Cascador empowers mid-stage African entrepreneurs to scale their mission-driven companies, equipping them with proven business strategies, leadership skills, and exclusive access to our new $2M Catalytic Fund.
Cascador fellows are dedicated to accelerating business growth, improving their leadership skills, and refining their value proposition with the guidance of successful American and Nigerian entrepreneurs. Through our educational program and access to our $2M Catalytic Fund, we provide both knowledge and capital—the two critical resources entrepreneurs need to scale successfully.
Cascador launched in 2019, has elevated six successful cohorts of African entrepreneurs and their companies through a unique blend of education, self-discovery, mentoring, pitch training, and personalized advisory support.
Eligibility
CASCADOR 2025 IS FOR YOU.
If you are ready to challenge your assumptions, pressure test your business model, and expand your thinking…
If you want to connect to a vibrant community of advisors, investors, and fellow entrepreneurs…
If you seek not just guidance but also funding to scale your impact…
If you are passionate about your mission, committed to your team, and inspired by the impact your business can make on the world…
Benefits
ANNUAL $2M CATALYTIC FUND
Beginning in May 2025, Cascador will allocate $2 million USD annually to empower its alumni with the capital they need to scale their impact.
Through a partnership with Sterling Bank, Cascador offers a tailored mix of debt, equity, guarantees, and collateral investments designed to meet the unique needs of each business. The fund culminates in our annual Pitch Day, where selected alumni present their businesses to the Investment Committee and a curated audience of investors and lenders.
Cascador, Nigeria’s leading program for developing transformational entrepreneurs, proudly announces the opening of applications for its 2025 cohort. Now in its seventh year, Cascador has established itself as a catalyst for business growth and impact across Nigeria, empowering mid-stage entrepreneurs to scale their ventures while creating meaningful social change.
This year’s program represents Cascador’s most comprehensive and ambitious initiative to date—featuring expanded curriculum, enhanced funding opportunities, strengthened post-program support, and an intensified focus on driving measurable social impact across Nigeria.
“We’re building a powerful force for positive change in Africa’s economic future,” states Dave DeLucia, Cascador Founder. “Our entrepreneurs aren’t just building companies—they’re creating solutions that address critical challenges across Nigeria.”
The 2025 program will provide participants with:
A comprehensive three-month development experience
A $5,000 USD professional development stipend
Access to a powerful network of alumni who have collectively raised over $55M USD
Expert mentorship from successful Nigerian and American entrepreneurs
Eligibility to apply for capital from the annual $2M Cascador Catalytic Fund
Opportunity to compete for $50,000 in program prizes
Godwin Benson, CEO of Tuteria and 2024 Pitch Competition Winner, shared the impact of his Cascador experience: “The Cascador program literally changed my life and the trajectory of my business. When I came in, I wasn’t satisfied or happy with our rate of growth. Cascador gave me clarity. The mentors we met, the instructors, the faculty—they really helped me see opportunities that I hadn’t considered before.”
The 2025 Cascador program includes:
3-day kickoff intensive (September 7-11)
6 weeks of virtual learning, real-world application, and advisory support
Week-long residency at Lagos Business School (November 2-7)
6 months of post-program mentorship
A standout feature of the program is the newly established $2M Cascador Catalytic Fund, designed specifically to empower Cascador alumni. Launching in May 2025, this annual fund will provide a tailored mix of debt, equity, guarantees, and collateral investments in partnership withSterling Bank.
Amanda Etuk, Cascador Program Director and program alumna, emphasizes the program’s distinctive approach: “What sets Cascador apart is our focus on both the founder and the business. We cultivate transformational leaders who can drive sustainable impact while building scalable ventures.”
Who Should Apply?
Cascador seeks mid-stage Nigerian entrepreneurs who meet the following criteria:
2+ years in operation
Annual revenue exceeding ₦50M
Commitment to measurable social impact
Based in Nigeria
The program is limited to 10 participants, ensuring personalized attention and tailored support for each entrepreneur.
Important Dates:
Applications Open: April 1, 2025
Applications Close: June 1, 2025
Cohort Announcement: July 15, 2025
“There are very few scaling programs across Africa that focus on two critical things: making you an amazing leader and scaling your business. You can’t find that anywhere else,” notes Chioma Ifeanyi-Eze, CEO of AccountingHub and 2024 Impact Award Winner.
