Animation to AI: Ethiopia’s Habesha Creative Lab Launches with Diverse First Cohort of Fourteen Ventures

Fourteen Ethiopian creative ventures have been selected for the first cohort of the Habesha Creative Lab, a newly launched incubation and acceleration program designed to support the country’s growing digital creative industries. Chosen from a competitive pool of over 100 applicants, the selected ventures span sectors such as animation, video games, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI).

Launched under the Ethio-French Touch initiative, the program is a collaborative effort between the French Embassy in Ethiopia and local partners, including Alliance Ethio-Française, iceaddis, Diversion, 3DNetInfo, and Rubika.  The program offers two tracks lasting 3-12 months, tailored to different stages of development.

The Incubation Track, designed for early-stage projects, includes 20 weeks of foundational training in soft and hard skills, three weeks of intensive technical workshops, continuous mentorship, connections with international experts, and grants ranging from €3,000 to €5,000. Incubation applicants must commit 10-20 hours per week during the first 16 weeks.

The Acceleration Track, designed for more advanced ventures, emphasizes business growth and investment readiness, offering participants three weeks of intensive technical training, nine months of ongoing mentorship, access to global training opportunities, and grant funding ranging from €5,000 to €10,000.

Six of the ventures entering the incubation track are: One More Round and Hiyaw Initiative (animation), Lomi (video game), Digital Hands and NARO (augmented reality), VR-SPPT (virtual reality). The eight joining the acceleration track are Behagerlij Kids, Lijinet, and Keffa the Curious Goat (animation), Dade Kits and Enechawet Ethiopia (video games), Tsehafe-Gojjo and Pro Kelem (virtual reality), and Lucy AI (artificial intelligence). Nearly all the ventures are less five years into their operations, signaling significant room for growth. 

The Habesha Creative Lab will be formally inaugurated in late May at the Alliance Ethio-Française, establishing a dedicated space for creative incubation, technical training, and innovation in Ethiopia’s digital arts sector.