By Emeka Aginam

At the recent launch of Zone Tech Park, a new venture builder for start-ups in Nigeria, the Chief Executive Officer of technology hub, Toro Orero, has disclosed that $6.5 million has been invested in the Park to build the infrastructure and environment needed to help African startups scale and compete globally.

The hub, according to the promoters, is already turning great ideas into products and services quickly, efficiently and profitably.

Located in Lagos, Zone Tech Park is the brainchild of Bolaji Olagunju, a serial entrepreneur and Founder and CEO of The Workforce Group, Nigeria’s leading HR Company.

Prior to its official launch, Zone Tech ran a small pilot program and has built two products so far including  Peerless, a learning management system that already has 10,000+ users and revenues of 100,000 USD and   Outwork, a staff on-demand solution with 7,000+ users.

According Orero , who has  vast experience with startups both as a managing partner at Silicon Valley VC Fund DDF and the founder of The African Startup Institute and SpeedUPAfrica, Zone Tech’s startups would have direct access to more than 400 domestic and international corporations who are clients of WorkForce.

“We are not another co-working space, we build companies. With the wealth of corporate clientele at our disposal, we have hit the ground running and are already building world-class products, and hosting great startups.”, he added.

For Bolaji Olagunju, the brainchild of  the tech hub, and  a serial entrepreneur,  “African startups are faced with significant challenges that hinder their growth.  Zone Tech will change the status quote and help individuals and their businesses to realise their full potential through education, venture building and strategic enterprise support.”