Innovation Hub - Enabel - Belgian Agency for International Cooperation

The Innovation Hub is Enabel’s key open innovation mechanism to scout and support scalable social innovations.

What started in 2018 as the Wehubit programme, funded by the Belgian Cooperation, has since evolved into a multi-sectoral scaling facility for innovative and impactful not-for-profit initiatives and organisations. The Innovation Hub is a multidisciplinary team of experts driving innovation across a range of programmes, financed by Belgium and the EU. These efforts are focused on the African continent, with particular emphasis on Enabel’s partner countries.

Our approach

The Innovation Hub supports its partners in scaling their innovations through a unique threefold approach:

Financial support: a financial contribution to the learning and scaling pathway of its partners, linked to a solid financial monitoring
Support & Learning: needs-based support and capacity building to understand and accelerate the pathways to scale
Knowledge Exchange Network: a unique network of peers, both alumni and current project partners, allowing to share experiences and knowledge gained.

Calls for Proposals & Sub-Programmes

Wehubit

Wehubit is funded by Belgium and supports the scaling of digital social innovations. The programme enhances the adoption and accessibility of digital solutions as a means to accelerate inclusive and sustainable development, reduce inequalities, and empower people in Enabel’s partner countries.

Through the Innovation Hub, the programme supports 2 innovations that are ready to scale up and are aligned with the objectives of Enabel’s country portfolios.

Digital and Green Innovation Action

The Digital and Green Innovation Action (DGI) is funded by the European Union and seeks to advance the twin transition to a green and digital economy, with a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship and innovation. The action promotes digital solutions that address environmental challenges, such as climate change and biodiversity loss, while supporting circular and resilient local economies.

Through the Innovation Hub, the Action supports 5 digital and green innovations that are either ready or transitioning to scale. Its objective is to increase the adoption and accessibility of digital solutions as tools to address environmental challenges, including climate change, while fostering inclusive and sustainable development across African countries.

Data Governance in Africa Initiative

The Data Governance in Africa Initiative (DGA) is funded by the European Union and supports the strengthening of national and regional digital and data ecosystems to develop and implement data-driven solutions for societal challenges, such as bridging gender, rural/urban, connectivity, and other disparities.

Through the Innovation Hub, the initiative has selected 6 projects under European funding to support the scaling of data-driven Digital Social Innovations (DSIs) in Africa. By combining financial support (grants) with capacity building, the programme enables targeted entities to scale existing, early-stage data-driven DSIs.

Regional Teachers’ Initiative for Africa

The Regional Teachers’ Initiative for Africa (RTIA) is funded by the European Union supports African countries in improving the quality of teacher education and training, while contributing to increasing the availability of qualified teachers.

Through Enabel’s Innovation Hub, the initiative supports 8 projects focused on scaling up innovative solutions to enhance the quality, relevance, and effectiveness of both initial and continuous teacher professional development.

DeSIRA+ Central Africa

The DeSIRA+ Central Africa project, funded by the European Union under the “Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture” programme, supports the transition towards sustainable food systems in Central and Eastern Africa (Burundi, DRC, Rwanda) through agroecological innovation and nature-based solutions.

It supports 11 projects focused on agroecological innovations: 9 in the testing and adaptation phase, and 2 in the scaling-up phase. The project also strengthens the capacities of local stakeholders (farmers, NGOs, private sector, etc.) to adopt inclusive agroecological practices that are resilient to climate change.

Hands on resources

Pathways to sustainable scale research

How can social innovations achieve financial sustainability and long-term impact ?
Drawing on the experience of innovation support programmes and their partners, this study explores pathways towards more resilient and diversified business models.
It highlights common challenges, practical approaches and key lessons to help innovators strengthen their financial viability while staying true to their social mission.

Read the full study

E-learning Innovation Hub : A Practitioner’s Guide to Scaling Social Innovations

What does it take for a social innovation to reach scale and create lasting change ?
This six-module e-learning brings together lessons from more than 50 innovation projects supported by Enabel and its partners across Africa.
Through practical insights, tools, literature and real-life experiences from innovators, participants will build their understanding of scaling pathways, scaling strategies and the conditions that enable sustainable impact.

Follow our e-learning

Digital Inclusion Guide

Digital innovation can only create meaningful impact if it is inclusive by design. This practical guide helps innovators, project teams and organisations identify and address barriers related to accessibility, affordability, digital literacy, gender and other dimensions of inclusion.
Packed with actionable recommendations, good practices and real-life examples, it supports the design, implementation and scaling of more inclusive digital solutions.

Download the guide

Test the tool

Policy Dialogue study

How can digital social innovations influence policies and contribute to systemic change ?
This study explores how innovators can engage in policy dialogue, generate evidence and strengthen their ability to inform decision-making processes.
Based on practical experiences and African policy contexts, it provides actionable insights and recommendations for organisations seeking to translate innovation results into broader policy impact.