by Ali Kennedy | Sep 9, 2026 | Press Release
The investment supports the company’s next phase of growth while demonstrating TLG’s innovative approach to financing high-quality African businesses, with Cascador playing a key role in structuring the transaction.
9 September, 2026, Lagos – TLG Capital, a leading private credit firm operating across Sub-Saharan Africa, has closed a US$3,000,000 senior debt facility for Drive45 Mobility Limited (“Drive45”), a Lagos-based transportation company providing mobility solutions to international and local businesses across Nigeria. The investment strengthens Drive45’s balance sheet and positions the company for its next phase of growth as demand for mobility services continues to increase across the country.
Founded in 2021, Drive45 has built a focused business aimed at closing Nigeria’s mobility gap, giving international and local businesses access to reliable transportation without the capital burden of vehicle ownership. Today, the company operates more than 170 active vehicles and has recorded no payment defaults in five years of operation.
The facility will support Drive45’s continued expansion, enabling the company to deploy more capital into fleet growth, broaden its customer base, and deepen its presence across Nigeria. In the coming years, it aims to increase its footprint to Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and other major business hubs across Nigeria.
The transaction combines TLG’s flexible private credit with a guarantee provided by Cascador, delivered in partnership with Morgan Stanley. Through this innovative partnership, high-growth African businesses like Drive45 can access the institutional capital suited to their growth. Cascador has delivered financial and non-financial resources to the company since Drive45 completed Cascador’s ScaleUp programme in 2024, and this transaction sees Cascador extend that support, this time through a creative financing mechanism.
Isha Doshi, Co-Founder and Partner at TLG Capital, said:
“Drive45 is a prime example of disciplined capital deployment to meet a clear market need. Oluwaseyi and his team have a very clear vision for what mobility can look like in Nigeria’s business community – and they have built a fantastic business around it. TLG is proud to support Drive45 in its expansion journey. This transaction also would not have been possible without Cascador. It’s easy to see how they’ve built an exceptional track record in Nigeria: they combine seasoned experience in the market with a relentless bias towards action. This is exactly the type of partner we look to grow with.”
Oluwaseyi Adefemi, CEO of Drive45, said:
“Mobility access is a capital business, so having the right financial backing is everything. TLG has been a thoughtful partner from day one. They took the time to understand how our business works and structured their capital to fit the growth trajectory we know is possible. Ultimately, their money goes directly towards our plans to reach more businesses across Nigeria. Just as important has been Cascador. They believed in Drive45 from our earliest days, gave us the tools and network to become investment-ready, and have worked alongside us every step of the way to help structure this financing. We’re grateful to have them as long-term partners as we keep scaling,”
Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador, said:
“So many investors focus on getting capital out the door without thinking about setting companies up for long-term viability. TLG is an exception: not only are they commercially-minded, but they have a unique drive to get things done with speed, imagination, and excellence. Funders looking for true economic impact in Africa should look to TLG as an execution-focused financing partner. This partnership is perfect for a company like Drive45. Oluwaseyi and his team have built a business with real corporate demand and the integrity to match it. That’s exactly what Cascador exists to find, and it’s been a privilege watching them grow into a business ready for commercial capital. We’re thrilled to have played a part in getting them here, and we’re always looking for opportunities to elevate high-performing founders leading sustainable, impactful companies.”
TLG will continue to work closely with Drive45 following the investment through its value creation framework, partnering with management to strengthen governance, ESG monitoring, operational performance and strategic growth initiatives as the business continues to scale.
The Drive45 team was led by Oluwaseyi Adefemi. The TLG Capital deal team comprised Aum Thacker and Rohan Subramanian. Legal counsel for the transaction were Simon Harter, Hannaford Turner, and Wigwe and Partners. Cascador supported the transaction as guarantor and Drive45’s accelerator partner.
About TLG Capital
TLG Capital is a leading private credit fund manager exclusively focused on sub-Saharan Africa. TLG has made 50+ investments and 30+ exits across 20+ African countries since its inception in 2012. TLG’s flagship fund, Africa Growth Impact Fund II (AGIF II), targets small-and-medium enterprises and is anchored by the IFC, Norfund, Swedfund, and Bpifrance. TLG is trusted by more than 100 institutional and individual investors across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. For more information, visit www.tlgcapital.com.
About Drive45
Drive45 Mobility is a Nigerian mobility company transforming access to vehicle ownership through a flexible rent-to-own vehicle subscription model. We enable individuals and businesses to access vehicles with manageable payments and minimal upfront capital. Our offering combines vehicle financing with insurance, maintenance, tracking, documentation, and fleet management. Drive45 is building a scalable pathway to affordable mobility and vehicle ownership across Africa. Learn more at www.drive45mobility.com.
