NBA Africa has announced the 10 startup finalists selected for the second edition of its Triple-Double Accelerator, a pan-African initiative to support early-stage ventures in the sport and creative industries. The finalists were chosen from over 700 applications submitted from across Africa, representing diverse innovations in sports tech, creative platforms, and wellness solutions.
These startups will present their projects at a “Demo Day” scheduled for 5 December 2025 at Carnegie Mellon University Africa (CMU‑Africa) in Kigali, Rwanda. Five of the finalists will be awarded financial support and a place in CMU‑Africa’s 12‑month Business Incubation Program (Innovation Hub), helping them scale from prototypes or pilot stage to market-ready solutions.
The 10 finalists selected for this year’s accelerator include:
- Athlon Technology (Egypt) – Mobile and AI solutions for amateur sports video analysis.
- Atsur (Nigeria) – Blockchain platform to support African artists and art communities.
- CoLab (South Africa) – Collaboration platform for creatives and entrepreneurs.
- Contestify (Nigeria) – Transparent, real-time contest management for events and competitions.
- Fitclan (Egypt) – Digital fitness hub with flexible subscription models.
- Novate (Morocco) – VR experiences for immersive football viewing.
- ProPath Sports (Kenya) – Data-driven athlete discovery and development platform.
- Reborn (Morocco) – Athlete performance monitoring and training optimization.
- Safia Health (Kenya) – Integrates fitness, recovery, and mental wellbeing tracking.
- SongDis (Nigeria) – Digital distribution platform for African independent artists.
Past Rwandan Participation
While the current cohort’s country-specific details are not fully disclosed, previous editions have included Rwandan startups. For example, in the 2024 inaugural edition, a Rwandan company named Backrest, creator of the wearable payment solution “WristWrist”, was selected as a finalist. The ongoing presence of Rwandan startups highlights the country’s growing role as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa.
The CEO of NBA Africa, Clare Akamanzi, emphasized the significance of the program: “These startups represent the bold spirit of innovation rising across the continent — where creativity meets purpose, and ideas have the power to scale beyond borders.” She stressed that initiatives like the Triple‑Double Accelerator aim to bridge the gap between African startups and global markets.
For Rwanda, hosting the Demo Day at CMU‑Africa in Kigali is especially meaningful. It positions the country as a hub for continental innovation, providing startups with mentorship, funding, and access to networks that could accelerate their growth and contribute to the broader Rwandan and African tech ecosystem. The spotlight on these startups is expected to inspire more local entrepreneurs and strengthen Rwanda’s role in Africa’s digital economy.
