Open Startup has unveiled The Science Road, a new strategic direction aimed at accelerating science, deep technology and research-led innovation across Africa by helping promising ventures transition from research into globally competitive businesses.
The announcement marks the organization’s 10th anniversary since its founding in Tunisia in 2016 and signals a shift toward supporting startups developing solutions in healthcare, climate technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and related sectors.
According to Open Startup, The Science Road consolidates its existing programs into a unified acceleration platform designed to connect African scientists, entrepreneurs, investors and industry partners. The initiative also introduces Openers First, a new investment arm that will provide early-stage funding to selected startups emerging from the platform.
Over the past decade, Open Startup says it has supported more than 3,000 founders and over 1,000 startups across more than 20 African countries, while building a network of over 500 mentors, advisors and experts and training more than 300 startup coaches.
“For ten years, Open Startup has worked to help entrepreneurs build ventures and access opportunities,” said Houda Ghozzi, Founder and CEO of Open Startup. “As we enter our second decade, we do so with greater maturity, a broader continental footprint, and a renewed ambition. We believe the Science Road can become a runway connecting Africa’s innovators to the world—unlocking new opportunities for collaboration, investment, and scientific advancement, while helping build a new narrative between Africa and the world: one defined by contribution, innovation, and shared prosperity.”
The organization says the new strategy addresses a long-standing gap in Africa’s innovation ecosystem, where science and deep tech startups often require specialized technical support, stronger links with universities and industry, longer development cycles and patient early-stage capital before reaching commercialization.
The Science Road will operate through two core pathways. One will support pre-seed innovators working to transform research and scientific breakthroughs into investable startups, while the other will focus on helping seed-stage companies scale technologies capable of addressing major market and societal challenges.
Open Startup says Openers First will complement its investment-readiness programs by providing an early financing layer that helps startups bridge the gap between pre-seed and seed-stage growth while contributing to the long-term sustainability of the organization.
As part of the initiative, Open Startup plans to strengthen collaboration across African innovation ecosystems, including partnerships with CERI, Stellenbosch University and LaunchLab, to help research-driven entrepreneurs commercialize scientific discoveries and expand access to investment and markets.
The organization’s expansion over the last decade has been supported by partners including KfW AfricaGrow, AfricInvest, the United States Department of State, the European Union, Digital Africa, Bpifrance, the Drosos Foundation, the Steve Madden Foundation, Sanofi Ventures, Columbia University, Columbia Business School, MIT Sloan and MIT Africa.
Open Startup says The Science Road will play a key role in supporting the next generation of African science-based ventures as they move from research and discovery to sustainable businesses capable of creating long-term economic and societal impact.
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