Take Action Now
Entrepreneurs ready to transform their businesses and scale their impact are encouraged to apply immediately. With limited spots available and an increasingly competitive selection process, early applications are strongly recommended.
Cascador is an annual, intensive program focused on developing mid-stage Nigerian entrepreneurs who are scaling mission-driven companies. Through a unique blend of education, mentoring, and personalized support, Cascador empowers entrepreneurs to make a positive impact through job creation, innovation, and development of opportunities for underprivileged and marginalized communities. Since its launch in 2019, Cascador alumni have collectively raised over $55M USD in capital and are actively transforming their communities for the better.
Cascador, Nigeria’s leading program for developing transformational entrepreneurs, proudly announces the opening of applications for its 2025 cohort.
Now in its seventh year, Cascador has established itself as a catalyst for business growth and impact across Nigeria, empowering mid-stage entrepreneurs to scale their ventures while creating meaningful social change.
This year’s program represents Cascador’s most comprehensive and ambitious initiative to date—featuring expanded curriculum, enhanced funding opportunities, strengthened post-program support, and an intensified focus on driving measurable social impact across Nigeria.
“We’re building a powerful force for positive change in Africa’s economic future,”states Dave DeLucia, Cascador Founder. “Our entrepreneurs aren’t just building companies—they’re creating solutions that address critical challenges across Nigeria.”
The 2025 program will provide participants with:
A comprehensive three-month development experience
A $5,000 USD professional development stipend
Access to a powerful network of alumni who have collectively raised over $55M USD
Expert mentorship from successful Nigerian and American entrepreneurs
Eligibility to apply for capital from the annual $2M Cascador Catalytic Fund
Opportunity to compete for $50,000 in program prizes
Godwin Benson, CEO of Tuteria and 2024 Pitch Competition Winner, shared the impact of his Cascador experience:“The Cascador program literally changed my life and the trajectory of my business. When I came in, I wasn’t satisfied or happy with our rate of growth. Cascador gave me clarity. The mentors we met, the instructors, the faculty—they really helped me see opportunities that I hadn’t considered before.”
The 2025 Cascador program includes:
3-day kickoff intensive (September 7-11)
6 weeks of virtual learning, real-world application, and advisory support
Week-long residency at Lagos Business School (November 2-7)
6 months of post-program mentorship
A standout feature of the program is the newly established $2M Cascador Catalytic Fund, designed specifically to empower Cascador alumni. Launching in May 2025, this annual fund will provide a tailored mix of debt, equity, guarantees, and collateral investments in partnership withSterling Bank.
Amanda Etuk, Cascador Program Director and program alumna, emphasizes the program’s distinctive approach:“What sets Cascador apart is our focus on both the founder and the business. We cultivate transformational leaders who can drive sustainable impact while building scalable ventures.”
Who Should Apply?
Cascador seeks mid-stage Nigerian entrepreneurs who meet the following criteria:
2+ years in operation
Annual revenue exceeding N50M
Commitment to measurable social impact
Based in Nigeria
The program is limited to 10 participants, ensuring personalized attention and tailored support for each entrepreneur.
Important Dates:
Applications Open: April 1, 2025
Applications Close: June 1, 2025
Cohort Announcement: July 15, 2025
“There are very few scaling programs across Africa that focus on two critical things: making you an amazing leader and scaling your business. You can’t find that anywhere else,”notes Chioma Ifeanyi-Eze, CEO of AccountingHub and 2024 Impact Award Winner.
Take Action Now
Entrepreneurs ready to transform their businesses and scale their impact are encouraged to apply immediately. With limited spots available and an increasingly competitive selection process, early applications are strongly recommended.
Cascador is an annual, intensive program focused on developing mid-stage Nigerian entrepreneurs who are scaling mission-driven companies. Through a unique blend of education, mentoring, and personalized support, Cascador empowers entrepreneurs to make a positive impact through job creation, innovation, and development of opportunities for underprivileged and marginalized communities. Since its launch in 2019, Cascador alumni have collectively raised over $55M USD in capital and are actively transforming their communities for the better.
Cascador, Nigeria’s leading program for developing transformational entrepreneurs, proudly announces the opening of applications for its 2025 cohort. Now in its seventh year, Cascador has established itself as a catalyst for business growth and impact across Nigeria, empowering mid-stage entrepreneurs to scale their ventures while creating meaningful social change.
