ABOUT WAZO CHALLENGE NIGERIA

Wazo Challenge Nigeria is aimed at 18 - 35 years old Nigerians, who have an idea to solve a local business / social problem, using technology. With a near 220 Mn population having 220 Mn mobile phone subscriptions and 122 Mn internet users - technology will help take the leap forward, and solve social and business problems.

We are looking for enterprising youth (as individuals or teams) to use technology (Software / Hardware / Software+Hardware), and solve for one of the below -

Financial
Services

Healthcare
Services

Agriculture
Services

Retail & Supply Chain

Education
Services

Sustainability
Services

TAKEAWAYS FROM THE CHALLENGE

Venture Bootcamp

30 high-potential founders will be selected for a 4-week venture mentorship and leadership development bootcamp, that will be delivered by successful founders, industry leaders, domain experts and investors from Hindsight Ventures and Lagos Innovates global network. The Venture Bootcamp will help establish / reiterate basic venture development processes, enable industry connections, international networks, peer community and more. During the course of the bootcamp, each selected startup will get access to $600,000 worth of technology credits that will help them build fast.


[Here’s a snapshot of the Venture Bootcamp]

Week 1
Foundation

  • Product Market Fit: Review, Identifying Gaps and Refining the idea

  • Revisiting the Business Model

  • Understanding Mission, Vision, and Goals

  • Branding and Design

  • Legal And IP

  • Elevator Pitch for Investor and Customer

Week 3
Go- to Market and Scale

  • Business Scalable Strategies

  • Marketing Messaging

  • Customer Acquisition

  • Financial Modelling

  • Unit Economics

Week 2
Customer Development

  • Customer Journey Mapping, Customer Segmentation, Value Proposition

  • Customer Profiling/Validation

  • Leadership, Work Life Balance, Business Culture

Week 4
Pitch Ready

  • Funding

  • Pitch coaching and mock pitches

  • Final Investor, Customer and Partner Pitches

Technology Credits

Each startup gets in excess of $600,000 in technology credits from partners such as AWS, Zoho, IBM, Microsoft, Canva, DigitalOcean, FreshWorks and more.

Co-working Office Spaces

Shortlisted startups also get an access to Co-working Office Spaces vouchers for 6-12 months depending on the stage of the startups.

International Demo Day

The Venture Bootcamp will culminate with an international demo day, wherein the Top-10 - 12 startups from the cohort will pitch to an audience comprising investors and corporates. Prior to the demo day, the cohort will be ably coached by pitch coaches, to ensure that each pitch is succinct and conveys a compelling story.

Cash Prizes

Money! Money! Money!
There’s a USD 5,000 grant money at stake, and the cohort will be pitching for the same. In addition, we sincerely hope that the international demo day will attract venture investors to take a serious look at the cohort, and many will get investor interest.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Nigerian national(s) in the age group of 18 - 30 years

If the company is incorporated within the immediate past 18-months

Minimum team size of 3 people

Uniqueness of the idea

Social and Community Impact

Innovation

Market Opportunity

Market Feasibility

MEET OUR JURY

Wazo Challenge Nigeria will be judged by a jury of prominent local stakeholders, who will be selecting the Top-10 Applications on the basis of the above criteria.

Ajay Ramasubramaniam
Co-Founder & CEO
Hindsight Ventures
Hakeem Onasanya
Head, Startups (Lagos Innovates)
LSETF
Folarin Aiyegbusi
Head of Startup Ecosystem, Africa
Google

OUR MENTORS

Ganiu Odewale
Digital Payment Consultant
Olusegun Maleghemi
Chief Innovation Officer
Ouranos Lab
Yvonne Obike
Co-Founder & COO
PayDay
Yewande Sulaiman
Managing Consultant
ProduqtEdge
Taha Jiwaji
Founder & CEO
Beem
Chirag Savla
Business Head- Kenya & Tanzania
Godrej
Prabhav Garudadhwajan
Director
Easy Krishi
Ian Fernandes
Standard Chartered Ventures
Vidya Jayaraman
Founder
Math Adventures (Previous Exit to Byju's)

TIMELINES

Build for the Future, today.

Apply Now!

Supported By

Ecosystem Partners

Program FAQs

Wazo Challenge Nigeria is aimed at validating and mentoring early stage tech entrepreneurs through a 4 weeks long bootcamp.

4 Weeks from the date of cohort announcement. We expect the program to start in the first week of October 2023 and go on till the November 2023.

The bootcamp will focus on experiential learning and development of the selected founders. These startup founders will go through various mentorship sessions with global experts, 1-on-1 anchor mentor lead sessions, investor connects, business connect in the span of 4 weeks.

No. The program is not charging any fees.

You can apply provided you are a Nigerian national, currently living in Nigeria and solving a problem in Nigeria, using technology.

We are looking for enterprising youth (as individuals or teams) to use technology (Software / Hardware / Software+Hardware), and solve for one of the below,

  • Financial Services
  • Healthcare
  • Agriculture
  • Retail & Supply Chain
  • Education
  • Sustainability

You can fill-up our online application form with your idea/early stage startup that you are working on. You can apply as an individual or as a team of upto 5 members.

Applications will be selected through a 2 stage process. Stage-1 wherein your application will qualify you for Stage-2 wherein you will be interviewed by the program team. 30 startup ideas / teams will be selected.

We will be using a weighted average score to qualify applying startups on a score of 100 points.

  • If the company is incorporated within the immediate past 18-months [5]
  • Nigerian national(s) in the age group of 18 - 35 years [5]
  • Minimum team of 3 people [10]
  • Uniqueness of the idea [20]
  • Social and Community Impact [25]
  • Innovation [15]
  • Market Opportunity [10]
  • Market Feasibility [10]

Yes, having a prototype or some early traction is always preferable. We are open to receiving napkin-stage ideas.

Yes, it is a hybrid program.