Four innovative African startups have emerged as the grand winners of the NBA Africa’s Triple-Double Accelerator program, each securing a substantial cash award along with the promise of ongoing mentorship opportunities. NBA Africa, an entity associated with the National Basketball Association, is responsible for managing the NBA’s various business ventures across the African continent, including the oversight of the Basketball Africa League (BAL).
As reported by Innovation Village a few months back, the Triple-Double Accelerator was launched to provide financial support and additional resources to early-stage African startups. This initiative, managed by the technology incubator ALX Ventures, targets startups that are creating innovative solutions in several key areas: event management and ticketing, youth development, artificial intelligence, and digital marketing within the realms of sports and creative industries.
From a competitive pool of applicants, ten startups were chosen to participate in the accelerator. These startups were matched with mentors from NBA Africa, ALX, and other corporate entities, who provided them with expert guidance on product development, business expansion, and strategies for market entry. The culmination of the program was a pitch event held at the NBA’s headquarters in New York City, where a panel of judges selected the top four startups.
Leading the pack was Nigeria’s Festival Coins, a company specializing in event technology with its no-code registration platform Tix Africa, which earned the top prize of US$50,000. Following closely was another Nigerian enterprise, Salubata, which focuses on environmental sustainability by transforming plastic waste into modular footwear, securing the second prize of US$40,000.
Kenya’s HustleSasa, a provider of live event services including payment processing and influencer tracking, clinched the third spot with a US$30,000 prize. The fourth prize of US$20,000 was awarded to Egypt’s UBR VR, a company offering immersive virtual reality experiences.
In addition to the monetary rewards, these four startups will benefit from continued mentorship and have the chance to engage in workshops and developmental programs offered by NBA Africa and its partners. The remaining six finalists were not left empty-handed; each received US$10,000. These included Nigeria’s Buzza and Naemo Global, Rwanda’s Backrest, Ivory Coast’s Gara, Ghana’s Power to Girls Foundation, and South Africa’s Vambo Technologies.
NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi extended congratulations to all the participating entrepreneurs, with special accolades for the finalists and winners. Akamanzi highlighted the potential of these companies to significantly influence the future of sports in Africa and to raise the continent’s profile on an international level.
