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Kickstarting businesses and development in !!!emerging!!! markets

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The lot programme

Find out how sustainable and profitable business models are created in lab of tomorrow programme and where you can get involved.

Development challenge
A local development challenge with business potential is the starting point of any lab of tomorrow programme.
Understand local needs
Unmet needs of the local population and business opportunities are discovered.
Ideate solutions
Products and services that tackle unmet needs are co-created by interdisciplinary teams.
Incubate business
Market-ready products and services are developed through the newly established joint ventures.
Sustainable business
Impact-driven ventures owned and driven by the private sector.

News and stories

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News and stories

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Invest

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Join a process

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How it works

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How it works

Ventures

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The lab of tomorrow

An unique tool for customized business solutions.

The mission of the lab of tomorrow (lot) process is to turn business opportunities in developing countries into profitable businesses. We are convinced that only viable businesses will have a long-term impact on sustainable development.

More Info

  1. The lot drives business
    We bring access to new markets, local expertise and business opportunities in developing countries
  2. The lot builds relevant networks
    We match businesses, non-profits and political decision makers from the EU and developing countries to co-create and co-own products
  3. The lot creates social impact
    The new products and services contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Our track record

The lab of tomorrow has been the programme of choice by GIZ projects, the Austrian and the Swiss Development Agencies as well as companies to solve specific development challenges all over the world.

29
Running & completed programmes
461
Companies participated
70
Promising Concepts
24
Ventures preparing market entry
15
Businesses active in the market
Siemens
Fopo–Bayer
TÜV Rheinland
Tui
Merck
Boehringer Ingelheim
Bayer
SAP
Roche
Africa Works
DHL
ibes

Your opportunities

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Develop 
your business 
in emerging markets

Solve your development
challenge


Initiate a lab of
tomorrow process to:

  • Generate innovative and viable business solutions addressing a challenge.
  • Join forces with actors from the EU and local emerging markets, from the private sector but also politics and science.
  • Profit from their expertise, access to markets & technologies as well as available resources.

Develop 
your business 
in emerging markets

Solve your development
challenge


Initiate a lab of
tomorrow process to:

  • Generate innovative and viable business solutions addressing a challenge.
  • Join forces with actors from the EU and local emerging markets, from the private sector but also politics and science.

Invest in solutions and support innovations

Solve your development
challenge


Initiate a lab of
tomorrow process to:

  • Generate innovative and viable business solutions addressing a challenge.

How it works

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How it works

Any questions?

Become a partner or mentor

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Ready to create impact?

Toolkit

Conducting your own lab of tomorrow process and needing the right tools?

The toolkit supports you in conducting your own lab of tomorrow process by giving you all the materials you need.

Currently running challenges

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Co-creation | German-kenyan-partnerships
LOT
28

Building Joint Business Opportunities To Spur Economic Growth in Kenya

This challenge is in phase: Incubate business

Background

Africa’s rapid economic growth, driven by its young population, urbanization, natural resources, and growing consumer base, highlights the continent’s potential for sustainable investment. While challenges like policy gaps and limited tech infrastructure remained, they opened space for meaningful collaboration. German firms, recognized for their engineering and technological expertise, are well-positioned to co-create solutions with African partners in areas such as manufacturing, digitalization, skills development, and logistics.

The Made in Germany–Africa Expo (MiGA) is a prominent trade fair and conference series aimed at strengthening economic ties between Germany and African markets. It provides a platform for German companies to showcase their innovations and connect with African governments, businesses, and consumers.

As part of MiGA June 26th 2025, the lab of tomorrow, with the support of Seedstars, convened a full-day co-creation workshop designed to foster joint ventures and long-term partnerships between German companies and African enterprises. The session combined innovation thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving to align shared interests and unlock scalable opportunities. The objectives were clear: build partnerships that leverage complementary strengths, identify sector challenges, and co-design actionable solutions that could drive sustainable growth.

The workshop brought together participants into four thematic groups Agribusiness, Technology, Manufacturing, and Textile/Apparel each paired with a German partner company. Through a structured co-creation sprint, participants examined pressing industry challenges, scoped the size and scale of these problems, and worked toward framing business opportunities that could evolve into joint ventures. The session culminated in actionable next steps, identifying required partners, positioning solutions, and setting a pathway toward sector-wide business opportunities in partnership with German companies.

 

Partners

01

Understand

Workshop Objectives

  • Facilitate collaboration between German companies and African enterprises with shared business interests.
  • Identify common sector challenges and explore how co-created joint ventures can address them sustainably.
  • Develop actionable strategies and early-stage partnership blueprints to guide post-event engagements

Business Opportunities

02

Ideate Solutions

For our one-day innovation sprint, 91 local and German companies applied. From these, we handpicked 33 to join an intensive, guided co-creation session aimed at developing strong business ideas with the potential to create real market impact.