About Cascador
Cascador is a Nigeria-focused platform for growth-stage founders, powered by the Empowering Economic Growth Foundation (EEGF), a US-based private operating foundation dedicated to strengthening Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Since launching in 2019, Cascador has supported more than 70 ventures, which have collectively raised over $125 million in capital and created tens of thousands of jobs. Through its ScaleUp Programme and Catalytic Fund, a $5+ million annual financing vehicle launched 2025, Cascador equips growth-stage founders with mentorship, strategic advisory support, and access to debt, equity and credit guarantees. Learn more and apply at www.cascador.org.
by Ali Kennedy | Sep 2, 2026 | Press Release
Companies span diverse sectors, creating jobs, and driving growth across Nigeria
2 September, 2026, Lagos – Cascador, a Nigeria-focused platform that unlocks the potential of the region’s most transformative entrepreneurs, today announces its new cohort as it kicks off the 12-week 2026 ScaleUp Program. The 10 selected Nigerian growth-stage companies represent an elite class of businesses that are driving healthcare access, food security, clean energy, and job creation across the country.
Chosen from more than 1,000 qualified applications, this cohort reflects Cascador’s strategic shift toward ambitious growth-stage businesses poised for scale, with proven traction from Nigeria’s real economy and tech-driven industries.
The 10 companies are:
- Venco – Bringing payments, utilities, communications and operations for multi-tenanted communities onto one digital platform.
- SunFi – Powering solar adoption through a digital platform for financing, distribution, installation and management of clean-energy products and services.
- ColdHubs – Helping farmers, traders and food businesses reduce post-harvest losses through solar-powered cold storage.
- EHA Clinics – Expanding access to comprehensive primary healthcare through integrated digital, pharmacy and home-care services.
- Beauty Hut Africa – Building Africa’s beauty commerce infrastructure through technology-enabled retail and distribution of local and global beauty products.
- BEYOND Fitness – Combining fitness, recovery and community to create premium wellness experiences for professionals and teams.
- Ziba Beach Resort – Building experience-led leisure destinations that unlock the potential of Nigeria’s domestic tourism market.
- Tulay Africa – Connecting global industrial buyers with African producers to build a reliable supply of export-grade critical minerals.
- Maanj Agric – Connecting smallholder farmers to financing, climate-smart inputs, storage and markets through a coordinated farming network.
- Finger Chops – Producing and distributing high-quality bread at scale to households, retailers and institutions across Nigeria.
“We’re incredibly proud to be part of Cascador’s 2026 ScaleUp Program. The mentorship, resources and networks the program provides will accelerate our growth to transform how residential and commercial communities operate across Africa. As we scale, our goal is to bring our secure and efficient technology platform to more communities across new cities and countries, giving the managers who run them better tools to serve their residents,” said Chude Osiegbu, CEO and Co-Founder of Venco”
With 60% of businesses in this year’s cohort led by women and founders from 5 out of 6 regions across Nigeria, the cohort brings together a diverse range of perspectives, experiences and market knowledge. The diversity of the cohort, combined with the depth of Cascador’s influential network of faculty, mentors and advisors, creates opportunities to foster new partnerships, broaden networks, expand market access and unlock growth beyond their individual businesses.
“The founders in our 2026 ScaleUp program reflect the ambition, resilience and entrepreneurial talent driving Nigeria’s economy forward. Their businesses are already creating jobs, generating value and spurring growth across some of the country’s most important sectors. Our focus now is helping them scale further and unlock their full potential, giving them the training, mentorship, networks and leadership skills needed to power their next phase of growth,” said Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador.
The 2026 ScaleUp Program will include:
- Bespoke 1:1 support from investors, African and international experts, and strategic partners
- Eligibility for follow-on funding through Cascador’s Catalytic Fund, which deploys up to $5 million annually in growth capital through local currency debt, equity, and guarantees in partnership with Sterling Bank.
- 12-week program: 2 weeks of in-person sessions, including the program kickoff and pitch week, packaged with 10 weeks of virtual sessions for founders and their leadership teams
- Live Pitch Day, for the chance to be awarded $50k USD in prizes
“Finger Chops has been able to grow from a catering service into a trusted full-scale bakery serving communities and businesses. But our vision does not stop there; we want to build a leading African food manufacturing company rooted in quality, locally sourced products and operational excellence. Being selected for Cascador’s 2026 ScaleUp Program brings us closer to making that vision a reality, and we look forward to all the opportunities it brings,” said Adenike (Oyebola) Fetuga, CEO of Finger Chops.