This year’s program represents Cascador’s most comprehensive and ambitious initiative to date—featuring expanded curriculum, enhanced funding opportunities, strengthened post-program support, and an intensified focus on driving measurable social impact across Nigeria.
“We’re building a powerful force for positive change in Africa’s economic future,” states Dave DeLucia, Cascador Founder. “Our entrepreneurs aren’t just building companies—they’re creating solutions that address critical challenges across Nigeria.”
The 2025 program will provide participants with:
● A comprehensive three-month development experience ● A $5,000 USD professional development stipend ● Access to a powerful network of alumni who have collectively raised over $55M USD ● Expert mentorship from successful Nigerian and American entrepreneurs ● Eligibility to apply for capital from the annual $2M Cascador Catalytic Fund ● Opportunity to compete for $50,000 in program prizes.
Godwin Benson, CEO of Tuteria and 2024 Pitch Competition Winner, shared the impact of his Cascador experience: “The Cascador program literally changed my life and the trajectory of my business. When I came in, I wasn’t satisfied or happy with our rate of growth. Cascador gave me clarity. The mentors we met, the instructors, the faculty—they really helped me see opportunities that I hadn’t considered before.”
The 2025 Cascador program includes:
● 3-day kickoff intensive (September 7-11) ● 6 weeks of virtual learning, real-world application, and advisory support ● Week-long residency at Lagos Business School (November 2-7) ● 6 months of post-program mentorship
A standout feature of the program is the newly established $2M Cascador Catalytic Fund, designed specifically to empower Cascador alumni. Launching in May 2025, this annual fund will provide a tailored mix of debt, equity, guarantees, and collateral investments in partnership withSterling Bank.
Amanda Etuk, Cascador Program Director and program alumna, emphasizes the program’s distinctive approach: “What sets Cascador apart is our focus on both the founder and the business. We cultivate transformational leaders who can drive sustainable impact while building scalable ventures.”
Amanda Etuk, Cascador Program Director and program alumna, emphasizes the program’s distinctive approach: “What sets Cascador apart is our focus on both the founder and the business. We cultivate transformational leaders who can drive sustainable impact while building scalable ventures.”
● Applications Open: April 1, 2025 ● Applications Close: June 1, 2025 ● Cohort Announcement: July 15, 2025
“There are very few scaling programs across Africa that focus on two critical things: making you an amazing leader and scaling your business. You can’t find that anywhere else,” notes Chioma Ifeanyi-Eze, CEO of AccountingHub and 2024 Impact Award Winner.
Take Action Now
Entrepreneurs ready to transform their businesses and scale their impact are encouraged to apply immediately. With limited spots available and an increasingly competitive selection process, early applications are strongly recommended. Apply now atwww.cascador.orgbefore the June 1st deadline.
Cascador is an annual, intensive program focused on developing mid-stage Nigerian entrepreneurs who are scaling mission-driven companies. Through a unique blend of education, mentoring, and personalized support, Cascador empowers entrepreneurs to make a positive impact through job creation, innovation, and development of opportunities for underprivileged and marginalized communities. Since its launch in 2019, Cascador alumni have collectively raised over $55M USD in capital and are actively transforming their communities for the better.
Cascador, a transformative programme for mid-stage entrepreneurs in Africa founded in 2019, has stated that the firm’s ultimate goal is impact.
This was stated during the alumni meeting of the company held recently in Ikeja.
According to the Founder of Cascador, Dave DeLucia, “Impact can come in a variety of forms: social impact, job creation, innovative solutions to problems, or providing opportunities for women, the poor, or disadvantaged communities to advance. Rather than offering grants or working through NGOs, we have elected to empower the entrepreneurs who are solving problems and making an impact through for-profit ventures.”
He said: “By developing leadership skills, financial acumen, connections, sources of capital and other resources to help them scale, we turbo charge their companies and make their impact possible. We also hope to inspire a spirit of humility, philanthropy and community that drives them to become leaders who give back to their country and community for years to come.”
Speaking about the programme curriculum in 2024 and how it has helped the entrepreneurs, Director of Cascador, Trish Thomas, said: “Our cohort members today have a much more expansive learning experience than our early Cascadors. A practical example of the improvement to our curriculum and timeline is that Founders have time to take their education back to their team and apply it in their real-world operating environment.”