Sprint Outcome

At the close of the co-creation sprint, each group emerged with a shared understanding of the scale of challenges, a defined problem statement, and an outline of business opportunities. They also identified key partners required, positioned joint solutions, and mapped out next steps to transform these concepts into viable partnerships. The outcomes provided a strong foundation for cross-continental ventures that align German expertise with African market needs, paving the way for innovative, scalable, and sustainable business solutions.

 

The 4 solutions out of the cocreation have potential for growth and scale and will be further supported in the subsequent Incubation Phase.

 


 

33
Participants
33
Companies
4
Ideas developed
4
Proven Business Models

03

Incubate business

The participating teams enter the incubation phase to refine, test and ultimately pilot their business model in the target market. Typically, the incubation phase takes up to 6 months and encompasses coaching for the teams by Business Design experts and might also include additional in-kind support.

The incubation of lot28 will be conducted from September 2025.

Decentralized Agro-Processing Hubs

The decentralized agro-processing hubs are strategically located near banana and potato farming zones to minimize transport costs and post-harvest losses. Each hub operates through cooperative, private, or public-private partnership models to ensure long-term sustainability.

SRI-LINK

SRI-LINK provides Capacity Building And Strengthening On International Standards And Regulations On Design, Production And Sustainability.

THiBITI QR

THiBITI QR solves pirating, counterfeiting and illegal distribution problems by providing a digital QR code to help manufacturers and producers enhance trust through traceability and leverage market insights for branding and marketing.

Export Readiness Africa

Export Readiness Africa is a capacity-building and market linkage initiative that equips smallholder farmers, agro-processors, and cooperatives with tools and knowledge to meet export standards.

Co-creation | German-kenyan-partnerships
LOT
28

Building Joint Business Opportunities To Spur Economic Growth in Kenya

This challenge is in phase: Incubate business

Background

Africa’s rapid economic growth, driven by its young population, urbanization, natural resources, and growing consumer base, highlights the continent’s potential for sustainable investment. While challenges like policy gaps and limited tech infrastructure remained, they opened space for meaningful collaboration. German firms, recognized for their engineering and technological expertise, are well-positioned to co-create solutions with African partners in areas such as manufacturing, digitalization, skills development, and logistics.

The Made in Germany–Africa Expo (MiGA) is a prominent trade fair and conference series aimed at strengthening economic ties between Germany and African markets. It provides a platform for German companies to showcase their innovations and connect with African governments, businesses, and consumers.

As part of MiGA June 26th 2025, the lab of tomorrow, with the support of Seedstars, convened a full-day co-creation workshop designed to foster joint ventures and long-term partnerships between German companies and African enterprises. The session combined innovation thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving to align shared interests and unlock scalable opportunities. The objectives were clear: build partnerships that leverage complementary strengths, identify sector challenges, and co-design actionable solutions that could drive sustainable growth.

The workshop brought together participants into four thematic groups Agribusiness, Technology, Manufacturing, and Textile/Apparel each paired with a German partner company. Through a structured co-creation sprint, participants examined pressing industry challenges, scoped the size and scale of these problems, and worked toward framing business opportunities that could evolve into joint ventures. The session culminated in actionable next steps, identifying required partners, positioning solutions, and setting a pathway toward sector-wide business opportunities in partnership with German companies.

 

Partners

01

Understand

Workshop Objectives

  • Facilitate collaboration between German companies and African enterprises with shared business interests.
  • Identify common sector challenges and explore how co-created joint ventures can address them sustainably.
  • Develop actionable strategies and early-stage partnership blueprints to guide post-event engagements

Business Opportunities

02

Ideate Solutions

For our one-day innovation sprint, 91 local and German companies applied. From these, we handpicked 33 to join an intensive, guided co-creation session aimed at developing strong business ideas with the potential to create real market impact.

Sprint Outcome

At the close of the co-creation sprint, each group emerged with a shared understanding of the scale of challenges, a defined problem statement, and an outline of business opportunities. They also identified key partners required, positioned joint solutions, and mapped out next steps to transform these concepts into viable partnerships. The outcomes provided a strong foundation for cross-continental ventures that align German expertise with African market needs, paving the way for innovative, scalable, and sustainable business solutions.

 

The 4 solutions out of the cocreation have potential for growth and scale and will be further supported in the subsequent Incubation Phase.

 


 

33
Participants
33
Companies
4
Ideas developed
4
Proven Business Models

03

Incubate business

The participating teams enter the incubation phase to refine, test and ultimately pilot their business model in the target market. Typically, the incubation phase takes up to 6 months and encompasses coaching for the teams by Business Design experts and might also include additional in-kind support.

The incubation of lot28 will be conducted from September 2025.

