{"id":13732,"date":"2026-07-21T13:20:41","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T11:20:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/sidonie-latere-founder-of-the-first-fashion-incubator-in-kinshasa-congo\/"},"modified":"2026-07-22T17:45:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T15:45:00","slug":"sidonie-latere-founder-of-the-first-fashion-incubator-in-kinshasa-congo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/sidonie-latere-founder-of-the-first-fashion-incubator-in-kinshasa-congo\/","title":{"rendered":"Sidonie Latere, founder of the first fashion incubator in Congo-Kinshasa"},"content":{"rendered":"<hr>\n<p><iframe id=\"ausha-IU2y\" style=\"border: none; width: 100%; height: 220px;\" src=\"https:\/\/player.ausha.co\/?color=%23000000&#038;dark=false&#038;multishow=false&#038;playerId=ausha-IU2y&#038;playlist=false&#038;podcastId=dzlAatKGWmrx&#038;showId=qxYJmIJ4O3gr&#038;t=0&#038;v=3\" name=\"Ausha Podcast Player\" height=\"220\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><script src=\"https:\/\/player.ausha.co\/ausha-player.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2 data-pm-slice=\"0 0 []\">Building the Fashion and Creative Innovation Ecosystem in the DRC<\/h2>\n<h3>From Her Artistic Journey to Her Breakthrough in Kinshasa<\/h3>\n<p>There was no indication that Sidonie Latere would become one of the leading figures in business incubation in Central Africa. An artist at heart, trained in visual arts and advertising at the \u00c9cole Sup\u00e9rieure des Arts Saint-Luc in Li\u00e8ge (Belgium), she spent nearly twenty years working in the fields of design, production, and advertising in Europe. <\/p>\n<p>It was during her regular visits to Kinshasa that she began to realize something. Faced with the buzz and boundless creativity of Kinshasa\u2019s streets, Sidonie realized the disconnect between the abundance of raw talent and the near-total lack of infrastructure to monetize it. <\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cTalent is everywhere. But the real problem for entrepreneurs in Africa is that we\u2019re forced to do everything on our own, without a value chain to fall back on. We needed to move from pure creation to building viable businesses. \u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>To address this need, she made a strategic shift: she moved away from the role of artist to take on that of mentor, coach, and business leader.<\/p>\n<h2>Kobo Hub, the DRC&#8217;s first incubator<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13727\" src=\"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3-5.jpg\" alt=\"KOBO HUB INCUBATOR  \" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3-5.jpg 819w, https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3-5-480x600.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 819px, 100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<p>By creating <strong>Kobo Hub<\/strong>, Sidonie Latere is laying the groundwork for Kinshasa\u2019s very first incubator and accelerator. The goal is clear: to train entrepreneurs, help them develop their business models, and enable them to generate recurring revenue. <\/p>\n<p>Initially supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and later by various international donors and diaspora funds, Kobo Hub operates coworking spaces and support programs tailored to the realities of the local market.<\/p>\n<h3>The Breakdown of the Sectoral Model<\/h3>\n<p>After a few years in operation, Sidonie implemented a major overhaul of Kobo Hub\u2019s methodology. Noting that general-purpose incubators (which mix tech, agriculture, energy, and crafts with the same coaches) have high failure rates\u2014with nearly 60 to 70 percent of companies disappearing after two years\u2014she opted for <strong>sector-specific specialization<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<blockquote><p>&#8220;Being a generalist involves a lot of theory but yields few results in the market. By focusing on specific sectors, we bring in industry experts who can help entrepreneurs grow their revenue from $1 to $10 per month.&#8221;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>Iconic Success Stories<\/h3>\n<p>This targeted approach quickly bore fruit with the emergence of international successes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Schoolap:<\/strong> This EdTech startup, supported by Kobo Hub, has raised funds, established its headquarters in Dubai, and expanded into C\u00f4te d&#8217;Ivoire, Benin, Togo, and Kenya, generating more than $2 million in revenue.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Kilubukila:<\/strong> A Kinshasa-based company specializing in textile design, it has successfully modernized and softened the traditional <em>Kuba<\/em> fabric to create Kasai velvet. A supplier to major fashion houses, the brand has notably collaborated on a collection with Monoprix in France and now exports its designs to the United States and Europe. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>IRMA, Kinshasa&#8217;s &#8220;Silicon Valley&#8221; of fashion<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13723\" src=\"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2-6.jpg\" alt=\"IRMA REGIONAL FASHION INSTITUTE OF CONGO, KINSHASA\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2-6.jpg 819w, https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2-6-480x600.