She added: “We taught the importance of knowing your customer and building your products, services and experiences around their needs. Today, our founders have time to complete a 3-week customer research project with their team, share their insights, and get our help in applying their findings to their business model. We also create a more lasting bond between the founders in each cohort through extended interaction, and teach a more holistic curriculum than before.”
Cascador, a transformative programme for mid-stage entrepreneurs in Africa founded in 2019, has stated that the firm’s ultimate goal is impact.
This was stated during the Alumni Meeting of the company in Ikeja recently.
According to the Founder of Cascador, Dave DeLucia; “Impact can come in a variety of forms: social impact, job creation, innovative solutions to problems, or providing opportunities for women, the poor, or disadvantaged communities to advance. Rather than offering grants or working through NGOs, we have elected to power the entrepreneurs who are solving problems and making an impact through for-profit ventures.”
He said, “By developing leadership skills, financial acumen, connections, sources of capital and other resources to help them scale, we turbo charge their companies and make their impact possible. We also hope to inspire a spirit of humility, philanthropy and community that drives them to become leaders who give back to their country and community for years to come,”DeLucia added.
Speaking on the programme curriculum in 2024 and how it has bettered the entrepreneurs, Director of Cascador, Trish Thomas stated that “Our cohort members today have a much more expansive learning experience than our early Cascadors. A practical example of the improvement to our curriculum and timeline is that Founders have time to take their education back to their team and apply it in their real-world operating environment.”
In the past, she said “We taught the importance of knowing your customer and building your products, services and experiences around their needs. Today, our founders have time to complete a 3-week customer research project with their team, share their insights, and get our help in applying their findings to their business model. We also create a more lasting bond between the founders in each cohort through extended interaction, and teach a more holistic curriculum than before.”
L-R: Cascador Faculty, Dee Abudu; Cascador Co-director, Chidi Okoro; Cascador Program Director, Amanda Etuk; Cascador Founder, Dave Delucia; Cascador Program Director, Trish Thomas; and Cascador Administrator, Patrick Amajama; During the January 2025 Alumni Gathering in Lagos recently.
In 2024, to demonstrate its commitment to the Nigerian market, Cascador awarded personal development stipends and prizes to cohort members. Ms. Thomas has said “We were very excited to have the funding to provide $5,000 USD stipends to each member of the 2024 Cascador cohort. It’s very difficult to be an entrepreneur in Nigeria today. Lending standards are tough, inflation is high, FX is very unfavourable, and there is not a lot of outside capital flowing in.”
“We encouraged our entrepreneurs to use this capital for personal and professional development to grow as a leader and access much needed training and support. We conclude each Cascador programme with a pitch day. In 2024, for the first time, we awarded three cash prizes: Impact Award ($20,000 USD): Chioma Ifeanyi-Eze, and Accountinghub. Chioma is transforming digital literacy across Africa through Data Entry Academy, a training programme that is empowering adults with crucial workplace skills. Pitch Competition Winner ($20,000 USD): Godwin Benson, Tuteria. Godwin is revolutionizing access to quality education through an innovative tutoring platform and curated tutor-student matching that particularly serves children with special learning needs.
And finally, Exemplary Cascador Award ($10,000 USD): Oluwaseyi Adefemi, Drive45 Mobility. Seyi was honoured by his peers for outstanding leadership, collaboration, and his innovative approach to democratizing vehicle ownership through subscription services” Ms. Thomas revealed.
Speaking of the Cascador Alumni community, Programme Director of Cascador, Amanda Etuk said, “We have always maintained connectivity and advisory level availability to our Cascador alumni, but our support for our alumni community is about to increase dramatically. We have historically hosted regular alumni dinners, mentored on a case-by-case basis, made introductions, and offered guidance on strategy and governance – that will all continue.
But through additional funding for our endowment in 2024, hiring a full-time team, and engaging more contract professionals, we will have far greater time and resources to develop our Cascador founders. We are still working on the details (announcement coming soon!), but we will be investing and lending substantial capital to our alumni in 2025 and beyond. We will also be providing more ongoing education, networking opportunities, and improved mentorship and services to everyone who has participated in Cascador in the future,”she stated.
