§ 00
Vision
Africa's leading centre for AI, knowledge and innovation research.
The Lab discovers emerging opportunities, develops breakthrough technologies, creates proprietary intellectual property and incubates the next generation of AI-driven ventures.
Eight strategic activities
- 01 Applied AI Research AI that solves real business and societal problems.
- 02 Knowledge & Future Intelligence Research The Lab's signature domain.
- 03 Product Innovation Studio Turns research into commercial products.
- 04 Venture Studio Builds companies rather than products.
- 05 Intellectual Property Office The innovation vault of the Group.
- 06 Emerging Technology Observatory Scans the horizon for what is next.
- 07 Innovation Partnerships Innovation rarely happens in isolation.
- 08 Commercialisation & Technology Transfer Research creates value when it reaches the market.
§ 01
Why we exist
Four verbs, and the order matters.
Within the group the Lab discovers ideas, conducts research, creates intellectual property and identifies future opportunities. Everything the other four companies build, sell, teach or fund starts here.
- 01 Discover Emerging opportunities, found before they are obvious and while acting on them is still cheap.
- 02 Develop Breakthrough technologies, taken from a research question to something that runs.
- 03 Create Proprietary intellectual property: the frameworks, models and methods the Group owns.
- 04 Incubate The next generation of AI-driven ventures, built here and spun out.
§ 02
Research domains
Two domains. Everything else moves their results.
The first is applied and answers to industry. The second is the one the Lab intends to be known for.
01
Applied AI Research
Research into practical AI applications that solve real business and societal problems.
Focus areas
Generative AIAgentic AIIndustrial AIKnowledge AIHuman-AI collaborationDecision intelligenceResponsible AIAI for Africa
What it produces
Research papers, algorithms, AI frameworks, prototypes and white papers.
02
Knowledge & Future Intelligence Research
The Lab's signature research domain, and where its thought leadership on knowledge infrastructure and AI evolves into original intellectual property.
The signature domain
Research themes
Knowledge infrastructureOrganizational intelligenceCollective intelligenceEnterprise memoryKnowledge graphsAI readinessKnowledge economicsIntelligent enterprisesFuture of workFuture of learning
What it produces
Proprietary frameworks, industry maturity models, books, executive reports and benchmark studies.
§ 03
What we run
Six functions between a finding and a business.
Research on its own is a paper. These are the six things that turn one into a product, a patent, a partnership or a company.
- 03 Product Innovation Studio Turns research into commercial products, from ideation through to market testing. Product ideationUser researchMVP developmentPrototype testingProduct validationMarket testing
- 04 Venture Studio Different from product development. Instead of building products, it builds companies. Identify market opportunitiesBuild startup teamsValidate business modelsIncubate venturesRaise investmentSpin out companies
- 05 Intellectual Property Office The innovation vault of the Group: what it owns, what it protects and what it licenses. Patent identificationPatent drafting supportTrademark registrationCopyright protectionAI model documentationSoftware licensingIP valuationTechnology licensingRoyalty management
- 06 Emerging Technology Observatory A dedicated team scanning the horizon for what is next, and reporting on it every quarter. Artificial General IntelligenceRoboticsQuantum AISpatial ComputingBrain-Computer InterfacesSynthetic BiologyAdvanced MaterialsDigital TwinsClimate TechnologiesFuture Energy Systems
- 07 Innovation Partnerships & Ecosystem Development Innovation rarely happens in isolation, so the Lab works with the people already doing it. UniversitiesResearch institutesTechnology companiesGovernmentsDevelopment agenciesStartup ecosystemsVenture capital firmsCorporate innovation teams
- 08 Commercialisation & Technology Transfer Research only creates value when it reaches the market. This is how it gets there. Product commercialisationLicensingSpin-off companiesStrategic partnershipsMarket validationGo-to-market strategyInvestor readinessVenture funding support
§ 04
Flagship programmes
Eight recurring initiatives, so the work is visible.
Thought leadership is a claim until something arrives on a schedule. These are the initiatives that put a date on it.
- 01Africa AI & Knowledge Report (annual)
- 02Future of Intelligent Enterprises Report
- 03Nigeria AI Readiness Index
- 04Knowledge Economy Index
- 05AI for Africa Challenge
- 06Bapex Innovation Fellowship
- 07Bapex Venture Accelerator
- 08CEO Roundtable on AI & Knowledge
§ 05
Signature outputs
What the Lab aims to produce every year.
A research lab is judged on what leaves it. These are the numbers the Lab holds itself to.
| Quantity | Output |
|---|---|
| 20+ | Research papers |
| 10 | Industry reports |
| 5 | Proprietary frameworks |
| 5 | Patent applications |
| 3 | Commercial AI products |
| 2 | Startup ventures |
| 1 | AI & Knowledge Index for Africa |
Alongside executive briefings and policy papers throughout the year.
§ 06
Contact
Bapex Research & Innovation Lab.
Joint research, a licence, a venture to build or a report to read. Tell us which one brought you and we will come back with the right conversation.
- Office
- Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
- Group
- A BAPEX Innovation Group company