For most African founders, building a company is already a marathon: chasing customers, shipping product, balancing costs. But ask anyone who has tried to raise money, and they’ll tell you that fundraising is a whole other mountain.
In fact, many brilliant businesses stall not because their businesses lack merit, but because they aren’t investor-ready. The story isn’t clear enough. The numbers aren’t structured. The follow-through isn’t consistent. Too often, decks get sent into inboxes never to be heard from again.
That’s the gap the AUDA-NEPAD MSME UpSkill Lab 2025 is designed to close. Backed by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), with Pitchwise as the implementation partner, BADEA as sponsor, Meta as technical partner, and Akili AI supporting, the Lab equips founders with the knowledge, tools, and networks to step into investor conversations with confidence.
What the UpSkill Lab Offers
Unlike typical accelerators, this is not just about “fast-tracking” a company. It’s about strengthening the foundation of each business so they can survive the long game of fundraising and scaling.
Over 8 weeks, selected startups from Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa go through a carefully designed programme that blends structure with hands-on learning:
Masterclasses
Led by seasoned investors, operators, and diaspora professionals, these sessions go far beyond theory. Founders dive into practical topics: financial modelling that withstands due diligence, storytelling that resonates with investors, and go-to-market strategies that demonstrate traction. Each masterclass is a chance to sharpen the tools founders will use long after the programme ends.
Mentorship
Every startup gets paired with mentors who have walked the fundraising road themselves. These aren’t surface-level chats; they’re targeted sessions where founders get feedback on their deck, guidance on their business model, and perspective on investor psychology.
Investor Visibility
The programme culminates in a Demo Day where founders pitch directly to a curated network of investors in a bid to raise funds. Beyond that, one of the most exciting parts is the sponsored trip to the Africa Early Stage Investor Summit (#AESIS2025). There, founders meet leading VCs, angel networks, and ecosystem players
Pitchwise’s Role: Driving the Programme End-to-End
Pitchwise isn’t just supporting this programme, we’re leading its delivery. As the implementation partner, we’re responsible for bringing the MSME UpSkill Lab to life, from masterclasses and mentorship sessions to investor-facing activities like Demo Day.
Our role goes beyond providing tools. We are shaping the entire journey, making sure that every founder not only learns but also applies those lessons with clarity and confidence. Pitchwise is embedding fundraising readiness into every layer of the programme to ensure that startups graduate from the Lab as truly investor-ready ventures.
Meet the 2025 Cohort
This year’s Lab brings together 12 high-potential startups tackling critical challenges across Africa. From biotech to agri-fintech, healthtech to clean energy, their diversity reflects the scale of opportunity across the continent.
- BetaLife Health (Nigeria) – Tackling Africa’s blood supply crisis with an AI-powered platform and mini blood banks.
- Betapawa (Nigeria) – Replacing diesel generators with AI-powered solar microgrids for SMEs.
- Bictorys (Senegal) – Simplifying payments with an omnichannel platform that connects POS, ERPs, and processors.
- CrabaRide (South Africa) – Making transport safer and more affordable through carpooling.
- CureRoot (South Africa) – Unlocking Africa’s biodiversity by discovering new drugs from medicinal plants.
- FriendnPal (Nigeria) – Breaking barriers to mental health care with Africa’s first predictive, multilingual AI support platform.
- Mafalia (Senegal) – Helping merchants optimise operations and connect more easily with customers.
- MyItura (Nigeria) – Transforming healthcare access through an integrated digital health platform.
- Proboutik (Senegal) – Digitising microbusinesses with financial tools, payments, and lending solutions.
- ProDevs (Nigeria) – Connecting vetted African talent to global opportunities via outsourcing and recruitment.
- UfarmX (Senegal) – Bridging Africa’s $100B farmer financing gap with AI-powered credit scoring.
Each of these ventures shows what’s possible when African entrepreneurs take on the continent’s biggest challenges with creativity, grit, and technology.
Beyond This Cohort: Building the Future
The UpSkill Lab is not just about the 12 startups in this year’s cohort—it’s about setting a standard for what investor readiness can look like across the continent.
By combining AUDA-NEPAD’s institutional support, Pitchwise’s infrastructure and network, BADEA’s support, Meta’s technical backing, and Akili AI’s innovation, the programme creates a blueprint that can be replicated and scaled.
For us at Pitchwise, this is deeply aligned with our mission: to make early-stage fundraising less of a black box and more of a structured, transparent process.
We’re proud to stand alongside our partners in supporting this initiative, and we can’t wait to see how these founders grow because when African startups thrive, ecosystems thrive, and entire economies shift.
Learn more about the AUDA-NEPAD MSME UpSkill Lab: auda-nepad.pitchwise.se
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