NBA Africa Announces Four Winning Startups from 2024 Triple-Double Accelerator Program

Selected from over 700 early-stage African startups, the finalists pitched their products to a panel of international industry leaders during a Demo Day at NBA headquarters in New York City.

NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum has announced the four prize-winning startups from the NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator, a program launched in April 2024 to support Africa’s tech ecosystem and foster the next generation of African entrepreneurs. The four winning startups – Festival Coins (Nigeria), Salubata (Nigeria), HustleSasa (Kenya), and UBR VR (Egypt) – will receive financial backing, mentorship, and the opportunity to participate in workshops and development programs facilitated by NBA Africa or its partners.

Selected from over 700 early-stage African startups, the finalists pitched their products to a panel of international industry leaders during a Demo Day at NBA headquarters in New York City. Judges included Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, CEO of Accelerate Africa; Franciscus Diaba, NBA Assistant General Counsel; Crystal Rugege, Managing Director of the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Rwanda; Dan Rosensweig, Executive Chairman of Chegg Inc.; and Joanne Yoo, Partner at Development Partners International. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also delivered opening remarks and met the finalists.

The Four Winning Startups:

Festival Coins (Nigeria) – An event technology company offering a customizable, no-code event registration and ticketing platform called Tix Africa. The company serves events across Nigeria and Ghana and won the first-place prize of $50,000.

Salubata (Nigeria) – A company that designs modular shoes repurposed from plastic waste, aiming to reduce the global carbon footprint. Salubata won the second-place prize of $40,000.

HustleSasa (Kenya) – This platform provides live event services, including payment processing, attendee check-in, merchandise sales, customer data management, and influencer tracking. HustleSasa won the third-place prize of $30,000.

UBR VR (Egypt) – A provider of immersive, in-person virtual reality (VR) experiences across Egypt. UBR VR secured the fourth-place prize of $20,000.

Additionally, the six other finalists each received a $10,000 prize.

The event was supported by official partners Paystack Payment Ltd., Kuramo Capital Management, and the Nigerian University of Technology and Management (NUTM).

Clare Akamanzi, CEO of NBA Africa, praised the talent and potential of the participating entrepreneurs: “These outstanding companies have demonstrated the creativity, drive, and determination to shape the future of sport in Africa. We look forward to following their successes for many years to come.”

The NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator is open to early-stage African startups developing innovative solutions in areas such as event management, youth development, AI, and digital marketing, further establishing Africa’s role in the global technology landscape.