On 2025 and new programme features or benefits, she said, “We’re still working out the details on some aspects of our 2025 expansion, but I can share a few things in advance. Our new, expanded Cascador programme will continue this year. The alumni community can expect a much higher level of engagement, education and support from us. And thanks to a large funding infusion into our Foundation, we will be able to annually award loans and investment capital to our alumni. Once we have the details of our capital plan finalized, we will share the news publicly. But suffice it to say that alumni will have some great opportunities coming.”
Elaborating on the motivation behind the volunteers and effort to developing entrepreneurial leaders in Africa, DeLucia stressed that Nigeria offers such fertile ground for impact! “We love working with entrepreneurs who are smart, motivated, mission-driven and operate successful businesses in a very difficult business environment. “
According to him, “Our faculty are committed to making the world a better place and supporting and inspiring the business leaders of tomorrow. It is an honour to share our expertise, wisdom, connections and capital with such dedicated founders who will apply it to solve problems, help others and scale. Our faculty and mentors also hope that their example will contribute to a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nigeria and a spirit of cooperation and giving back that will lift the entire economy and society.”
About the Cascador Program
Cascador is an annual, no-cost program focused on business scale and designed for mid-stage African entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and their interpersonal skills by working with successful American and Nigerian entrepreneurs from a wide range of industry sectors, backgrounds and geographic locations.
Interested applicants, partners, sponsors and prospective faculty can learn more and contact the Cascador team atwww.cascador.org
Cascador, a transformative programme for mid-stage entrepreneurs in Africa founded in 2019, has stated that the firm’s ultimate goal is impact. This was stated during the Alumni Meeting of the company in Ikeja recently.
L-R: Cascador Faculty, Dee Abudu; Cascador Co-director, Chidi Okoro; Cascador Program Director, Amanda Etuk; Cascador Founder, Dave Delucia; Cascador Program Director, Trish Thomas; and Cascador Administrator, Patrick Amajama; during the January 2025 Alumni Gathering in Lagos recently.
According to the Founder of Cascador, Dave DeLucia; “Impact can come in a variety of forms: social impact, job creation, innovative solutions to problems, or providing opportunities for women, the poor, or disadvantaged communities to advance. Rather than offering grants or working through NGOs, we have elected to power the entrepreneurs who are solving problems and making an impact through for-profit ventures.”
L-R: Cascador Program Director, Amanda Etuk; Cascador Founder, Dave Delucia; Cascador Director, Trish Thomas; and Cascador Administrator, Patrick Amajama; during the 2025 Cascador Alumni meeting in Lagos recently.
He said, “By developing leadership skills, financial acumen, connections, sources of capital and other resources to help them scale, we turbo charge their companies and make their impact possible. We also hope to inspire a spirit of humility, philanthropy and community that drives them to become leaders who give back to their country and community for years to come,” DeLucia added.
Speaking on the programme curriculum in 2024 and how it has bettered the entrepreneurs, Director of Cascador, Trish Thomas stated that “Our cohort members today have a much more expansive learning experience than our early Cascadors. A practical example of the improvement to our curriculum and timeline is that Founders have time to take their education back to their team and apply it in their real-world operating environment.”
In the past, she said “We taught the importance of knowing your customer and building your products, services and experiences around their needs. Today, our founders have time to complete a 3-week customer research project with their team, share their insights, and get our help in applying their findings to their business model. We also create a more lasting bond between the founders in each cohort through extended interaction, and teach a more holistic curriculum than before.”
In 2024, to demonstrate its commitment to the Nigerian market, Cascador awarded personal development stipends and prizes to cohort members. Ms. Thomas has said “We were very excited to have the funding to provide $5,000 USD stipends to each member of the 2024 Cascador cohort. It’s very difficult to be an entrepreneur in Nigeria today. Lending standards are tough, inflation is high, FX is very unfavourable, and there is not a lot of outside capital flowing in.”
“We encouraged our entrepreneurs to use this capital for personal and professional development to grow as a leader and access much needed training and support. We conclude each Cascador programme with a pitch day. In 2024, for the first time, we awarded three cash prizes: Impact Award ($20,000 USD): Chioma Ifeanyi-Eze, Accountinghub. Chioma is transforming digital literacy across Africa through Data Entry Academy, a training programme that is empowering adults with crucial workplace skills. Pitch Competition Winner ($20,000 USD): Godwin Benson, Tuteria. Godwin is revolutionizing access to quality education through an innovative tutoring platform and curated tutor-student matching that particularly serves children with special learning needs.
