ALX Ventures champions transformative African startups as NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator 2025 winners announced
- Tamaryn Brown
- Dec 8, 2025
- 6 min read
KIGALI, RWANDA - December 8, 2025
Reborn (Morocco), Fitclan (Egypt), Athlon Technology (Egypt), Atsur (Nigeria) and Songdis (Nigeria) win top prizes, including financial support and opportunity to join Carnegie Mellon University Africa’s Business Incubation Program
ALX Ventures proudly celebrates the winners of the 2025 NBA Africa Triple Double Accelerator, closing a transformative accelerator cycle that equipped emerging African entrepreneurs with the tools, networks, and strategic clarity required to scale across the continent and beyond.Winning startups claimed more than $50,000 in prizes after a three-month journey that transformed ten finalists into investment-ready founders and strengthened a growing pipeline of innovators reshaping Africa's creative and sports technology landscape.
Selected from more than 700 applications across 32 countries representing Africa’s surging entrepreneurial ambition, the ten finalists from five African countries completed an intensive world class acceleration journey powered by ALX Ventures, featuring global mentors and experts in entrepreneurship, sports innovation, and creative industries.
The program, in partnership with NBA Africa, ServiceNow, OpenAI, and Carnegie Mellon University Africa (CMU-Africa), culminated in a live Demo Day hosted at CMU-Africa in Kigali, Rwanda on 5 December where they pitched their products to a panel of international industry leaders. The event provided visibility and opened pathways for follow-up investment conversations, strategic partnerships, and continued ecosystem support.
Now in its second year, the accelerator is designed to build a connected pipeline of bold African innovators by equipping them with the skills, networks, and resources to scale transformative ventures capable of shaping Africa’s future and competing on the global stage. With program alumni securing capital, hiring talent, entering new markets, and mentoring the next wave of emerging entrepreneurs, the initiative is driving a measurable ripple effect and creating a self-reinforcing cycle of innovation, opportunity, and economic empowerment across the continent.
Along with cash prizes, the top five finalists are offered the opportunity to join Carnegie Mellon University Africa’s (CMU-Africa) 12-month Business Incubation Program as part of its Innovation Hub, which helps African tech startups transform proof-of-concept prototypes and preliminary market assessments into scalable, market-ready products and services (valued at up to $70,000). The top three companies also each received $10,000 in Application Programming Interface (API) credits and an immersion day with the OpenAI engineering team at OpenAI’s headquarters.
The standout startups selected for this year's top prizes are:
1st place: Reborn (https://RebornSportsTech.com) (Morocco), which offers comprehensive performance indicators that give athletes deep insights into their physical condition and on-field performance, essential for identifying strengths, areas for improvement, and optimizing overall performance, was awarded $25,000 in cash, the opportunity to join CMU-Africa’s Business Incubation Program, $10,000 in API credits, and an exclusive immersion day with the OpenAI engineering team at OpenAI’s headquarters.
2nd place: Fitclan (https://Fitclan.co) (Egypt), a digital fitness hub that leverages a flexible subscription model for individuals and corporate clients, was awarded $15,000 in cash, the opportunity to join CMU-Africa’s Business Incubation Program, $10,000 in API credits, and an exclusive immersion day with the OpenAI engineering team at OpenAI’s headquarters.
3rd place: Athlon Technology (https://AthlonTechnology.com) (Egypt), which aims to leverage accessible mobile technology and AI to provide video analysis for amateur and budget-constrained sports teams while addressing a market gap with a user-friendly, hardware-light solution, was awarded $5,000 in cash, the opportunity to join CMU-Africa’s Business Incubation Program, $10,000 in API credits, and an exclusive immersion day with the OpenAI engineering team at OpenAI’s headquarters.
4th place: Atsur (www.Atsur.art) (Nigeria), which leverages blockchain technology to promote investment in African art and support artists and art communities, was awarded $2,500 in cash and the opportunity to join CMU-Africa’s Business Incubation Program.
