Where We Work

WHERE WE WORK

Focused on the Sectors Where Private R&D Delivers the Highest Return

Thinkng does not pursue R&D broadly. We operate in five capability areas where Africa's private sector has the clearest productivity gap, the strongest incentive to invest in local research, and the greatest potential to generate commercially valuable intellectual property.

These are the domains where connecting industry to local research talent produces results — for businesses,for researchers, and for the continent. Within each area, we identify specific founding priorities: the problems we are activating around first, where the gap between private capital and research capacity is widest and the business case is clearest. These are not aspirational themes. They are the commitments that shape our cohort design, our enterprise partnerships, and how we deploy the Thinkng platform.

VERTIACL 01

Agricultural Intelligence

Replacing imported science with homegrown knowledge — at commercial scale.

Agricultureemploys more than 60% of Africa's workforce and contributes significantly toGDP across the continent, yet most of the science that underpins farmingdecisions — soil models, crop prediction systems, pest management protocols —is generated outside Africa and applied without local calibration. The resultis a productivity ceiling that no amount of financing alone can break through.

Thinkng builds R&D capacity within the agricultural sector by developing cohorts of researchers who understand local soil conditions, climate variability, food systems, and market structures. We broker applied research projects directly between agribusinesses, food processors, input companies, and researchinstitutions — generating locally derived knowledge that enterprises can own,apply, and build on.

FOUNDING PRIORITY — Agricultural Intelligence R&D

Generating locally-derived knowledge on soil science, climate adaptation, crop yield prediction, and food systems —replacing dependence on imported research with home grown IP that reflectsAfrican growing conditions.

For Enterprise

Commission applied research on your specificcrops, supply chains, or processing challenges. Own the IP. Stop paying toimport generic science.

For Researchers

Apply your knowledge of local farming systems toindustry-grade projects. Build credentials. Get paid.

For Funders & Governments

Fund applied research that directly improvesagricultural productivity and food security — with measurable outcomes andlocally-retained IP.

Become a Partner

VERTIACL 02

Health & Biomedical Innovation

Building the research infrastructure Africa needs to develop and manufacture its own health solutions.

Africa bears a disproportionate share of the global disease burden while producing a fraction of the research output needed to address it. The pandemic exposed a deeper structural problem: the continent's dependence on externally manufactured medicines, diagnostics, and medical technologies creates a vulnerability that cannot be resolved through procurement alone. The gap is in local research and manufacturing capacity.

Thinkng operates at the intersection of health R&D and private sector investment —working with pharmaceutical companies, diagnostics manufacturers, health technology firms, and clinical research organisations to build the local talent pipelines and managed research capacity that make African biomedical innovationvi able at scale.

FOUNDING PRIORITY — Pharma Manufacturing R&D

Building local capacity to research, develop,and scale pharmaceutical production on the continent — reducing dependence onimported medicines and positioning Africa's private sector to capture the valueof its own health R&D.

Also activating around: Clinical Trial Capacity —Strengthening local infrastructure and research talent for high-qualityclinical research in African populations, enabling faster, more representativedrug development and evidence generation.

For Enterprise

Partner with Thinkng to resource pharmaceuticalR&D, clinical research execution, or health technology projects usingvetted local talent — cost-effectively and with full IP ownership.

For Researchers

Build a career in one of Africa's mostunderdeveloped and high-demand research fields. Work on real health challengeswith real industry partners.

For Funders & Governments

Invest in health R&D infrastructure with thegovernance, talent pipeline, and delivery mechanisms to ensure your capitalgenerates measurable outcomes.

Become a Partner

VERTIACL 03

Resource & Environmental Tech

Turning Africa's resource wealth into locally-generated intellectual property.

Africa holds a significant share of the world's critical minerals, energy resources, and biodiversity — yet the science of extracting, processing, and transitioning these resources is almost entirely developed and owned elsewhere. Mining companies, energy producers, and extractive industries operating on the continent rely on research generated in Australia, Canada, Europe, and the United States. This is a structural transfer of value that applied R&D can begin to reverse.

Thinkng builds research cohorts with expertise in extraction science, materials processing, renewable energy systems, and environmental management — and connects this talent to the private companies and governments that need locally-contextualised R&D to improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and generate IP that stays on the continent.

FOUNDING PRIORITY — Resource & Clean Energy R&D

Applied research on mineral extraction andprocessing, energy transition technologies, and environmental management —enabling Africa's resource sector to generate and retain the IP value of itsown natural assets

For Enterprise

Commission locally-contextualised R&D onextraction efficiency, environmental compliance, or energy transition. Own thefindings. Stop exporting the science.

For Researchers

Apply your materials science, environmental, orenergy expertise to commercial projects with real-world stakes. Build aportfolio that opens doors globally.

For Funders & Governments

Fund R&D that connects Africa's resourcewealth to local innovation capacity — with transparent delivery and measurableenvironmental and commercial outcomes.

Become a Partner

VERTIACL 04

Digital & Financial Systems

Closing the gap between discovery and product in Africa's fastest-growing sector.

Africa's digital economy is expanding faster than the research infrastructure that should underpin it. Fintech companies, telecoms, digital health platforms, and e-commerce businesses are scaling rapidly — but most are building on technology stacks, financial models, and regulatory frameworks designed for other markets. The applied research needed to adapt these systems to African conditions, or to develop genuinely new ones, is largely absent.

Thinkng connects digital and financial enterprises to research talent that understands local infrastructure constraints, regulatory environments, and user behaviour — enabling companies to commission R&D that closes the gap between innovation at the frontier and product that works in the last mile.

FOUNDING PRIORITY — Tech-Linked Research

Connecting digital and financial innovationdirectly to applied R&D — enabling Africa's technology sector to move fromborrowed frameworks to locally-tested, commercially-deployed products andsystems.

For Enterprise

Commission research on product-market fit,financial system design, regulatory adaptation, or technology infrastructurefor African contexts. Move faster with evidence behind you.

For Researchers

Apply your technical skills to commercialproblems at the frontier of Africa's digital economy. Earn, build credentials,and work on problems that matter.

For Funders & Governments

Back applied R&D that directly strengthensAfrica's digital and financial infrastructure — with clear linkage betweenresearch output and commercial deployment.

Become a Partner

VERTIACL 05

Industrial & Manufacturing

Building the research base that makes African manufacturing globally competitive.

Manufacturing's share of Africa's GDP has been declining for decades — not primarily because of cost, but because of a persistent deficit in applied research and process innovation. Manufacturers across the continent rely on production methods, quality systems, and supply chain models developed elsewhere and transferred without adaptation. The productivity gap is, in significant part, an R&D gap.

Thinkng works with manufacturers, industrialists, and sector bodies to commission applied research on process improvement, materials innovation, quality systems, and supply chain optimisation — using local research talent that understands the operating context and can generate findings that are immediately deployable.

FOUNDING PRIORITY — IndustrialProcess & Manufacturing R&D

Applied research on production efficiency,materials science, quality systems, and supply chain innovation — building alocal R&D base that closes the gap between African manufacturing andglobally competitive standards.

For Enterprise

Commission applied R&D on your productionprocesses, materials sourcing, or quality challenges. Get findings you can acton immediately.

For Researchers

Apply engineering, materials science, oroperations research skills to real manufacturing problems with commercialstakes. Build industry credibility through applied work.

For Funders & Governments

Invest in the manufacturing R&D base thatunderpins industrial development — funding research that directly strengthensproductivity and competitiveness.

Become a Partner