And finally, Exemplary Cascador Award ($10,000 USD): Oluwaseyi Adefemi, Drive45 Mobility. Seyi was honoured by his peers for outstanding leadership, collaboration, and his innovative approach to democratizing vehicle ownership through subscription services” Ms. Thomas revealed.
Cascador, a Nigeria-based accelerator for mid-stage entrepreneurs, has unveiled the Catalytic Fund, a USD 2 M annual initiative aimed at bridging the funding gap for its alumni. Since launching in 2019, Cascador boasts supporting 60+ entrepreneurs, who have collectively raised over USD 55 M in capital.
The fund is designed to power growth, improve access to funding, and drive sustainable scaling for Nigerian businesses. Founder Dave DeLucia emphasised its focus on job creation, social impact, and unlocking opportunities for underserved communities.
Applications opened on February 14, with finalists pitching on May 14, 2025. An elite investment committee will evaluate businesses based on impact, viability, and financial sustainability.
Cascador has partnered with Nigerian lender Sterling Bank to offer alumni custom lending solutions with flexible repayment terms tailored to business cash flows. Additionally, the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) will sponsor innovation prizes of USD 10 K and USD 5 K, respectively, at the Pitch Day event.
Unlike traditional venture funds, the Catalytic Fund emphasises it prioritises long-term impact over profits, ensuring capital is preserved for future Cascador alumni.
Cascador and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) have formed a strategic partnership to drive innovation and support homegrown solutions with the potential for transformative impact.
According to a statement, the partnership will enable them build positive socio-economic outcomes through strategic domestic infrastructure investments and provide fiscal support in times of economic distress.
The partnership comes as Cascador launches its $2 million annual Catalytic Fund designed to provide growth capital to alumni of its programme, and follows NSIA’s launch of the third edition of the NSIA Prize for Innovation programme tailored to support early stage businesses within Agriculture, Healthcare and Education. NSIA’s involvement will further enhance the support available to promising entrepreneurs.
This year’s focus sectors include Healthcare, Education, and Agriculture—areas critical to Nigeria’s development and aligned with both organizations’ impact objectives.
Commenting, Founder of Cascador, Dave DeLucia, said: “By leveraging NSIA’s institutional expertise and Cascador’s track record of developing high-impact entrepreneurs, this partnership unlocks new opportunities for Nigerian business leaders tackling pressing societal challenges.”
Also commenting, Managing Director, NSIA, Aminu Umar-Sadiq said:”NSIA remains committed to expanding economic opportunities and advancing innovation as a key component of National development. We believe that supporting high-potential entrepreneurs is pivotal to driving sustainable economic growth. Correspondingly, our collaboration with Cascador aligns with our overall strategy to meaningfully create value in Nigeria.”
Similarly, CEO of Cascador, Trish Thomas, said: “Dedicated Cascador Prize for Impact valued at $45,000 with winners selected by Cascador representatives at the award ceremony for NPI finalists.”
“Both Cascador and NSIA believe in the power of innovation to create an impact in Nigeria. We are sponsoring prizes in each competition to motivate finalists for the NSIA Prize for Innovation and the Cascador Catalytic Fund to focus on leveraging imagination and drive to solve tough challenges. Our intent is that these prizes accelerate efforts in the business community to make a positive impact on the world.”
The NSIA Prize for Innovation is a multi-year initiative dedicated to supporting early-stage businesses with the potential for transformative impact. The competition, which is currently open for applications until 5th April, 2025, aims to identify, build, and finance early-stage innovative solutions that have the potential to catalyze economic growth, enhance the nation’s productive capacity, and create jobs.
NPI 3.0 offers Nigerian innovators the opportunity to win a combined prize value of $220,000. Others include five-week, all-expenses-paid training program in Silicon Valley, USA, enhanced visibility for portfolio companies through joint promotional activities, access to NSIA’s extensive network of partners and resources. The Cascador 2025 programme applications opens on April 1 and submissions for the NSIA Prize for Innovation closes on April 5.
