National Basketball Association (NBA) Africa Launches Second Edition of Triple-Double Startup Accelerator
- Early-Stage Startups in Africa Can Apply to Participate Through Aug. 29
- ServiceNow Joins as Official Partner
NBA Africa (https://Africa.NBA.com) today announced the second edition of the startup accelerator program that the league launched last year to support the continent’s technology ecosystem and the next generation of African entrepreneurs.
NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator, which awards financial support and mentorship to early-stage African startup companies that develop solutions in the sport and creative industries, will once again be operated by ALX Ventures, a leading technology incubator that provides the continent’s tech leaders with access to the skills and tools to launch and scale their startups. NBA Africa also announced ServiceNow, an AI platform for business transformation whose Now Assist and AI agents help organizations deliver faster and smarter experiences at scale, as an Official Partner of the program.
Beginning today through Friday, Aug. 29, startups can apply to participate at https://TripleDoubleAccelerator.NBA.com, after which the submissions will be narrowed down to a top 10. The shortlisted startups will then participate in a 10-week mentorship program where they will be paired with mentors comprised of NBA Africa, ServiceNow and ALX leadership, as well as other corporate stakeholders, who will provide guidance to the companies with a focus on product development, business growth and go-to-market strategy. The startups will then pitch their products to international industry leaders at the program’s second Demo Day in December, where the top five prize-winning companies will be selected to receive financial support and mentorship.
“Last year’s inaugural Triple-Double Accelerator program showed how much talent, passion and creativity there is among African entrepreneurs who are shaping the future of the continent’s rapidly growing sport and entertainment industries,” said NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi. “We look forward to reviewing this year’s submissions and to helping another round of promising startups take the next step in their development.”
Last year, more than 700 early-stage African startups applied to the program. Ten finalists were then selected to pitch their products to a panel of international industry leaders at the program’s first Demo Day at the NBA headquarters in New York City, after which four prize-winning companies – Festival Coins (Nigeria), Salubata (Nigeria), HustleSasa (Kenya) and UBR VR (Egypt) – were awarded financial support and mentorship.
Additional information about the Demo Day in December will be announced at a later date.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).
Contact:
Chumani Bambani
NBA Africa PR&Communications
cbambani@nba.com
+27 65 548 1031
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.
About ALX Ventures:
ALX Ventures is a pan-African incubator equipping the next generation of bold African entrepreneurs with the mindset, tools, and community to build impactful, tech-enabled ventures. It leads immersive programs to help young innovators turn ideas into revenue-generating businesses and thrive 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.
