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In December 2024, Entertainment Week Lagos (EWL) once again underscored its position as a leading platform for Africa’s creative and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Founded by Deola Art Alade, EWL brought together visionaries, innovators, and entrepreneurs, reinforcing its mission to foster collaboration and drive sustainable growth across Africa’s creative industries.
A highlight of the week was the Deal Room, designed for showcasing promising African startups. After days of mentorship, the selected entrepreneurs pitched their ideas to an audience of industry leaders, mentors, and a jury.
The Startups
The finalists represented a diverse range of industries, each addressing unique challenges while seizing emerging opportunities:
Esosa (by Ebenezer Tope)
Esosa is a web-based platform designed to streamline the travel and itinerary planning process for diasporas visiting Nigeria and other African countries. With 1.2 million diasporas visiting Nigeria in 2023 alone, the market potential is clear. With $11,000 in revenue, Esosa is aiming for $67,000 in funding to expand to five more countries in five years.
Libran (by Bukunola Bolajoko)
Libran is a carbon management platform targeting industries seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and monetize it. The global market for carbon reduction is estimated to reach $6 billion by 2030, and Libran aims to capture 7.5% of this market.
PayDues (by Edgar Odey)
PayDues aims to simplify payment procedures for students, starting with 2,000 Nigerian students and expanding later to other countries.
The platform works by collaborating with schools to streamline transactions, allowing students to receive receipts and schools to access transaction statements without visiting the bank. With Unilag and Yaba College of Technology already onboard, the business model is poised to grow with plans to serve more schools across the region.
Synewave (by Joshua Oyenekan)
Synewave is a music platform connecting artists with fans while ensuring fair revenue sharing. By charging fans 20 cents per song, Synewave ensures artists earn from every track.
The idea aims to empower artists, who historically have only seen a fraction of their earnings. Synewave plans to evolve into a full app, empowering artists with better control over their data.
Taghub (by Debbie Adebowale)
Taghub connects international brands with African influencers, specializing in nano and micro-influencers across the continent. The platform uses AI to match influencers with brands, earning 40% from each transaction.
Taghub is currently focused on the music industry and is web-based, paying influencers in their local currencies while brands pay in dollars. The platform’s unique focus on micro-influencers sets it apart in the influencer marketing industry.
Each pitch demonstrated not only innovation but the potential for scalable impact, with the jury providing feedback to refine and strengthen their business models.
Beyond the Deal Room, EWL 2024 featured masterclasses, panels, and film screenings covering topics like sustainability, African cinema, and the tech-entertainment intersection.
Key to EWL’s long-term vision is LabSpot, a mentorship and resource hub for startups. This initiative ensures that entrepreneurs have the tools to scale their businesses sustainably and make a lasting impact on their communities and Africa’s economy.
Entertainment Week Lagos isn’t just an event; it’s a commitment to supporting the creative ecosystem and fostering businesses that will shape Africa’s future.
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