Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem continues to pulse with innovation and ambition, yet thousands of promising founders remain constrained by limited access to capital, structured mentorship, and institutional support.
To address this critical gap, the Sola and Ibukun Adeyinka (SIA) Foundation has officially opened applications for Cohort three of its flagship SIA Startup Foundry, a high-impact incubation programme designed to equip early-stage founders with the training, funding, mentorship, and operational capacity needed to scale into sustainable, investable ventures.
According to Sola Adeyinka, co-chair of the SIA Foundation, “Across Nigeria and Africa, we see thousands of founders with strong ideas and execution energy, but many lack the structured guidance and support required to transform those ideas into scalable businesses. The SIA Startup Foundry was built to bridge that gap. Our focus is on merit and potential, helping founders refine their business models, strengthen their operational foundations, and build the capacity required to grow sustainably.
“We are committed to nurturing founders who can build enduring companies, create jobs, and contribute meaningfully to economic growth.”
The organiser explained that applications are already open and will close on March 13, 2026. Besides, they revealed that selected startups will gain access to an intensive training bootcamp, hands-on mentorship from industry leaders, and the opportunity to compete for grant funding of up to $10,000, which will be distributed among six promising ventures following a competitive demo day.
The startup foundry has emerged as one of Nigeria’s most impactful early-stage startup programmes, with application volume more than doubling between cohorts, growing from 196 to 417 applications and expanding its reach across multiple sectors including agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, technology, and clean energy.
This growth reflects increasing trust in the programme’s ability to help founders move from potential to performance through structured capacity building and capital support.
Since its inception, the programme has supported dozens of entrepreneurs through an intensive bootcamp covering core areas such as financial management, sales systems, investment readiness, digital marketing, leadership, legal foundations, and the use of AI tools for business growth.
Participants will also benefit from access to mentors, investor exposure, and a strong peer network that continues beyond the programme.
The impact has been tangible. Previous participants have reported significant business improvements, including increased revenues, stronger operational systems, new partnerships, and improved investor readiness.
The foundation calls on Nigeria’s most promising founders to seize the opportunity to accelerate their growth and join a growing community of high-impact entrepreneurs shaping the future of Africa’s economy. Interested founders can apply at: https://siafdn.org/startup-foundry/
The programme has awarded grant funding to multiple high-potential startups across diverse sectors, enabling founders to invest in critical equipment, hire staff, expand production, and accelerate growth trajectories.
The SIA Startup Foundry is specifically designed for early-stage Nigerian startups seeking seed funding and mentorship, founders with scalable business models and early traction, entrepreneurs committed to building sustainable, growth-oriented businesses, and ventures across sectors, including technology, agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, creative industries, and sustainability.
The Sola and Ibukun Adeyinka Foundation is a Lagos-based non-profit organisation committed to promoting economic inclusion and entrepreneurship across Africa.
