“Thank you for creating a platform for possibilities. I didn’t know I could build something like that.”
This sentiment, shared by Sharon Itua of Team Cabin, defines the goal of Launchpad Africa Cohort 2: creating an environment where African professionals move from theory to reality.
On August 29, in Yaba, Lagos, eight teams showcased their products at the Final Demo Day after an intensive 12-week “Build-Validate-Deploy” programme. They didn’t just attend classes; they identified problems, built solutions, tested them with users, and pivoted based on real-world feedback.
The Winners
The top three teams, sharing a $1,000 prize pool, led a strong cohort:
- 1st Place: Digital Nurse – A daily digital companion for pregnant women.
- 2nd Place: Cabin – A financial operating system for startup founders.
- 3rd Place: TushenFood AI – An AI-powered nutrition intelligence platform tailored to African ingredients and diets.
Expanding the Ecosystem
The cohort also featured five other innovative projects:
- Logistix: Enhancing trust in delivery services.
- SabiClip: AI-driven customer service for African SMEs.
- FlowDESK: Converting voice notes into actionable workflows.
- CraftLog: A public progress tracker for creatives.
- HealthConnect: Improving healthcare accessibility.
Bridging Knowledge and Practice
For co-founders Ogunseye Anuoluwapo Elizabeth and Israel Oladipupo Ogunseye, Launchpad Africa addresses a critical gap: the transition from knowing to doing.
“Technology ecosystems advance when knowledge becomes practice,” Israel noted. By bringing together cross-functional teams, product, engineering, design, data, and growth, participants confronted the realities that theory cannot teach: handling user feedback, managing technical constraints, and iterating under pressure.
Mentors who were present at the event also commended the resilience and initiative. Khadijat Okeowo and Oluwanisola Eludoyin spoke about the initiatives launched by the teams as quite distinct and genuine.
With the programme concluded, the focus shifts to the future. Participants are encouraged to treat Demo Day not as a finish line, but as a launching pad to continue testing and refining their solutions. Ultimately, Launchpad Africa is about proving that the tools to build the future are already in the hands of those ready to use them.
The programme was powered by The FinTech Africa and supported by Builders in Fintech, African Tech Journal, ADMARP, and Subify.