AfroTalks Lagos 2025 sees African Startups Funded under AfroPitch challenge

The latest edition of AfroTalks saw them visit Lagos and give innovators and entrepreneurs a chance to pitch and earn massive investments under the AfroPitch challenge!

What is the AfroPitch challenge? And what’s next in store for AfroTalks? Well…Jamie says!!!

AfroPitch was created in a strategic partnership with Mariama “MJ” Jalloh, a leading fintech and startup strategist, “to amplify African stories by Africans, ignite the African Dream, influence policy through research, and drive sustainable community impact, AfroPitch embodies the idea that dialogue should not end on stage; it must evolve into tangible progress.” The founder of AfroTalks, Bright Tenbil, describes it as “the “action wing” of the movement: “If AfroTalks is about ideas, then AfroPitch is about implementation. It’s how we turn dialogue into design, and vision into venture.“

The initiative seeks to serve as a “launchpad for early-stage founders tackling Africa’s most urgent challenges in agriculture, fintech, AI, education, and healthcare“. The vision for AfroPitch is “to prove that African innovation deserves African capital and that the future of African development lies in ecosystems built by Africans, for Africans.”

The event saw top three finalists, chosen from over 30 entries, pitch live to a judging panel which included Dr. Ashley Milton, CEO of She Grows It; Mariama Jalloh, and Bright Tenbil, founder and curator of AfroTalks, and in front of a diverse audience of entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, and creatives. The winning pitch saw David Ogunbanjo’s startup, NSFC (Not Safe For Children), propose a groundbreaking “safe SIM card” designed to protect minors from harmful digital content around the world. It was a bold, timely, and deeply human solution born from Africa’s own realities, and was more than enough to earn him a ₦1,000,000 AfroPitch Pre-Seed Grant, and the distinction of having won the AfroPitch challenge!

Each finalist was invited to 15-minute strategic advisory sessions with Mariama Jalloh, a rare opportunity to refine their business models, align with compliance standards, and prepare for scale. That mentorship loop, built into the AfroTalks framework, ensures that innovation doesn’t fade after applause. It evolves, matures, and multiplies. All roads will now lead to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, for the 2026 edition of the event.

This year’s edition in Lagos had the theme “Matrix: Navigating Inherited Systems That Influence the African Dream.“, whereas the theme for the Kigali edition will be “Beyond Borders: Building Systems for Africa’s Integration“, to expand AfroPitch “into a multi-city initiative, creating a funding and mentorship pipeline for African founders who are designing ethical, scalable, and integrated systems for the continent“.

Wish to connect?

You can stay updated with them by visiting their website or by connecting with them on their X (Twitter), Instagram, and LinkedIn channels!

Thanks for taking the time to read the article

The Brew Show now has a new home and social media presence designed to enhance your experience! You can still connect with us on our Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, and Threads social media accounts!