The National Information Technology Development Agency in alignment with implementing digital innovation and entrepreneurship has trained eight Nigerian startups to create business ideas that will provide technological solutions to problems facing the country and awarded three of the start-ups a total of $45,000.
The startups were trained in an i-hatch startup incubation programme in partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency.
The training comprised a five-month intensive mentoring designed to support Nigerian entrepreneurs to help refine their business ideas through a series of coaching, lectures, and boot camps.
Speaking during the first cohort demo day on Tuesday, the DG NITDA represented by the National Director, National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Ya’u Garba, commended the partnership with JICA as a clear demonstration of the importance of collaboration for the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria’s digital economy.
He said, “The partnership with JICA is a perfect example of the importance of the critical role of collaboration in the Nigerian digital economy.
“Without doubt, this partnership is in forbearance to the commitment of the National Information Technology Development Agency to sustaining the promotion and growth of digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
“The i-hatch program is part of our initiative to strengthen the tech and innovation ecosystem for the creation of more ideas that will invariably contribute to the creation of jobs for our teeming youth and the prosperity of our country.
“The incubation program will complement our efforts at implementing digital innovation and entrepreneurship and promotion of indigenous content pillars of our strategic roadmap to achieve the broader objective of the National Digital Economy, policy and strategy vision of creating a wider pool of ideas that will guarantee a sustainable economic growth and prosperity for Nigeria.” He further noted.
The climax of the Demo day which signaled the end of the first cohort and inauguration of the second cohort of the i-Hatch startup incubation programme was a pitching competition between eight participants.
After a series of questions by the judges, Beta life inc. emerged second runner-up, Every Farmer took second position and Xolani Health Limited was crowned the winner of the pitching competition.
The winners were awarded a cash prize of $15,000 each.
