Four Nigerian-owned startups to pitch for NBA Africa financial support

Four out of the top 10 African startups qualified to pitch for the NBA Africa’s financial support are Nigerian-owned.

They include Buzza, Festival Coins, Naemo Global and Salubata, and they are expected to sell their business ideas to a panel of international industry leaders alongside six other startups selected from six other African countries under the NBA Africa Startup Accelerator programme.

Tagged, ‘Triple-Double,’ the programme was launched in April 2024 to support Africa’s technology ecosystem and the next generation of African entrepreneurs.

Other finalists include Backrest in Rwanda; Gara in Côte d’Ivoire; HustleSasa in Kenya; Power to Girls Foundation in Ghana; UBR VR in Egypt and Vambo Technologies in South Africa.

According to NBA Africa, the 10 Startups would pitch their ideas at a Demo Day programme at the NBA headquarters in New York City on Wednesday, September 25 2024 to determine the four winning companies that will be awarded financial support and mentorship, including an opportunity to participate in workshops and development programmes facilitated by NBA Africa or its partners.

Clare Akamanzi, chief executive officer of NBA Africa, said the organisation has been inspired by the level of talent and creativity of all of the applicants.

According to Akamanzi, NBA Africa is committed to supporting the continued growth of startups on the continent, including the four prize-winners whose innovative solutions will further elevate the sport and creative industries in Africa for years to come.

She said the accelerator programme was open to early-stage startups in Africa that develop solutions in event management and ticketing, youth development, AI, and digital marketing.

“The initiative will support Africa’s tech ecosystem and the next generation of African tech entrepreneurs by providing them with access to mentorship and capital that will help drive growth in the sports and creative industries,” Akamanzi said.

Buzza helps sports organisations improve their operations through digital solutions, including enabling organisations to transition from paper-based to digital management, setting up websites, collecting payments, and growing revenue. Athletes can also sign up for the platform to track their matches and scores and build their profiles to become more prominent sports figures and influencers across Africa.

Festival Coins is an event technology company that offers a customisable, no-code event registration and ticketing platform called Tix Africa for events in Nigeria and Ghana. It enables event organisers to sell tickets online, process payments, and handle on-site registrations.

Naemo Global aims to revolutionise sports scouting on the African continent through its proprietary scouting software Afriskaut, which uses data analytics and AI.

The Afriskaut platform processes football match videos and extracts critical data, which it makes available to clients via a platform and application programming interface (API) to support scouting the next generation of elite talent.

Salubata creates modular shoes repurposed from plastic waste. With a global patent and two design rights for its innovation, the company aims to reduce the global carbon footprint through its environmentally friendly products.

Power to Girls Foundation (Ghana) provides a social connection and mentorship platform called My Power App dedicated to empowering and supporting girls and women ages 13-20.

The platform provides educational resources, connects users with mentors, offers a confidential helpline, and fosters a supportive community of like-minded girls, addressing critical growth areas such as education, mental health, and personal development.