NBA Africa has shortlisted 10 promising startups for its inaugural Triple-Double: NBA Africa Startup Accelerator.
The 10 finalists will showcase their innovations at a Demo Day held at NBA Africa's headquarters in New York City on September 25th, 2024.
The event will feature a panel of experts who will evaluate each pitch and select four winners to receive financial support, mentorship, and access to development programs. The program is aimed at fostering tech entrepreneurs who are working at the intersection of sports and creative industries.
According to Clare Akamanzi, CEO of NBA Africa, the initiative is part of the organisation's broader mission to uplift startups on the continent. “We have been inspired by the level of talent and creativity from all of the applicants, and we congratulate the 10 deserving finalists who will showcase their innovative solutions at Demo Day later this month,” Akamanzi said in a statement. “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.”
The selected startups represent various countries across the continent, including Rwanda, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Ghana, Egypt, and South Africa- with 3 from Nigeria.
Earlier this year, the accelerator received applications from startups across Africa.
The Top 10 NBA Africa accelerator finalists are:
Backrest (Rwanda)- provides a wearable technology solution called WristWrist to facilitate cashless payments at event venues.
Buzza (Nigeria)- helps sports organisations improve their operations through digital solutions, including digital management transition.
Festival Coins (Nigeria)- an event technology company that offers a customised, no-code event registration and ticketing platform for events.
Gara (Côte d’Ivoire)- a pan-African video gaming and comics platform that encourages and facilitates the distribution of digital entertainment experiences on the continent.
HustleSasa (Kenya)- provides live event services that support payment processing, attendee check-in, merchandise sales, customer data management, influencer tracking, and more.
Naemo Global (Nigeria)- aims to revolutionise sports scouting on the African continent through its proprietary scouting software Afriskaut, which utilises data analytics and AI.
Power to Girls Foundation (Ghana)- provides a social connection and mentorship platform called My Power App, dedicated to empowering and supporting girls and women between the ages of 13 to 20.
Salubata (Nigeria)- creates modular shoes repurposed from plastic waste.
UBR VR (Egypt)- delivers state-of-the-art, fully immersive, in-person virtual reality (VR) experiences across Egypt and South Africa.
Vambo Technologies (South Africa)- digital language technology platform leveraging AI to provide real-time translation, content creation, and language learning technology.
Each startup will present its pitch to a panel of judges, who will decide which four companies will receive the financial backing and mentorship needed to scale their impact in Africa’s tech, sports, and creative industries.
