AFSIC
Partner Event
October 13-14, 2026, London
AFSIC convenes global investors focused on Africa’s private capital and growth markets.
5th AVCA Sustainable Investing in Africa Summit
Partner Event
October 15, 2026, Jumeirah Carlton Tower, London
The 5th AVCA Sustainable Investing in Africa Summit, themed “Built to Last: The New Global Reality,” examines sustainable investment strategies across African markets.
Moonshot by TechCabal
Partner Event
October 28-29, 2026, National Theatre, Lagos
Moonshot by TechCabal, TechCabal’s flagship conference, brings together founders, investors, and policymakers across 9 content tracks, including a dedicated investor conference and startup pitch competition.
How Cascador’s acceleration and funding program differs from YC and others
CONDIA
June 8, 2026 | By Benjamin Dada
Cascador, an impact-focused accelerator for growth-stage founders in Africa, announced $5 million in equity and debt funding to seven startups at Pitch Day 2026, which was held on June 3, 2026, in Lagos, Nigeria.
“In just two years, Pitch Day has awarded more than $9M to growth-stage African founders, helping to build a new generation of entrepreneurs equipped to scale transformative businesses,” said Dave DeLucia, Founder of Cascador.
Pitch Day happens at the end of every Cascador ScaleUp program cycle, which spans about 12 weeks. This year’s event brought together more than 300 investors, media representatives, and ecosystem builders for conversations with founders scaling impactful companies across Nigeria. Unlike Y Combinator’s Demo Day, where only the latest batch of startups can pitch, Cascador allows its alumni from other batches to participate. Thereby extending the value of the program beyond the current season, till when the alumni might be ready for scale-up capital. On the flip side, this also means that not every recent batch participant will get to pitch, unlike YC. One of the two equity beneficiaries from the Cascador Pitch Day 2026 event was from another cohort, Stears.
“Back in 2021, I joined Cascador with the intention of learning how to be a better leader…When we pivoted exclusively to financial data in 2023, the Cascador team was there again, supporting us as we learned the B2B ropes. On Wednesday at Pitch Day, what started as an educational opportunity became something more tangible as Cascador invested $450k in equity to back our growth,” said Stears co-founder and CEO, Preston Ideh.
Other acceleration programmes tend to have standard deals, funding type and amount, which can prove sub-optimal for some startups. For instance, the leading global accelerator invests $500,000 for 7% equity in the business. However, Cascador, through its $5M Catalytic Fund, tailors the financing to the needs of the business. The Fund can provide debt, equity, guarantees, and collateral support in partnership with Sterling Bank. Of the seven 2026 fund recipients, two got equity deals: Stears (Preston Ideh) with $450,000 and Indigenius AI (Yinka Iyinolakan) with $250,000, while the remaining five got debt funding deals of ₦2.5 billion ($1.7M) to Agriarche (Deina Mayaki), ₦2.5 billion ($1.4M) to Koolboks (Deborah Gael), ₦1.8 billion ($1.2M) to Powerstove (Okey Esse), ₦500 million ($357k) to First Electric (Daniel Komolafe), and ₦200M ($142K) to Fortics (Femi Oyewole).
Deina Mayaki of Agriarche, the largest funding recipient from the 2026 Catalytic Fund, shared her experience, “Cascador’s ScaleUp program built upon my team’s ability to translate learning into action by helping us refine our message and market position, adjust our funding strategy, and adapt without defensiveness. The Catalytic Fund due diligence team assessed Agriarche’s financial strength, resourcefulness, and track record of success, and they rewarded our high-potential for scale and impact today by awarding a new ₦2.5B credit facility to power our growth.”
Not every startup that begins an acceleration programme can complete it, as the realities of running a business and the intensity of the programme conflict. In 2025, eleven startups began the Cascador ScaleUp Program, but one, Chekkit, dropped.
