NBA Africa confirmed that more than 700 applications were received from across the continent, yet this years final 10 startups came exclusively from Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa. Despite Cameroons thriving entrepreneurial spirit and a rapidly developing tech scene, none of the countrys applicants advanced to the final round. This Years 10 Finalists The 2025 finalists selected for the Triple-Double Accelerator are: Athlon Technology Egypt AI-powered video analysis tools for amateur sports teams. Atsur Nigeria A blockchain-based platform promoting global investment in African art. CoLab South Africa A creative industry platform connecting artists, entrepreneurs and professionals. Contestify Nigeria A real-time contest management platform offering automated scoring and payouts. Fitclan Egypt A digital fitness ecosystem offering flexible subscriptions for individuals and corporate clients. Novate Morocco An immersive VR football experience offering multi-angle viewing and live stats. ProPath Sports Kenya A data-driven athlete discovery and development system. Reborn Morocco Athlete performance analytics providing deep insight into physical readiness and on-field optimization. Safia Health Kenya A holistic wellness platform integrating training, recovery and mental well-being data. SongDis Nigeria A digital distribution service tailored to independent African artists and labels.
These startups now advance to the Demo Day stage, scheduled for Dec. 5 at Carnegie Mellon University Africa CMU-Africa in Kigali, Rwanda. A panel of international industry leaders will evaluate the companies before selecting five winners who will receive financial support and enrollment in CMU-Africas 12-month Business Incubation Program.
Reflecting on this years selection, NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi praised the quality of submissions and emphasized the continents growing creative and technological momentum. The quality of this years applications reflects the incredible talent and creativity among Africas young entrepreneurs as well as the important role that the sport and creative industries are playing in the continents development, Akamanzi said. 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. Her remarks underscore the programs objective: to nurture ideas that can transform the sports, entertainment and creative ecosystems across Africa.
Cameroons Absence: A Gap, but Also an Opportunity
While Cameroon missed out on representation this year, industry watchers note that the country is building the kind of innovation pipeline that could yield future finalists. The challenge, they say, is scaling early-stage startups to the level required by a global accelerator backed by NBA Africa, CMU-Africa, ServiceNow and ALX Ventures.
The hope remains that the visibility of the Triple-Double Accelerator and Rwandas prominent hosting of this years Demo Day will inspire more Cameroonian founders to apply next year with stronger prototypes, market validation and scalable business models.
Last years winners Festival Coins Nigeria, Salubata Nigeria, HustleSasa Kenya and UBR VR Egypt each gained funding and mentorship that accelerated their growth.
The precedent suggests that the 2025 finalists will benefit significantly from the platform and visibility the program offers. For Cameroon, the absence from this years list stands as both a disappointment and a motivator a sign that while the nations entrepreneurial talent is rising, stronger participation and more competitive solutions will be needed to break into future cohorts of the NBAs flagship innovation program.