Since 2019, Cascador has supported 70 ventures that have collectively raised $125 million in capital. In 2025 alone, Cascador’s alumni delivered essential products and services to more than 1.7 million customers.
“The next chapter of Nigeria’s entrepreneurial story will be about what happens when proven businesses get the support they need to scale. That is the opportunity this cohort brings, where visionaries, innovators and impact-driven leaders can grow their businesses sustainably with lasting economic value,” said David DeLucia, Co-Founder of Cascador.
You can register to be notified when applications open for Cascador’s next cohort here.
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About Cascador
Cascador is a Nigeria-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 that have collectively raised over $125 million. Today, 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
by Ali Kennedy | Aug 14, 2026 | Press Release
Announced in celebration of International Youth Day 2026, the program will award top-performing founders up to ₦5 million in non-dilutive funding
14 August 2026, Abuja – The Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD), through the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), today announced a new partnership with Cascador, a Nigeria-focused platform for growth-stage founders, to fund and support the next generation of Nigerian youth entrepreneurs. The announcement coincides with International Youth Day 2026, whose global theme this year — “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations” — calls on institutions to close the gap between young people’s circumstances and their opportunities.
The NiYA × Cascador Founders Program will run as a pilot cohort of 20 early-stage Nigerian youth founders, many without formal business registration or a financial track record. Over an intensive four-week curriculum, they’ll develop business fundamentals, investment readiness, and pitch preparation. At the program’s close, the eight top-performing founders will receive non-dilutive funding of up to ₦5 million each from Cascador, along with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution to help structure, manage, and scale their business operations, at a NiYA/FMYD-organised Pitch Day.
The pilot is an early step toward NiYA’s broader ambition to train and empower 7 million Nigerian youth within two years.
“For NiYA, training is only one part of the journey. The real value is in helping young people move from learning to enterprise, from ideas to investable businesses, and from potential to sustainable economic participation. The partnership with Cascador strengthens that pathway by combining business preparation with access to capital, particularly for young founders who may not yet have the formal structures or financial history that traditional funding often requires,” the Minister said.
The program pairs NiYA and FMYD’s reach into Nigeria’s youth ecosystem with Cascador’s experience preparing founders for capital. NiYA and FMYD manage sourcing, training, and day-to-day delivery; Cascador helps define eligibility criteria, supports the cohort’s investment readiness, judges the participants’ pitches, and funds the program’s top performers.
“NiYA and FMYD have already shown what real commitment to Nigeria’s youth looks like — the platforms, the reach, the ambition to train millions. What we’re building together now is the missing piece, a practical bridge from the ideation stage to real capital-readiness. When a Ministry so dedicated to its young people asked Cascador to help build that bridge, it was an easy decision,” said Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador.
Oyin Solebo, COO of Cascador and former Managing Director of the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, highlighted the partnership’s impact, saying, “This is what innovative capital deployment looks like: a government building real investment readiness at scale, and a partner meeting that foundational work with non-dilutive funding at exactly the moment it’s needed. Partnerships like this open doors that neither of us could open alone.”
“The Minister for Youth also speaks on what the pilot represents, stating, “The pilot is deliberately designed to test a model that can go beyond one cohort. If young founders can be identified early, prepared properly, connected to credible capital and supported to build stronger business systems, then access to opportunity becomes less dependent on background or existing networks. That is the larger objective: to build a youth entrepreneurship ecosystem in which readiness, ideas and execution can increasingly determine who gets the opportunity to grow.”
The pilot will run in-person in Abuja with virtual touchpoints and 1:1 mentorship. All 20 graduates retain NiYA alumni status, with priority consideration for future opportunities.
Applications will open on Wednesday 19th August 2026. Interested youth entrepreneurs can visit www.niya.gov.ng to learn more and apply.
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About the Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD) and NiYA
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD) is the Federal Government of Nigeria’s institution responsible for providing strategic leadership and a sustainable framework for policies, programmes, and initiatives that empower young Nigerians and enhance their participation in national development. The Ministry works with government institutions, private-sector organisations, development partners, and other stakeholders to expand opportunities for youth in areas including skills development, entrepreneurship, employment, innovation, digital transformation, leadership, and economic participation.
The Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA) is a flagship digital platform of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development designed to provide Nigerian youth with access to learning, skills development, opportunities, resources, and programmes that support their personal and professional growth. Through a digital-first approach, NiYA seeks to connect young Nigerians to relevant training, entrepreneurship support, career opportunities, grants, mentorship, and other interventions, creating a more accessible and coordinated ecosystem for youth development.
Together, FMYD and NiYA are advancing a more connected, empowered, and opportunity-driven generation of Nigerian youth, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, networks, and opportunities required to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
About Cascador
Cascador is a Nigeria-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 that have collectively raised over $125 million. Today, 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
by Ali Kennedy | Aug 10, 2026 | Press Release
Lagos, Nigeria – August 4, 2026 — EHA Impact Ventures (EIV) and Cascador convened founders, investors, healthcare leaders, and ecosystem stakeholders for the Health Founders’ Table, an intimate gathering designed to foster honest conversations about the realities of building health-focused ventures in Africa.
The event brought together entrepreneurs working across healthcare delivery, health technology, and nutrition to explore some of the most pressing challenges facing founders today. Discussions focused on access to capital, talent retention, regulatory readiness, market access, and building sustainable businesses capable of delivering long-term impact.
Unlike traditional conferences, the Health Founders’ Table was intentionally designed as a space for candid dialogue and practical problem-solving. Participants engaged directly with industry leaders and peers to exchange experiences, lessons learned, and actionable strategies.
“Building a business can be isolating. Building a health business can be even more so,” said Adam Thompson, Co-Founder of EHA Impact Ventures and CEO of EHA Group. “The solutions to many of these challenges already exist within the ecosystem; founders simply need opportunities to learn from one another.”
Among the key themes that emerged was the changing landscape for startup financing. Founders discussed the realities of operating in a more concentrated funding environment and explored alternative pathways to growth, including revenue-based expansion, strategic partnerships, grants, customer contracts, and local financing mechanisms.
The conversation also tackled one of the most pressing realities facing businesses across the continent: talent migration, commonly known as “japa.” During the session on managing talent exodus, Ijeoma Anunibe, Group Head of Human Resources at African Capital Alliance, challenged founders to rethink their approach to talent retention and continuity planning.
“People leave. That’s not failure. It’s a fact. Plan around it,” she said. Participants explored practical approaches to retaining critical talent, maintaining relationships with professionals who relocate, and designing organizations that can continue to thrive despite workforce disruptions.
Market access proved just as central to the day’s conversations. Unoma Grant, Executive Director and COO of Paelon Memorial Hospital, described how a hospital’s decision to work with a founder has to clear four separate tests at once — clinical, operational, financial, and governance — before a single “yes” translates into real market access. Her sharpest note was on why founders stall at this stage: “A pilot without a defined decision, a named data owner, and a set end date is not a pilot. It is unpaid research that happens to run inside a hospital.” Without that discipline, a pilot can run for months without ever converting into the access it was meant to test.
Reflecting on the discussions, Kudzayi Hove, CEO/Co-Founder of Amayi Foods, noted: “One thing that stood out to me was how grounded in reality the sessions were, especially when we were exploring different funding pathways for our businesses.”
Speaking on the importance of the gathering, Amanda Etuk, Program Director at Cascador, said: “Founders often face similar challenges in isolation. By creating opportunities for shared learning and collaboration, EHA Impact Ventures and Cascador are helping strengthen the ecosystem supporting entrepreneurs working to improve health outcomes across Africa.”
The event reinforced a central message: while access to capital remains important, sustainable growth depends equally on trust, market access, talent, and strong partnerships.
EHA Impact Ventures and Cascador continue their mission of supporting founders building solutions in Africa and creating spaces where entrepreneurs can access not only funding, but also the networks, knowledge, and strategic support needed to grow their impact.
About EHA Impact Ventures
EHA Impact Ventures (EIV) is a gender-lens impact investing firm under The EHA Group, backing women-led businesses building innovative health, nutrition, and livelihoods solutions across Africa. Through flexible capital, strategic support, and access to networks, EIV helps founders scale businesses that create measurable social impact while building sustainable enterprises.To learn more, visit https://www.eha.ventures/
Media Contact: Sumayyah Ibrahim | Email: sumayyah.ibrahim@eha.ventures
Investor Contact: Evelyn Castle | Email: evelyn@eha.ventures
About Cascador
Cascador is a Nigeria-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 that have collectively raised over $125 million. Today, 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
Media Contact: cascador@wimbart.com
by Ali Kennedy | Jun 3, 2026 | Press Release
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
by Ali Kennedy | Apr 1, 2026 | Press Release
Empowering High-Growth Entrepreneurs with Capital, Guidance, and Tools to Scale
1 April, 2026, Lagos – Cascador, an Africa-focused platform that unlocks the potential of the region’s most transformative entrepreneurs, has today announced the opening of applications for its 2026 Cascador ScaleUp Program, for an elite class of ambitious founders poised to scale their companies. Focused on both real economy and technology-enabled ventures, the program equips growth-stage entrepreneurs with the leadership skills, strategic clarity, and network to succeed, while also preparing founders to apply for $2–5 million annually in debt or equity capital through the Cascador Catalytic Fund.