Application for Cascador’s 2026 ScaleUp is still open
Since 2019, it has supported 70 companies that have collectively raised more than $125 million. All eyes are now set on the programme’s next cohort. “We’re now looking for the next cohort of exceptional founders to join our 2026 ScaleUp program and hope to see them on stage at the next Pitch Day,” DeLucia said.
Applications for the 2026 ScaleUp Program are open until June 15, 2026, as pre-program preparations begin on August 17, 2026. The programme covers logistics for selected founders, offers a $5,000 stipend upon successful completion, and $50,000 in pitch prizes awarded at Pitch Day.
The Judges for the Pitch Day prizes were Iyin ‘E’ Aboyeji of Future Africa and Nneke Eze of Vested World, and Daniel Adeoye of Verod Capital Management. Speaking about his experience with Cascador, Adeoye said, “Two years judging Pitch Day, plus a season as faculty for the Cascador ScaleUp program, taught me something the term sheets never capture: capital readiness, not capital, is what turns funding into scale. The founders on stage today walk away with customer pipelines, team training, mentorship, and bespoke support, the connective tissue that lets them multiply what they raise. This is not an accelerator. It is ecosystem architecture, and these founders are its proof.”
In addition to investment capital, two entrepreneurs received recognition for innovation and pitch quality. The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) Prize for Innovation awarded $10,000 to Indigenius AI, while Koolboks received $10,000 for the Best Pitch, awarded by the panel of judges.
U.S. reaffirms commitment to Nigeria trade as Cascador deploys over $5m to entrepreneurs
The Guardian
June 5, 2026 | By Silver Nwokoro
The United States Consular General, Rick Swart has reaffirmed the U.S. government’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment ties with Nigeria.
He describes entrepreneurship and innovation as critical drivers of economic growth and bilateral relations.
He stated this at the 2026 Cascador Pitch Day where over $5M of growth capital was deployed to seven innovative African entrepreneurs, who pitched their vision and growth strategies before an influential audience of business leaders and a distinguished panel of judges.
This year’s event brought together more than 300 investors, lenders, mentors, and ecosystem builders for high-value conversations with founders scaling impactful companies across Nigeria.
Pitch Day is the culmination of Cascador’s annual Catalytic Fund deployment cycle, a funding initiative that provides up to $5M per year in tailored support to Cascador’s ScaleUp alumni through a blend of debt and equity investments, while celebrating the entrepreneurs who have grown through its ecosystem. Finalists were selected based on their ability to absorb and multiply the value of capital, education, and networks, as well as their potential for social impact, including job creation and service to underserved communities.
“The government of the United States is focused on trade and private sector investment as the foundation for sustainable growth and partnership across the African continent. We engage African nations not as aid recipients, but as commercial partners,” he said.
Swart stressed that Nigeria’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem continues to attract American investors, adding that the country’s innovative startups have played an important role in deepening economic ties between both nations.
Highlighting the growing commercial relationship, he disclosed that Nigeria remained America’s second-largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa, with bilateral trade reaching nearly $15 billion in 2025, representing a 15 per cent increase from the previous year.
He attributed part of the growth to the U.S.-Nigeria Commercial and Investment Partnership, a private sector-led initiative that brings together policymakers and business leaders from both countries to address trade and investment challenges.
The partnership, he explained, focuses on agriculture, the digital economy and infrastructure, with both governments working to reduce trade bottlenecks, improve policy predictability and facilitate business opportunities.
Swart also noted that many Nigerian startups have successfully attracted international capital, with about 70 per cent either raising significant investment or incorporating in the United States to align with global standards for financial disclosure and investment readiness.
He encouraged entrepreneurs to leverage opportunities offered by the American business community, including programmes designed to support U.S.-incorporated startups operating in Nigeria.
The Consular General further assured participants of continued U.S. support through trade, investment and strategic partnerships, urging Nigerian innovators to view the United States as a long-term partner for growth and expansion.
He congratulated the entrepreneurs participating in the pitch competition and wished them success in their business ventures.
