The National Basketball Association in Africa announces the beginning of a new era of sports innovation
The National Basketball Association in Africa announced the selection of ten startup companies from five African countries to qualify for the final stage of the second edition of the “Triple Accelerator for Innovation” program, which is the program launched by the Association with the aim of supporting the sports and creative technology system on the continent and empowering the new generation of entrepreneurs. On December 5, all eyes will turn to the Rwandan capital, Kigali, where Carnegie Mellon University will host… Africa “Demo Day” During which companies will present their projects before a committee that includes an elite group of international industry leaders.
The current edition witnessed the inclusion of Carnegie Mellon University – Africa is an official partner of the program, confirming its position as one of the most prominent advanced technical education institutions on the continent, as it is the only American university that grants master’s degrees through a faculty and integrated operations within Africa. The “Service Now” platform, which specializes in business-oriented artificial intelligence, also continues its partnership within the program alongside the “ALX Ventures” accelerator. Which is supervising the implementation of the program for the second year in a row.
The list of ten finalists includes Athlon Technology from Egypt, Fitclan from Egypt, Novate from Morocco, Reborn from Morocco, ProPath Sports from Kenya, Safia Health from Kenya, in addition to Atsur from Nigeria, Contestify from Nigeria, SongDis from Nigeria, and CoLab from South Africa. This portfolio represents a broad mix of solutions covering AI sports performance analysis, digital fitness, talent development, creative content distribution, virtual reality experiences, all the way to advanced health and technology applications.
The ten finalists were selected from more than seven hundred applications, in an indicator that reflects the growing momentum for innovation on the continent. These companies will compete for five prizes that grant the winners financial support and the opportunity to join a full-year business incubator program within the Innovation Center at Carnegie Mellon University – Africa, where the incubator works to help companies transform their prototypes into products and services that can grow and expand in local and international markets.
The finalists range from artificial intelligence solutions to analyze sports performance, digital fitness platforms, and creative content distribution services, in addition to viewing experiences via virtual reality, talent discovery systems using data, and mental and physical support programs for athletes. These innovations reflect the diversity of ideas capable of creating qualitative shifts in the fields of sports, arts and technology across the continent.
In her comment on the announcement, Claire Akamani, CEO of the National Basketball Association in Africa, confirmed that the distinguished level of requests this year reflects the great energies of African youth, and highlights the increasing role played by the sports and creative industries in advancing the development process. She explained that the qualified companies represent a new wave of bold innovation that transcends traditional borders and has the real potential to spread across continents.
The first edition of the program granted four winning African companies financial support and specialized guidance that contributed to the development of their solutions and projects, which are Queens and Salobata Festival from Nigeria, Hassel Sassa from Kenya, and UPR Virtual Reality from Egypt. Through the program, the Association continues to support entrepreneurs in the sports technology sectors and creative industries, confirming its continued commitment to strengthening Africa’s position as a global platform for sports innovation.
The National Basketball Association in Africa is the regional arm of the World Basketball Association, managing its business and programs on the continent, including the African Basketball League. The association has offices in Cairo, Dakar, Johannesburg, Lagos and Nairobi, and works to expand basketball’s presence through youth development programs, social responsibility, content distribution and institutional partnerships. The association’s matches and programs are broadcast in all fifty-four African countries, while the African Basketball League concluded its fifth season in June 2025 with the participation of twelve teams from various parts of the continent.
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