Cascador will select 12 founders who are leading companies with proven traction for a hybrid experience that will include:
- Bespoke 1:1 support from investors, African and international experts, and strategic partners
- Eligibility for follow-on funding through Cascador’s Catalytic Fund, which deploys $2–5 million annually in growth capital through local currency debt, equity, guarantees, and collateral investments in partnership with Sterling Bank.
- 12-week program: 2 weeks in-person sessions – including the program kickoff and pitch week, packaged with 10 weeks of virtual sessions for founders and their leadership teams
- Live Pitch Day, for the chance to be awarded $50k USD in prizes
The application process is two-fold, with a preliminary application requiring 15 minutes to complete, followed by a full application for well-qualified founders. Early submission of the preliminary application is encouraged. Benefits include: personal interviews, exclusive event participation, and early semi-finalist notification for top applicants.
Applications are open now and close on June 15, with the program commencing on August 15.
“Entrepreneurs are the engines of change. At Cascador, our goal is to help accelerate growth-stage founders who we consider great multipliers, building businesses that transform lives, communities, and markets. This Program is designed to empower impactful ventures on the cusp of scale for social good,” said Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador.
Since 2019, Cascador has supported 70 ventures that have collectively raised $125 million in capital. In 2025 alone, Cascador’s alumni created over 67,000 job opportunities and delivered essential products and services to more than 1.7 million customers. The 2026 program aims to multiply this impact by supporting a new generation of business leaders who are ambitious, adaptable, and capable of using both knowledge and capital to scale high-performing companies that deliver meaningful, lasting social and economic impact.
“The ScaleUp program is designed to back entrepreneurs who see possibilities where others see limits; they are the ones redefining Africa’s future. Even with great vision, committed teams, and market-fit products, there are a myriad of challenges to navigate as a business. Cascador provides the customized, structural support they need to overcome obstacles, scale with confidence, and create lasting impact across Africa,” commented David DeLucia, Co-Founder of Cascador
Cascador has developed a personalized approach to growth acceleration that engages the founder and their leadership team in targeted knowledge-sharing, high-value introductions, advisory support, and resource allocations that enable rapid scale. Today, Cascador boasts 7 successful cohorts, including Babatunde Akin-Moses (Sycamore), Joycee Awosika (ORÍKÌ), Samson Ogbole (Soiless Farm Lab), Ayoola Dominic (Koolboks), Andrew Airelobhegbe (Lenco), Adeola Alli (OneHealth), Seun Alley (Fez Delivery), Seyi Adefemi (Drive45 Mobility), and many others, who are driving innovation, creating jobs, raising investment capital, winning awards, and changing the face of the African economy.
“Cascador has given me the clarity to lead more effectively and strategically,” reflected Oluwaseyi Adefemi, Co-Founder and CEO of Drive45Mobility and recipient of N2bn in funding in 2025 and the Exemplary Cascador Award 2024. “My forward-thinking approach is now ten steps ahead, and I’m making decisions with greater discipline. The program challenged me to think bigger, refine my vision, and build systems that allow my business to grow sustainably. Today, I lead with greater purpose, and I’m better equipped to scale my impact,” he added.
Applications are open now and close on June 15, with the program commencing on August 15. An in-person Open House event will also be held on April 29 in Abuja and on May 5 in Lagos, providing applicants with additional information on the program, Q&A sessions with alumni and networking opportunities. Please check the website for further details.
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About Cascador
Cascador is an Africa-focused platform for growth-stage founders building businesses that matter. Through Cascador ScaleUp, its flagship program, Cascador works with an elite cohort of entrepreneurs to strengthen their leadership and sharpen their strategy, preparing them for responsible scale. By connecting successful ventures to the networks, capital, and strategic support required to grow, Cascador is helping build the next generation of enduring African businesses. Since 2019, Cascador has supported 70 founders who have collectively raised over $125 million and created almost 67,000 jobs in 2025 alone. Learn more and apply at www.cascador.org.
