Social Innovation Lab: Solving SDGs Through Youth Entrepreneurship

The Africa-Europe Innovation Platform (AEIP), through The Youth Cafe, in collaboration with Youth Ideation, Inspiration and Impact (YI3), is hosting the Social Innovation Lab, a two-day co-creation online workshop bringing together young entrepreneurs, innovators, youth-led startups, and SMEs from across Africa and Europe. The Lab will explore how youth-led social innovation can advance SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), with a deliberate focus on young women entrepreneurs and inclusive innovation ecosystems.

Youth entrepreneurship is increasingly recognized as a driving force for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly across Africa, where young people make up the majority of the population. Yet innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems are not gender-neutral, as women continue to face unequal access to financing, digital infrastructure, markets, networks, and leadership opportunities. The Social Innovation Lab responds to this gap with a dedicated, practice-oriented space where young entrepreneurs from Africa and Europe can move beyond dialogue into challenge definition, solution ideation, and refinement.

What to expect

• Keynote and expert sessions from experienced innovators and entrepreneurs working within the SDG sector, sharing insights, case studies, and lessons learned
• Interactive breakout sessions where smaller teams tackle specific social innovation challenges tied to SDG 5 and SDG 9
• A structured co-creation journey: identifying and analyzing challenges, collaborative ideation, solution development, peer and expert feedback, refinement, and final pitches
• Structured networking and peer exchange across African and European youth innovation ecosystems
• Development of youth-designed solution concepts, innovation canvases, and pitches
• Dedicated Q&A and open dialogue

Who should join

• Existing, aspiring, and social young entrepreneurs and innovators from Africa and Europe. 
• Women-led organisations with a focus on entrepreneurship and innovation.
• Youth-led startups, SMEs, and social enterprises focused on gender-responsive or inclusive innovation solutions are especially encouraged to apply.

Format

The workshop runs over two consecutive days from 2.00-4.00 PM CEST/ 3.00-5.00 PM EAT each day, combining expert-led sessions with participatory and hands-on formats. It will be hosted on an accessible virtual platform to accommodate participants across different time zones in Africa and Europe, with sessions recorded where appropriate for wider dissemination.

Expected outcomes

• At least 100 young entrepreneurs and innovators engaged over the two days, with 60% attendance of women
• Development of at least 10 youth-designed solution concepts, innovation canvases, and pitches
• Establishment of an optional cross-regional peer network or community of practice
• Strengthened peer networks and potential collaborations among youth entrepreneurs across Africa and Europe
• Enhanced visibility of youth-led social innovation work aligned with the AU-EU Innovation Agenda

This workshop directly contributes to AEIP’s capacity-building and community engagement workstream, reinforcing youth-led implementation of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda. It moves beyond dialogue into practical skills, partnerships, and solution-building for two of the SDGs most critical to inclusive development in Africa and Europe.