new Africa–Europe connections
The workshop concluded with an interactive ‟Networking Café‟, where participants joined one of three thematic breakout discussions, focusing on innovations on Green Transition, Creative Industries, Culture and Education, and Public Health, respectively. Discussions enabled participants to exchange ideas, identify shared challenges and common interests and explore collaboration opportunities. Stakeholders also raised practical recommendations for strengthening youth participation in Africa–Europe research and innovation ecosystems.
Looking ahead
The sixth AU-EU Innovation Agenda Workshop demonstrated the growing momentum behind the AU-EU Innovation Agenda and the dynamism of the Africa-Europe research and innovation cooperation and young people’s community. Since the launch of the workshop series in November 2023, the series has become an important platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and partnership building among researchers, innovators, policymakers and ecosystem actors across both continents.
The first phase of this workshop series will conclude with its seventh edition in December 2026, focusing on the role of the social sciences, humanities and culture in the AU-EU Innovation Agenda. Further information and registration details will be announced at a later stage on the AU–EU Innovation Agenda Interface.
More information
EU-Africa cooperation on Research & Innovation
AU-EU Innovation Interface