At the event, Deina Mayaki of Agriarche, the largest funding recipient from the 2026 Catalytic Fund, shared her experience.
“Cascador’s ScaleUp program built upon my team’s ability to translate learning into action by helping us refine our message and market position, adjust our funding strategy, and adapt without defensiveness. The Catalytic Fund due diligence team assessed Agriarche’s financial strength, resourcefulness, and track record of success, and they rewarded our high-potential for scale and impact today by awarding a new N2.5B credit facility to power our growth,” she said.
“In just two years, Pitch Day has awarded more than $9M to growth-stage African founders, helping to build a new generation of entrepreneurs equipped to scale transformative businesses. We’re now looking for the next cohort of exceptional founders to join our 2026 ScaleUp program and hope to see them on stage at the next Pitch Day.” Founder of Cascador, Dave DeLucia said.
According to him, Cascador’s focus extends beyond financial returns, emphasising support for enterprises capable of creating jobs, driving productivity and delivering measurable social impact.
He noted that the organisation supports both technology-driven firms and businesses operating in the real economy, with the aim of strengthening Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
DeLucia added that Cascador’s ScaleUp Program works with an elite cohort of entrepreneurs to strengthen leadership, sharpen strategy, and prepare founders to scale sustainably. Through this approach, he said Cascador is helping build the next generation of high-impact African businesses. Since 2019, it has supported 70 companies that have collectively raised more than $125 million.
The Chief Executive Officer of Cascador, Trish Thomas said the programme prioritises established businesses with proven traction, typically averaging at least one billion naira in annual revenue and about two years in operation.
She added that Cascador’s approach responds to shifting venture capital trends by offering more patient, flexible financing while supporting enterprises addressing critical social and economic challenges across Africa.
The 2026 Pitch Day Funding Recipients are; Deina Mayaki (Agriarche) – Debt ₦2.5B ($1.7M); Deborah Gael (Koolboks) – Debt ₦2B ($1.4M); Okey Esse (Powerstove) – Debt ₦1.8B ($1.2M); Daniel Komolafe (First Electric) – Debt ₦500M ($357K); Femi Oyewole (Fortics) – Debt ₦200M ($142K); Preston Ideh (Stears) – Equity $450K and Yinka Iyinolakan (Indigenius AI) – Equity $250K.
The firm announced applications for the 2026 ScaleUp Program open until June 15 to transformative leaders ready to take their companies to the next stage of growth by accessing the connections, resources, and capital required to scale their businesses.
In addition to investment capital, two entrepreneurs received recognition for innovation and pitch quality, with $10,000 awarded by Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) as a Prize for Innovation and $10,000 awarded by the judges’ panel for Best Pitch.
NSIA Prize for Innovation is Indigenius AI while best pitch is Koolboks.
The Pitch Day featured a high-level panel discussion titled “Innovative Capital Deployment Structures in Nigeria,” moderated by DeLucia which brought together leading voices across the investment, financial, and public sector ecosystem, including Idris Bello of LoftyInc Capital, Danladi Verheijen of Verod Capital, Darlington Nwankwo of Sterling Bank, Ada Osakwe of Agrolay Ventures & Nuli, and Ijeoma Taylaur of NSIA. The session explore creative capital deployment strategies needed to help growth-stage businesses access patient equity, working capital, concessionary debt, and the strategic support required to scale sustainably.
Two 2025 Catalytic Fund capital recipients shared their performance and impact post-funding.
Babatunde Akin-Moses of Sycamore said: “Truly catalytic capital should create companies that eventually no longer need it: That is what it did for Sycamore. Our recent commercial paper raise was oversubscribed by 230 per cent.”
Seyi Adefemi of Drive45, the largest capital recipient last year adds: “There are founders across Africa solving real problems and building resilient businesses. What they often lack is the financial and non-financial support to cross the gap between potential and scale. Cascador helped Drive45 cross that gap.”