Decentralized Agro-Processing Hubs

The decentralized agro-processing hubs are strategically located near banana and potato farming zones to minimize transport costs and post-harvest losses. Each hub operates through cooperative, private, or public-private partnership models to ensure long-term sustainability.

SRI-LINK

SRI-LINK provides Capacity Building And Strengthening On International Standards And Regulations On Design, Production And Sustainability.

THiBITI QR

THiBITI QR solves pirating, counterfeiting and illegal distribution problems by providing a digital QR code to help manufacturers and producers enhance trust through traceability and leverage market insights for branding and marketing.

Export Readiness Africa

Export Readiness Africa is a capacity-building and market linkage initiative that equips smallholder farmers, agro-processors, and cooperatives with tools and knowledge to meet export standards.

Co-creation | German-kenyan-partnerships
LOT
28

Building Joint Business Opportunities To Spur Economic Growth in Kenya

This challenge is in phase: Incubate business

Background

Africa’s rapid economic growth, driven by its young population, urbanization, natural resources, and growing consumer base, highlights the continent’s potential for sustainable investment. While challenges like policy gaps and limited tech infrastructure remained, they opened space for meaningful collaboration. German firms, recognized for their engineering and technological expertise, are well-positioned to co-create solutions with African partners in areas such as manufacturing, digitalization, skills development, and logistics.

The Made in Germany–Africa Expo (MiGA) is a prominent trade fair and conference series aimed at strengthening economic ties between Germany and African markets. It provides a platform for German companies to showcase their innovations and connect with African governments, businesses, and consumers.

As part of MiGA June 26th 2025, the lab of tomorrow, with the support of Seedstars, convened a full-day co-creation workshop designed to foster joint ventures and long-term partnerships between German companies and African enterprises. The session combined innovation thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving to align shared interests and unlock scalable opportunities. The objectives were clear: build partnerships that leverage complementary strengths, identify sector challenges, and co-design actionable solutions that could drive sustainable growth.

The workshop brought together participants into four thematic groups Agribusiness, Technology, Manufacturing, and Textile/Apparel each paired with a German partner company. Through a structured co-creation sprint, participants examined pressing industry challenges, scoped the size and scale of these problems, and worked toward framing business opportunities that could evolve into joint ventures. The session culminated in actionable next steps, identifying required partners, positioning solutions, and setting a pathway toward sector-wide business opportunities in partnership with German companies.

 

Partners

01

Understand

Workshop Objectives

  • Facilitate collaboration between German companies and African enterprises with shared business interests.
  • Identify common sector challenges and explore how co-created joint ventures can address them sustainably.
  • Develop actionable strategies and early-stage partnership blueprints to guide post-event engagements

Business Opportunities

02

Ideate Solutions

For our one-day innovation sprint, 91 local and German companies applied. From these, we handpicked 33 to join an intensive, guided co-creation session aimed at developing strong business ideas with the potential to create real market impact.

Sprint Outcome

At the close of the co-creation sprint, each group emerged with a shared understanding of the scale of challenges, a defined problem statement, and an outline of business opportunities. They also identified key partners required, positioned joint solutions, and mapped out next steps to transform these concepts into viable partnerships. The outcomes provided a strong foundation for cross-continental ventures that align German expertise with African market needs, paving the way for innovative, scalable, and sustainable business solutions.

 

The 4 solutions out of the cocreation have potential for growth and scale and will be further supported in the subsequent Incubation Phase.

 


 

33
Participants
33
Companies
4
Ideas developed
4
Proven Business Models

03

Incubate business

The participating teams enter the incubation phase to refine, test and ultimately pilot their business model in the target market. Typically, the incubation phase takes up to 6 months and encompasses coaching for the teams by Business Design experts and might also include additional in-kind support.

The incubation of lot28 will be conducted from September 2025.

Decentralized Agro-Processing Hubs

The decentralized agro-processing hubs are strategically located near banana and potato farming zones to minimize transport costs and post-harvest losses. Each hub operates through cooperative, private, or public-private partnership models to ensure long-term sustainability.

SRI-LINK

SRI-LINK provides Capacity Building And Strengthening On International Standards And Regulations On Design, Production And Sustainability.

THiBITI QR

THiBITI QR solves pirating, counterfeiting and illegal distribution problems by providing a digital QR code to help manufacturers and producers enhance trust through traceability and leverage market insights for branding and marketing.

Export Readiness Africa

Export Readiness Africa is a capacity-building and market linkage initiative that equips smallholder farmers, agro-processors, and cooperatives with tools and knowledge to meet export standards.

Challenge in spotlight

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliquat.

LOT
28
co-creation | german-kenyan-partnerships

Building Joint Business Opportunities To Spur Economic Growth in Kenya