In recent years, the innovation ecosystem for sporting events has experienced a significant upswing, marked by the rise of highly promising startups. As this sector continues to grow rapidly, numerous initiatives are being launched to support its expansion, particularly in Africa.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced the launch of the "Triple-Double: NBA Africa Startup Accelerator" on Thursday, April 25. This continent-wide initiative focuses on early-stage African startups in the sports sector.

The accelerator aims to fuel Africa's tech ecosystem by providing mentorship, capital, and growth opportunities to the next generation of African tech entrepreneurs.  Led by ALX Ventures, a prominent tech incubator, the program targets startups developing solutions in event management and ticketing, youth development, artificial intelligence, and digital marketing within the sports and creative industries.

The launch aligns with two key initiatives: President Biden's 2022 Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) program, fostering stronger US-Africa collaboration in digital transformation, and the US Department of Commerce's Africa strategy, which promotes investments in priority African projects and continental economic development.

For the inaugural cohort, ten startups will be chosen. They'll receive mentorship from a combined team of NBA Africa and ALX executives, along with private sector experts, who will provide guidance on product development, business growth, and market entry strategies.

In September, the selected startups will showcase their products at a New York City Demo Day to a panel of industry leaders from the US, Africa, and across the globe. Following this, four winning companies will be awarded financial support, continued mentorship, and the chance to collaborate with NBA Africa and the Basketball Africa League (BAL) on current and future initiatives across the continent.

Sports-focused startups interested in applying have until May 31st to register.

Samira Njoya