Cascador Awards $5m to High-Growth Nigerian Startups, Backs Expansion Drive
ThisDay Live
June 5, 2026 | Esther Oluku
Cascador, Africa-focused growth-stage accelerator, Wednesday, deployed over $5 million in funding to seven Nigerian businesses at its 2026 Pitch Day event.
History
The pitch day, the second in the series, is the culmination of its annual catalytic fund deployment cycle, a funding initiative that provides up to $5 million per year in tailored support to Cascador’s scaleup alumni through a blend of debt and equity investments, while celebrating the entrepreneurs who have grown through its ecosystem.
Finalists were selected based on their ability to absorb and multiply the value of capital, education and networks, as well as their potential for social impact, including job creation and service to underserved communities.
Speaking at the programme held in Lagos, the Founder of Cascador, Dave DeLucia explained that in just two years, the pitch day has awarded more than $9 million to growth-stage African founders, helping to build a new generation of entrepreneurs equipped to scale transformative businesses.
“We are now looking for the next cohort of exceptional founders to join our 2026 scaleup programme and hope to see them on stage at the next pitch day,”he stated.
This year’s event hosted more than 300 investors, lenders, mentors and ecosystem builders for high-value conversations with founders scaling impactful companies across Nigeria.
History
Among recipients of the fund are: Deina Mayaki (Agriarche) – Debt N2.5 billion ($1.7m); Deborah Gael (Koolboks) – Debt N2 billion ($1.4m); Okey Esse (Powerstove) – Debt N1.8 billion ($1.2m); Daniel Komolafe (First Electric) – Debt N500 million ($357,000); Femi Oyewole (Fortics) – Debt N200 million ($142,000); Preston Ideh (Stears) – Equity $450,000; and Yinka Iyinolakan (Indigenius AI) – Equity $250,000.
Deina Mayaki of Agriarche, the largest funding recipient from the 2026 catalytic fund, shared her experience.
According to her, “Cascador’s scaleup programme built upon my team’s ability to translate learning into action by helping us refine our message and market position, adjust our funding strategy, and adapt without defensiveness.”
She said the catalytic fund due diligence team assessed Agriarche’s financial strength, resourcefulness and track record of success, adding that they rewarded their high-potential for scale and impact by awarding a new N2.5bn credit facility to power their growth.
Cascador Pitch Day 2026: Over $5M Deployed to Seven Transformative & Impactful Entrepreneurs in Nigeria
Lagos, Nigeria
Cascador, an Africa-focused platform for growth-stage founders building businesses with social impact, hosted its second annual Pitch Day on June 3rd, 2026, following a successful inaugural event last year.
Over $5M of growth capital was deployed to seven innovative African entrepreneurs, who pitched their vision and growth strategies before an influential audience of business leaders and a distinguished panel of judges.
This year’s event brought together more than 300 investors, lenders, mentors, and ecosystem builders for high-value conversations with founders scaling impactful companies across Nigeria.
Pitch Day is the culmination of Cascador’s annual Catalytic Fund deployment cycle, a funding initiative that provides up to $5M per year in tailored support to Cascador’s ScaleUp alumni through a blend of debt and equity investments, while celebrating the entrepreneurs who have grown through its ecosystem.
Finalists were selected based on their ability to absorb and multiply the value of capital, education, and networks, as well as their potential for social impact, including job creation and service to underserved communities.
Deina Mayaki of Agriarche, the largest funding recipient from the 2026 Catalytic Fund, shared her experience.
“Cascador’s ScaleUp program built upon my team’s ability to translate learning into action by helping us refine our message and market position, adjust our funding strategy, and adapt without defensiveness.
“The Catalytic Fund due diligence team assessed Agriarche’s financial strength, resourcefulness, and track record of success, and they rewarded our high-potential for scale and impact today by awarding a new N2.5B credit facility to power our growth,” she said.
