NBA Africa has awarded a total of $70,000 to five startups, including two Nigerian companies, for their innovative solutions shaping the future of sport and entertainment in Africa. The announcement was made following the second edition of the NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator, launched last year to support the continent’s technology ecosystem and nurture the next generation of African entrepreneurs.
The prize-winning companies are Reborn from Morocco, Fitclan and Athlon Technology from Egypt, and Atsur and Songdis from Nigeria. Each company received financial support and the opportunity to join Carnegie Mellon University Africa’s 12-month Business Incubation Program within its Innovation Hub, which helps early-stage startups turn proof-of-concept prototypes into scalable, market-ready products valued at up to $70,000.
The top three companies; Reborn, Fitclan, and Athlon Technology, also received $10,000 in API credits and an exclusive immersion day with the OpenAI engineering team at OpenAI’s headquarters. The 10 finalists, selected from more than 700 applicants across 32 African countries, pitched their products to a panel of international industry leaders during Demo Day at CMU-Africa in Kigali, Rwanda. Judges included Dr Conrad Tucker, Director of CMU-Africa; Emmanuel Lubanzadio, OpenAI Africa Lead; and Cheick Camara and Nikki van Gasse from ServiceNow Africa.
Reborn, which emerged first, provides athletes with comprehensive performance indicators to optimise physical condition and on-field performance. It received $25,000 in cash, API credits, and the CMU-Africa incubation opportunity. Fitclan, second place, is a digital fitness hub offering flexible subscription models for individuals and corporate clients, awarded $15,000 in cash, API credits, and incubation support. Third-place Athlon Technology leverages mobile technology and AI for video analysis targeting amateur sports teams, earning $5,000 in cash, API credits, and incubation support.
Nigeria’s Atsur, fourth place, uses blockchain to drive investment in African art, supporting artists and creative communities. Songdis, fifth, provides digital distribution solutions for independent African artists and labels. Both Nigerian startups received $2,500 in cash and access to the CMU-Africa Business Incubation Program.
Clare Akamanzi, CEO of NBA Africa, commended the startups for their bold and innovative approaches. She said, “The 10 finalists and five prize-winning companies differentiated themselves through solutions that are shaping the future of sport and entertainment in Africa. The support they receive from this program will help them scale their products and make a lasting impact on the continent and globally.”
This edition of the NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator was supported by CMU-Africa, ServiceNow, OpenAI, and ALX Ventures as the official operating partner, combining expertise to strengthen support for early-stage African tech startups.
