For thousands of African science students, the journey from a university lecture room to a professional laboratory can be a difficult one. Two Nigerian brothers, however, are working to make that journey shorter.
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Davis and Emmanuel Eban, founders of the science and biotechnology education startup Edugene, are developing a platform designed to move African students beyond textbooks and theoretical knowledge into practical scientific training.
Their initiative recently achieved an international breakthrough after Edugene was admitted into the European Genomic Medicine Consortium (EGMEDC), a pan-European network focused on genomic medicine and CRISPR research.
The development was announced during the CRISPRMED26 Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, in April 2026. According to the brothers, Edugene is the first African organisation to join the consortium.
For Davis Eban, the Chief Executive Officer of Edugene, the idea was born from a problem he repeatedly encountered among science graduates in Nigeria and other African countries: talented students often leave university without the laboratory experience, professional mentorship and international exposure required to build careers in science.
Many graduates, he observed, eventually move into unrelated sectors simply because they cannot find a clear pathway into scientific research and biotechnology.
Edugene was created to address that gap through what its founders describe as a “Theory-to-Bench” model.
The platform is designed to combine digital learning with practical exposure, mentorship and opportunities for students to connect with scientists, laboratories and research institutions.
Emmanuel Eban, a software engineer and the company’s Chief Technology Officer, said the ambition is to make high-quality scientific training accessible to African students regardless of where they live.
The partnership with EGMEDC could significantly expand that ambition. Through the consortium, Edugene plans to establish pathways linking African students with European laboratories, research projects and international internship opportunities.
The programme is expected to offer courses in genomics, bioinformatics and molecular biology when it officially launches to students in 2027.
The significance goes beyond one educational startup. For a continent seeking to strengthen its scientific capacity, initiatives that connect young researchers with practical experience and international networks could help create a new generation of African scientists.
For the Eban brothers, the goal is therefore not merely to create another online learning platform. It is to help change how science is taught and experienced across Africa.
Their message is simple: talented African students should not have to leave science behind simply because they lack access to a laboratory, mentor or international opportunity.
With Edugene, the brothers are attempting to turn that belief into a working pathway from theory to the laboratory.
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