The 2026 Pitch Day Funding Recipients:
● Deina Mayaki (Agriarche) – Debt ₦2.5B ($1.7M)
● Deborah Gael (Koolboks) – Debt ₦2B ($1.4M)
● Okey Esse (Powerstove) – Debt ₦1.8B ($1.2M)
● Daniel Komolafe (First Electric) – Debt ₦500M ($357K)
● Femi Oyewole (Fortics) – Debt ₦200M ($142K)
● Preston Ideh (Stears) – Equity $450K
● Yinka Iyinolakan (Indigenius AI) – Equity $250K
“In just two years, Pitch Day has awarded more than $9M to growth-stage African founders, helping to build a new generation of entrepreneurs equipped to scale transformative businesses.
“We’re now looking for the next cohort of exceptional founders to join our 2026 ScaleUp program and hope to see them on stage at the next Pitch Day,” Dave DeLucia, Founder of Cascador.
Cascador’s ScaleUp Program works with an elite cohort of entrepreneurs to strengthen leadership, sharpen strategy, and prepare founders to scale sustainably.
Through this approach, Cascador is helping build the next generation of high-impact African businesses. Since 2019, it has supported 70 companies that have collectively raised more than $125 million.
Applications for the 2026 ScaleUp Program are open until June 15 to transformative leaders ready to take their companies to the next stage of growth by accessing the connections, resources, and capital required to scale their businesses.
Alongside Iyin Aboyeji of Future Africa and Nneke Eze of Vested World, Daniel Ayoede of Verod Capital Management judged the prize competition for Cascador Pitch Day 2026.
Speaking about his experience with Cascador, Ayoede noted: “two years judging Pitch Day, plus a season as faculty for the Cascador ScaleUp program, taught me something the term sheets never capture: capital readiness, not capital, is what turns funding into scale.
The founders on stage today walk away with customer pipelines, team training, mentorship, and bespoke support, the connective tissue that lets them multiply what they raise.
“This is not an accelerator. It is ecosystem architecture, and these founders are its proof.”
Special Prizes Awarded
In addition to investment capital, two entrepreneurs received recognition for innovation and pitch quality, with $10k USD awarded by NSIA as a Prize for Innovation and $10k USD awarded by the judges’ panel for Best Pitch:
● NSIA Prize for Innovation: Indigenius AI
● Best Pitch: Koolboks
Esteemed Panel Session
Pitch Day featured a high-level panel discussion titled “Innovative Capital Deployment Structures in Nigeria,” moderated by Cascador Founder Dave DeLucia and bringing together leading voices across the investment, financial, and public sector ecosystem, including Idris Bello of LoftyInc
Capital, Danladi Verheijen of Verod Capital, Darlington Nwankwo of Sterling Bank, Ada Osakwe of Agrolay Ventures & Nuli, and Ijeoma Taylaur of NSIA.
The session will explore creative capital deployment strategies needed to help growth-stage businesses access patient equity, working capital, concessionary debt, and the strategic support required to scale sustainably.
Two 2025 Catalytic Fund capital recipients shared their performance and impact post-funding.
Babatunde Akin-Moses of Sycamore said: “truly catalytic capital should create companies that eventually no longer need it: That is what it did for Sycamore. Our recent commercial paper raise was oversubscribed by 230%.” And Seyi Adefemi of Drive45, the largest capital recipient last year, shared, “there are founders across Africa solving real problems and building resilient businesses.
“What they often lack is the financial and non-financial support to cross the gap between potential and scale. Cascador helped Drive45 cross that gap.”
Cascador’s alumni are driving innovation, raising investment capital, winning awards, and changing the face of the African economy.
CEOs of growth stage companies across Sub-Saharan Africa who have demonstrated meaningful traction and are ready to take their companies to the next stage of growth are encouraged to apply for the fall Cascador ScaleUp cohort.
About Cascador
Cascador is an Africa-focused platform for growth-stage founders building businesses that make an impact.