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 819px, 100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Drawing on this experience, Sidonie Latere identified the cultural and creative industries (CCI)\u2014and fashion in particular\u2014as the sector with the most untapped potential in Central Africa. This led to the creation of<strong>the Regional Institute of Fashion (IRMA)<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p>Designed as a comprehensive physical space inspired by the model of technology clusters, IRMA brings together under one roof everything a creator needs to grow their business:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A <strong>textile Fab Lab<\/strong> and industrial garment manufacturing workshops.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>first library<\/strong> in Africa <strong>specializing in the creative industries<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Coworking spaces, a photo\/video studio, and a podcast studio.<\/li>\n<li>A <strong>music recording and rehearsal studio<\/strong> (in partnership with Planet Jupiter), creating a natural bridge between fashion, SAPE, and Congolese rumba.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The project has taken on a major international dimension following a strategic partnership with the French Embassy. Officially announced by President Emmanuel Macron at the Africa-France-DRC Summit, the program has received an investment of more than $3 million to make Kinshasa the leading fashion hub in Central Africa. <\/p>\n<h2>Scientific Research and the \u201cSAPE of Tomorrow\u201d<\/h2>\n<p>Far from being limited to organizing fashion shows, the Regional Institute of Fashion incorporates a profound academic and intellectual dimension.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Research &#038; Development<\/h3>\n<p>IRMA is currently funding the work of six doctoral students affiliated with Parisian universities. Their research focuses on the modernization of traditional textiles (such as Kuba fabric) and on the theoretical formalization of African fashion. <\/p>\n<h3>2. The Museum and the SAPE Permanent Exhibition<\/h3>\n<p>Inaugurated on September 25, a permanent exhibition dedicated to the Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 des Ambianceurs et des Personnes \u00c9l\u00e9gantes (SAPE) showcases this intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO. The goal is to move beyond the clich\u00e9 of extravagant outfits to teach the \u201cSAPE of tomorrow\u201d: a philosophy in which SAPEurs champion local creations and handmade textiles from the continent. <\/p>\n<h3>3. The Kinshasa Scientific Symposium<\/h3>\n<p>Held on September 24 and 25 in Kinshasa, this symposium brings together researchers, professors, and stakeholders in the cultural and creative industries from across Africa. The goal is to develop a set of guidelines and strategic recommendations for governments and investors. <\/p>\n<h2>Building an \u201carmy of technicians\u201d for industrial sovereignty<\/h2>\n<p>For Sidonie Latere, the top priority for African fashion lies not in design, but in <strong>technique and the supply chain<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cMany brands want to succeed with great concepts, but the execution often falls short due to a lack of qualified technicians. We\u2019re training a veritable army of technicians in patternmaking\u2014including digital patternmaking to minimize fabric waste\u2014precision sewing, and upcycling. \u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>By encouraging designers to outsource production to specialized workshops rather than doing everything themselves, IRMA is building a true industrial value chain.<\/p>\n<p>By expanding her operations to Brazzaville, Cameroon, Gabon, the Central African Republic, and soon Nairobi in East Africa, Sidonie Latere demonstrates that the future of African fashion rests on training, physical infrastructure, and the sovereign reclaiming of its cultural narrative.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>Read also<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/kefil-saka-director-of-cotonous-africa-design-school\/\">Kefil Saka, Director of Cotonou&#8217;s Africa Design School<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/linda-alves-nunes-founder-of-the-isse-by-lita-workshop\/\">Linda Alves Nunes, founder of the Iss\u00e9 by Lita workshop<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/bethsabee-gabbay-a-cultural-producer-working-between-europe-and-africa\/\">Bethsab\u00e9e Gabbay, a cultural producer working between Europe and Africa<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sidonie Latere, founder of the country\u2019s first incubator, Kobo Hub, and later of the Regional Institute of Fashion (IRMA), is a creative who became an entrepreneur and is shaking up traditional support models to build a true industrial value chain in Kinshasa.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13720,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[135,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-news","category-podcast-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13732"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13732\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13796,"href":"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13732\/revisions\/13796"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africafashiontour.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}