5th place: Songdis (www.Songdis.com) (Nigeria), which provides comprehensive digital distribution and services tailored for African independent artists and labels, was awarded $2,500 in cash and the opportunity to join CMU-Africa’s Business Incubation Program.
“This year’s cohort reflects the determination, creativity, and global competitiveness of Africa’s next generation of builders,” said Fred Swaniker, Founder and CEO of ALX. “Through the accelerator, the entrepreneurs identified new opportunities for expansion and built the confidence, clarity, and community required to scale. The impact goes far beyond the finalists. The hundreds of applicants represent a movement of entrepreneurs who are reshaping Africa’s economic future. When founders succeed, they hire, they inspire, and they strengthen the ecosystem. This is how sustainable entrepreneurial growth is built across the continent.”
“We continue to be amazed by the creative, talented and passionate entrepreneurs who participate in NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator,” said NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi. “The 10 finalists and five prize-winning companies differentiated themselves through their bold and innovative solutions that are shaping the future of sport and entertainment in Africa. The support they receive from this program will help them scale their products and make a lasting impact on the continent and globally.”
The Demo Day brought together program partners, government leaders, and local and international industry stakeholders, as they gathered to witness the brilliance of the finalists pitching their bold, high-potential ventures, all united in the belief that Africa’s creative, tech, and sports innovation sectors are powerful engines for sustainable economic growth.
Speaking at the event, Honourable Rwego Ngarambe: Minister of State for Sports in Rwanda, emphasised the importance of investing in ecosystems that “help talented people make it happen for themselves.” Honourable Paula Ingabire: Minister of ICT & Innovation, Government of Rwanda, highlighted the growing intersection of technology and sport in shaping new economic opportunities, noting that “sports is no longer what happens on the court; it is how we are integrating technology to make sure it is an immersive experience that fuels Africa’s innovation economy."
This year’s edition of the NBA Africa Triple Double Accelerator once again demonstrates Africa’s entrepreneurial ingenuity and the transformative potential of its young innovators. Born from a shared commitment to propelling African entrepreneurs toward tangible growth, expanded market reach, and meaningful contributions to the continent’s creative and sports technology sectors, the program will no doubt continue to fuel a movement of innovators whose ventures create jobs, drive economic growth, and shape Africa’s future on a global stage. (ENDS)
About ALX Ventures:
ALX Ventures is a pan African incubator equipping ambitious Africans with the mindset, tools, and community to build scalable, tech enabled ventures that create jobs and drive economic growth. Through immersive programs, ALX Ventures helps young innovators turn ideas into revenue generating businesses capable of attracting investment and thriving in the digital economy. By championing grit, creativity, and self-leadership, ALX Ventures is fueling a movement of founders who are redefining Africa’s future one venture at a time.
www.alx-ventures.com | Follow @alx_africa and alxventures_global
For media inquiries:makpene@alxafrica.com | nghaffar@alxafrica.com
About NBA Africa:
NBA Africa is an affiliate of the National Basketball Association (NBA), a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. NBA Africa conducts the league’s business in Africa, including the Basketball Africa League (BAL), and has opened subsidiary offices in Cairo, Egypt; Dakar, Senegal; Johannesburg, South Africa; Lagos, Nigeria; and Nairobi, Kenya. The league’s efforts on the continent have focused on increasing access to basketball and the NBA through youth and elite development, social responsibility, media distribution, corporate partnerships, NBA Africa Games, NBA Stores, the BAL, and more.
NBA games and programming are available in all 54 African countries, and the NBA has hosted three sold-out exhibition games on the continent since 2015. The BAL, a partnership between the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and NBA Africa, is a professional league featuring 12 club teams from across Africa that concluded its fifth season in June 2025. Fans can follow @ NBAAfrica on Facebook and YouTube, @ nbaafricaofficial on Instagram, @ NBA_Africa on X, and @ theBAL on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
MEDIA CONTACT: Tamaryn Brown Connect Media for ALX Africa Tamaryn@connectmedia.co.za +27 (0) 84 3510560
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