UK Nigeria Tech Hub Launches Covid-19 Startup Accelerator Programme

The UK- Nigeria Tech Hub, an initiative by the UK government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sports (DCMS) to support the growth of the Technology ecosystem in Nigeria has partnered with Ventures Platform and Startupbootcamp AfriTech to launch the iNOVO Accelerator Programme for innovative Nigerian edtech, agritech, and healthtech startups that have created solutions to challenges created due to the pandemic.

The UK-Nigeria Tech Hub works to stimulate local digital economies, support inclusive and sustainable economic growth and jobs, build high-end digital skills, and forge innovation partnerships between Nigerian tech sectors and international businesses which will inadvertently lead to more trade and investment in the longer term, thereby driving increased productivity and growth.

Alongside Nigeria, Hubs have been announced in South Africa, Kenya, India, Indonesia and Brazil to date as part of the International Tech Hub Network. The UK-Nigeria Tech hub forms a pillar of a broader Digital Access Programme which aims to catalyse digital inclusion across Africa.

Honey Ogundeyi, Country Director of the UK-Nigeria Tech Hub provides insight into the launch of the new programme. 

“With the impact of Covid-19 on the economy, there’s a need to support promising early-stage startups who are driving innovative solutions to address problems caused by Covid on some of the Hub’s core areas – health, agriculture, and education. Through the iNOVO programme, entrepreneurs will gain digital and entrepreneurship skills needed to scale their businesses.” 

 The iNOVO Accelerator Programme

The fully digital programme will accelerate 10 early-stage startups in Nigeria in the edtech, healthtech, and agritech sector along with granting 100 early-stage startups life-time learning access to its digital Accelerator Squared platform. 

Applications can be completed online.

Access to the platform provides the 100 selected early-stage startups with an abundant resource of modules that cover the foundation to build a successful startup. 

Hosted over three-months, the accelerator’s 10 selected startups will receive capacity building, lean startup training, mentorship, and support to rapidly scale their products and business models. Selected startup founders will engage directly with the SBC AfriTech and Ventures Platform team, dedicated Entrepreneurs in Residence, mentors, investors, and industry experts. 

Participating startups will gain exposure to a large group of potential investors. In addition, the 10 selected participants will also receive legal support from Sidebrief, credits from Amazon Web Services, and credits from Msg91.