NBA Africa has opened applications for the second edition of its Triple-Double Accelerator, inviting early-stage startups across the continent to apply by Friday, Aug 29. The program, run in partnership with ALX Ventures, focuses on founders building solutions for sports and the creative economy, pairing them with mentors for product development, business growth, and go-to-market strategy. ServiceNow joins this year as an official partner, bringing expertise from its AI platform for business transformation.
What the program offers
Selected startups will enter a 10-week mentorship sprint guided by leaders from NBA Africa, ServiceNow, ALX, and other corporate stakeholders. The curriculum focuses on sharpening product-market fit, strengthening commercialization plans, and pressure-testing sales motion. At the end, teams pitch at a December Demo Day to international industry leaders. The top five companies will receive financial support alongside continued mentorship.
Last year’s inaugural edition attracted more than 700 applications. Ten finalists pitched in New York, with four prize-winning startups announced: Festival Coins from Nigeria, Salubata from Nigeria, HustleSasa from Kenya, and UBR VR from Egypt. The second cohort will build on those learnings and the investor attention the first class drew on the global stage.
Who should apply, and how
NBA Africa is targeting early-stage teams working at the intersection of sport, media, culture, and technology. That includes fan engagement tools, athlete performance and health, facilities and event tech, ticketing and commerce, creator tools, immersive media, and data platforms that help organizations operate more efficiently. Founders can apply at the program website, with submissions open from today through Aug 29. Shortlisted startups will be notified before the mentorship phase begins.
For Kenyan readers, note the local relevance. NBA Africa maintains a Nairobi office and has been expanding youth and community programs. Earlier this year, we reported on the M-PESA Jr. NBA initiative that brings basketball development and financial literacy to 10,000 young people across Kenyan cities. We also covered the 2024 NBA Africa and Safaricom partnership that set the stage for wider grassroots engagement.
Why this matters for sport and creative tech in Africa
The continent’s sports and creative sectors are converging with technology in new ways. From event ticketing and fan communities to AI-powered workflows behind the scenes, startups are rewriting how leagues, teams, artists, and venues operate. Kenya’s push to grow the creative economy with international partners, including the NBA, underscores the opportunity for founders building in this space.
For startups comparing programs, Triple-Double sits alongside a busy accelerator calendar. We recently highlighted calls for AI-driven founders in Google’s Accelerator Africa and multiple fintech-focused tracks like the Visa Africa Fintech Accelerator. These programs show investor appetite for well-prepared teams with strong execution, and they can complement a sector-specific track like NBA Africa’s.
Timeline at a glance
- Applications: Open now, close Friday, Aug 29
- Mentorship: 10-week program with NBA Africa, ServiceNow, ALX, and partners
- Demo Day: December, details to be announced
- Awards: Top five prize-winning companies receive financial support plus continued mentorship
Bottom line
Triple-Double offers African founders in sport and creative tech a focused pathway, combining sector depth from NBA Africa with operator support from ALX Ventures and AI process expertise from ServiceNow. If your product serves fans, athletes, creators, venues, or rights holders, this is a practical route to sharpen your product, widen your network, and accelerate go-to-market ahead of the 2026 season cycle and beyond.
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