NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum announced the winners of the inaugural NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator Demo Day, held at the NBA headquarters in New York City.
Photo: NBA Deputy Commissioner and COO Mark Tatum, Maged Farrag (UBR VR), Peng Chen (HustleSasa), Yewande Akinse (Salubata), Folayemi Agusto (Festival Coins) and NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi at the first "NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator" Demo Day at the NBA headquarters in New York City.
Selected from over 700 African startups, ten finalists had the opportunity to present their innovative ventures to a distinguished panel of industry experts. The NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator is designed to support emerging African startups in areas such as event management, youth development, AI, and digital marketing. This initiative highlights NBA Africa's dedication to fostering the next generation of African entrepreneurs and promoting technological advancement within the sports industry.
The top four companies were awarded financial support and mentorship to continue their growth in the sports and tech ecosystem:
1. Festival Coins (Nigeria), an event technology company offering a no-code registration platform called Tix Africa, claimed first place with a prize of $50,000.
2. Salubata (Nigeria), a company repurposing plastic waste into modular shoes to reduce the global carbon footprint, won second place and $40,000.
3. HustleSasa (Kenya), a platform offering live event services like payment processing and influencer tracking, secured third place with a prize of $30,000.
4. UBR VR (Egypt), which provides immersive virtual reality experiences, earned fourth place with a $20,000 prize.
Each of the remaining six finalists received $10,000, recognizing their impactful business ideas. Judges included leaders from technology, sports, and digital platforms, such as Accelerate Africa Co-Founder and CEO Iyinoluwa Aboyeji and NBA Assistant General Counsel Franciscus Diaba.
Empowering African Entrepreneurs
NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi highlighted the significance of fostering technological innovation in sports across the continent. "We congratulate all of the talented entrepreneurs who participated, with special recognition to the finalists and winners. These outstanding companies are ready to shape the future of sports in Africa and elevate the continent on the global stage."
New Partnerships for Supporting Startups
Alongside the prize announcements, NBA Africa introduced three new official partners for the Triple-Double Accelerator program: Paystack Payments Ltd., Kuramo Capital Management, and the Nigerian University of Technology and Management (NUTM). These partners will provide mentorship and facilitate workshops designed to help the startups refine their strategies and scale their operations.
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