Through Cascador ScaleUp, its flagship program, Cascador works with an elite cohort of entrepreneurs to strengthen their leadership and sharpen their strategy, preparing them to scale successfully.
ScaleUp alumni gain exclusive access to the Catalytic Fund, which deploys up to $5M USD in capital annually through a blend of debt and equity investments.
Since 2019, Cascador has supported 70 companies who have collectively raised over $125 million. Today, our alumni are driving innovation, creating jobs, raising investment capital, winning awards, and changing the face of the African economy.
Learn more at www.cascador.org
Bridging Africa’s Tech Skills Gap Through Digital Learning
How Utiva is Expanding Access to Technology Education and Talent Development
As demand for digital talent continues to grow globally, access to practical technology education and workforce training has become increasingly important for economic growth and long-term opportunity across Africa.
Utiva is helping address that challenge through virtual learning programs focused on technology skills development and talent placement.
Founded by Nigerian entrepreneur Eyitayo Ogunmola, the company provides digital training programs designed to help individuals build practical skills in areas such as software development, data, product management, and other high-demand technology disciplines.
Through accessible online learning and career-focused training, Utiva is helping more Africans build the skills needed to participate in the growing global digital economy.
By combining technology education with workforce development and career support, the company is creating new pathways into technology careers for learners across Africa and beyond.
As digital transformation continues to reshape industries worldwide, companies like Utiva are helping ensure more African talent can access the skills, training, and opportunities needed to participate in the future of work.
Building Pathways Into the Digital Economy
How AccountingHub’s Data-Entry Academy is Expanding Digital Workforce Skills Across Africa
As digital tools become increasingly essential across industries, access to practical workplace and technology skills has become a critical driver of economic opportunity. Yet for many adults across Africa, access to affordable, accessible digital training remains limited.
AccountingHub’s Data-Entry Academy is working to help bridge that gap through digital literacy and workforce development programs designed to prepare individuals for modern workplace opportunities.
Founded by Nigerian entrepreneur Chioma Ifeanyi-Eze, the platform focuses on equipping adults with practical digital and data-entry skills that can improve employability, support career advancement, and create new pathways into the digital economy.
The company’s work was recognized through Cascador’s 2024 Impact Award, which honored AccountingHub for “transforming digital literacy across Africa through Data-Entry Academy, empowering adults with crucial workplace skills.”
Reflecting on her experience in the Cascador program, founder Chioma Ifeanyi-Eze shared that one of the program’s most valuable contributions was helping her better articulate both the company’s mission and its broader societal impact.
As demand for digital workforce skills continues to grow globally, initiatives like Data-Entry Academy are helping expand access to economic opportunity while preparing more people to participate in the future of work.
Reimagining Sustainable Agriculture in Urban Africa
How Soilless Farm Lab is Advancing Climate-Resilient Food Production
As urban populations continue to grow across Africa, the pressure on traditional food systems is increasing. Limited arable land, climate variability, and inconsistent access to resources are creating new challenges for agricultural production and food security.
Soilless Farm Lab is exploring new approaches to sustainable agriculture through hydroponic farming systems designed to produce food more efficiently while reducing dependence on traditional growing conditions.
Founded by Nigerian agritech entrepreneur Samson Ogbole, the company operates a 90-acre solar-powered greenhouse farm in Ogun State, Nigeria, where it utilizes hydroponic growing methods and AI-supported irrigation systems to improve agricultural productivity and resource efficiency. The company also trains approximately 4,000 young people annually through its educational initiatives focused on agriculture and food systems innovation.
Beyond food production, Soilless Farm Lab’s work reflects a broader effort to expand access to agricultural education, create economic opportunities for young people, and explore more climate-resilient approaches to farming in rapidly urbanizing communities.
As conversations around food security and sustainable agriculture continue to evolve globally, Soilless Farm Lab is helping demonstrate how innovation and technology can contribute to the future of African agriculture.