Cascador, a premier accelerator for mid-stage Nigerian entrepreneurs, and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (‘NSIA’ or ‘The Authority’) – one of the premier investment institutions of the Federation with a three-fold mandate to create a savings base for future generations of Nigerians and a catalyst towards positive socio-economic outcomes through strategic domestic infrastructure investments, providing fiscal support in times of economic distress – have formed a strategic partnership to drive innovation and support homegrown solutions with the potential for transformative impact.
This collaboration represents a major step in both organizations’ shared mission to accelerate sustainable economic growth, expand opportunities for Nigerian entrepreneurs and reposition them for global relevance.
By leveraging NSIA’s institutional expertise and Cascador’s track record of developing high-impact entrepreneurs, this partnership unlocks new opportunities for Nigerian business leaders tackling pressing societal challenges, said Dave DeLucia, Founder of Cascador.
NSIA remains committed to expanding economic opportunities and advancing innovation as a key component of National development. We believe that supporting high-potential entrepreneurs is pivotal to driving sustainable economic growth.
Correspondingly, our collaboration with Cascador aligns with our overall strategy to meaningfully create value in Nigeria, said Aminu Umar-Sadiq, Managing Director of NSIA.
Enhanced Opportunities for Entrepreneurs
The partnership comes as Cascador launches its $2 million annual Catalytic Fund designed to provide growth capital to alumni of its program, and follows NSIA’s launch of the third edition of the NSIA Prize for Innovation programme tailored to support early stage businesses within Agriculture, Healthcare and Education. NSIA’s involvement will further enhance the support available to promising entrepreneurs.
Applications for Cascador’s Catalytic Fund were open only to Cascador alumni who had completed the program. Cascador has produced six cohorts of mission driven entrepreneurs since 2019. The program will culminate in a Pitch Day Event on May 14, 2025, where finalists will present their ventures to a distinguished panel of judges and investors, including representatives from NSIA.
A $10,000 NSIA Prize for Innovation will be awarded at the event to the Cascador alumni whose business proposition best exemplifies the spirit of creativity and innovation that NSIA is fostering across Nigeria through theNSIA Prize for Innovation– an initiative focused on encouraging youth entrepreneurship through funding, mentorship, peer to peer knowledge exchange and high impact networking.
Cascador Supports the Third Edition of the NSIA Prize for Innovation (NPI 3.0).
TheNSIA Prize for Innovation is a multi-year initiative dedicated to supporting early-stage businesses with the potential for transformative impact. The competition, which is currently open for applications until 5th April, 2025, aims to identify, build, and finance early-stage innovative solutions that have the potential to catalyze economic growth, enhance the nation’s productive capacity, and create jobs.
NPI 3.0 offers Nigerian innovators the opportunity to win:
A combined prize value of $220,000
Dedicated Cascador Prize for Impact valued at $45,000($15,000 to three winners)with winners selected by Cascador representatives at the award ceremony for NPI finalists
Five-week, all-expenses-paid training program in Silicon Valley, USA
Enhanced visibility for portfolio companies through joint promotional activities
Access to NSIA’s extensive network of partners and resources
This year’s focus sectors include Healthcare, Education, and Agriculture—areas critical to Nigeria’s development and aligned with both organizations’ impact objectives.
Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador, discussed the financial incentives for entrepreneurs, saying,
Both Cascador and NSIA believe in the power of innovation to create an impact in Nigeria. We are sponsoring prizes in each competition to motivate finalists for the NSIA Prize for Innovation and the Cascador Catalytic Fund to focus on leveraging imagination and drive to solve tough challenges. Our intent is that these prizes accelerate efforts in the business community to make a positive impact on the world.
Cascador 2025 program applications open April 1st. To learn more about Cascador and to apply, visit here.Submissions for the NSIA Prize for Innovation close on April 5th. For more information and to apply, visit here.
Koolboks is scaling solar-powered cold-chain infrastructure across Africa and beyond, helping improve access to reliable refrigeration in communities where traditional cold storage is expensive, unreliable, or unavailable.
In 2025, the company achieved its highest sales to date while expanding operations across Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, France, and 21 additional countries. Beyond commercial growth, Koolboks’ impact spans food security, healthcare access, climate resilience, and economic opportunity. Its solutions help reduce spoilage and operating costs while supporting women-led enterprises and creating income and skills opportunities for young people.
Koolboks has also raised more than $18M in funding to support its continued expansion and innovation across Africa.
