Selected for iHatch Cohort 5!
Request for Startups
We are looking for founders building commercially viable solutions to problems that affect everyday life, learning, small businesses, and clean energy access in Nigeria.
What is DigitalAbode's Request for Startups?
DigitalAbode's Request for Startups is our open invitation to founders, builders, operators, researchers, and technical teams working on problem areas we believe are urgent, commercially relevant, and locally important.
We are not only looking for polished startups. We are looking for serious teams with strong problem insight, early evidence, technical or execution capacity, and the willingness to build solutions that can survive in real Nigerian markets.
What we are looking for
Here are the problem areas we believe matter most. If you are building in these spaces — at any early stage — we want to hear from you.
Who should respond?
You do not need a finished product. You need a real problem, a committed team, and evidence that you have started.
- You are already building in one of these problem areas.
- You have deep lived experience or customer insight in the problem.
- You are at idea, research, prototype, MVP, or early traction stage.
- You have a team or are actively assembling one.
- You can show evidence of action such as interviews, prototypes, pilots, early users, customer conversations, technical experiments, market research, or domain experience.
- You are open to structured feedback, validation, and possible incubation or partner opportunities.
What we look for
Problem Clarity
You understand the problem you are solving and can articulate it clearly.
Founder-Market Fit
You have relevant lived experience, domain expertise, or deep customer insight.
Team Commitment
Your team is serious, available, and genuinely invested in the venture.
Technical or Execution Capacity
You have the skills or team structure to build and deliver your solution.
Commercial Viability
Your solution can realistically generate revenue or be sustained in Nigerian markets.
Evidence of Action
You have taken tangible steps — research, prototype, pilots, users, or domain work.
Local Relevance
Your solution directly addresses a real and significant problem in Nigerian contexts.
Potential for Measurable Impact
Your solution can generate observable improvements at meaningful scale.
What happens after you apply?
Review
We review your submission against the problem area and your startup stage.
Screen
We assess problem clarity, founder-market fit, team capability, commercial potential, and early evidence.
Engage
Strong or promising teams may be invited for a readiness conversation or founder interview.
Support
Relevant teams may receive guidance, clinics, mentorship, partner introductions, or programme referrals.
Match
We connect suitable startups to DigitalAbode programmes, iHatch, future calls, ecosystem partners, or incubation opportunities.
Note: Submitting to DigitalAbode's Request for Startups does not guarantee acceptance into any programme, funding opportunity, or incubation pathway. It helps us understand what you are building and identify where your startup may fit within our ecosystem pipeline.
Building in one of these areas?
Tell us what you are building, what problem you understand, and what evidence you have so far.