The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in South Africa, in partnership with the Western Cape Government, the City of Atlanta, and other key collaborators, has hosted the timbuktoo Creatives Hub Showcase at the Homecoming Centre in District Six, Cape Town.
The event brought together visionaries, policymakers, investors, and creative entrepreneurs to spotlight Africa’s creative economy as a transformative driver of jobs, innovation, and global competitiveness.
Timbuktoo: A Pan-African Innovation Platform
The timbuktoo initiative is UNDP’s pan-African innovation platform, with an ambitious goal to mobilise USD $1 billion in catalytic and commercial capital over the next decade. The aim is to empower 10 000 youth-led startups, scale 1 000 high-impact enterprises, and improve 100 million livelihoods — fostering sustainable growth across FinTech, HealthTech, ClimateTech, and now, the creative sector.
Across Africa, the creative industry generates approximately USD $4.2 billion annually in GDP, covering film, music, fashion, literature, and digital arts. Yet, less than 1% of global investment in the creative economy is directed to Africa, signalling vast untapped potential.
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A Platform for Creative Innovation
The timbuktoo Creatives Hub Showcase featured live performances, interactive exhibitions, and presentations from emerging creative enterprises spanning design, music, multimedia, cultural heritage, and digital innovation.
Based in Cape Town’s innovation district, the Hub offers mentorship, market access, and investment pathways to help African talent thrive globally. In just eight months, it has supported two cohorts of entrepreneurs, engaging 46 creative innovators from 20 African countries.
- First cohort: 16 enterprises focused on growth and investment readiness — 10 women-led and 11 youth-led — chosen from over 280 applications.
- Second cohort: 30 early-stage creatives from 9 countries joined an ideation programme encouraging cross-border collaboration and women’s leadership.
Global Partnerships and Diaspora Investment
The showcase marked a milestone with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announcing UNDP’s pursuit of a timbuktoo–City of Atlanta partnership. This transcontinental initiative aims to mobilise diaspora investment and open global market pathways for African creative industries via a new CreativeTech Fund.
The Hub collaborates with UVU Africa, the Craft and Design Institute, Snake Nation, and the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism to create an inclusive and commercially viable creative ecosystem. This approach bridges venture capital firms, policymakers, creative collectives, and global technology partners to drive growth in Africa’s creative economy.
