Nigeria’s innovation landscape just got a structural upgrade.
SouthWest Innovation & Tech Co. (SWIT) has officially unveiled its first pre-accelerator programme, selecting 28 startups to join a cohort designed to strengthen foundational capability before capital-raising or traditional accelerator engagement.
The move underscores an emerging trend in African innovation: institutions are beginning to invest earlier in the builder lifecycle, focusing on technical validation, market readiness, and execution muscle rather than hype or rapid scaling alone.
SWIT’s accelerator details — including the programme focus, selection criteria, and support pillars — are available on the official website: https://accelerator.swit.africa/
A Cohort Built for Hard Problems
The cohort features deep-tech and research-intensive founders, signaling SWIT’s emphasis on sustainable, impact-oriented solutions over quick wins. Below is the full list of 28 startups, including founders (where available), brief descriptions, and relevant weblinks (primarily LinkedIn company pages or official sites, based on available data):
| Startup | Founders | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7-Technologies | Victor Ogunbiyi & Olubunmi Abuila | Private 4G/5G enterprise networks | |
| Agrolinking | Deborah Ogunyemi | Export traceability for agricultural goods | |
| AirSmat | Soji Sanyaolu | Biochar yields with carbon credits | Crunchbase; Website (inferred from profiles) |
| Cervitech | Prof. Ashiyat Akodu | App-guided therapy for neck pain | Founder LinkedIn |
| Consor | Ilesanmi Olofintuyi, PhD | Sensors for concrete quality assurance | No official link found; related TETFAIR profile |
| CoolTech | Ben Festus, PhD | Off-grid vaccine cold storage | |
| DAWN AI STUDY (META’25) | Victor Ogunbiyi | Learning difference screening for schools | LinkedIn; Website |
| Energram | Rasheed Yekini | Rent-to-own solar for SMEs | |
| EpochZero | Mayowa Abejirin | AI-assisted chest X-ray analysis | |
| Evet Africa | Dr. Stephen Adeleke Obe | Offline voice assistant for farmers | No official link found |
| Favrobotics | Mujahid Raji | Pay-per-use autonomous farm robots | |
| FriendnPal | Esther Eruchie | Early mental-health distress detection (Predictive AI, Multilingual Mental Health) | LinkedIn; Website |
| Genomac Labs | Blessing Afolabi | Rapid clinical genetic testing | LinkedIn; Website |
| Integrated Aerial Precision | Dr. Femi Adekoya | Drone spraying for large farms | |
| Mediverse | Dr. Imodoye Abioro | AI lab operations software | LinkedIn; Website |
| Moon Innovations | Michael Osumune | Modular power and connectivity hubs | |
| Neowel Solutions | N/A | Continuous neonatal phototherapy device | |
| Prowtron | Taiwo Akinseye | Battery-swap stations for EV fleets | |
| Radease | Dolapo Akinbisola | Pharmacy-based chronic disease screening | LinkedIn; Website |
| Smart Dispenser | Dr. Dorothy Ohia | Smart mosquito repellent systems | No official link found |
| Smart Infant Apnea Monitor | Dr. Solomon Nwaneri | Low-cost neonatal apnea monitoring | Founder LinkedIn |
| Terawatt | Victory Amuchie | Energy fleet operations software | Founder LinkedIn (Note: Distinct from U.S.-based Terawatt Infrastructure) |
| Tutela | N/A | AI livestock health monitoring | No official link found; related discussion |
| Agrify | N/A | Soil data for finance access | LinkedIn; Website |
| Eco-Friendly | N/A | Bio-manufactured organic industrial acids | No exact match; similar WhiteGold Agrotech |
| Curessa Beauty Technologies | N/A | AI diagnostics for scalp conditions | |
| SwiftXR | N/A | No-code AR/VR commerce tools | |
| BioBoiler | N/A | Thermally efficient low-emission biomass boilers | No official link found; potentially linked to AirSmat or similar climate tech |
This diverse roster underscores SWIT’s willingness to invest in technically complex innovations often sidelined by mainstream programs. Four ventures (Consor, CoolTech, EpochZero, Integrated Aerial Precision) advanced from Innov8 Hub’s programs, highlighting ecosystem synergies.
Why a Pre-Accelerator Matters Now
Africa’s funding environment has shifted. As venture capital gets more selective globally, early proof points — before seed capital arrives — are becoming the new currency.
While accelerators often focus on growth and investor readiness, pre-accelerators like SWIT target earlier stages: problem validation, product-market fit, resilience checks, and execution fundamentals.
Participants in the programme gain structured support to:
- Refine technical foundations
- Validate use cases with real stakeholders
- Build prototypes and minimum viable products
- Prepare for later-stage acceleration and investor conversations
For founders in categories like healthtech, robotics, and climate tech — where longer development cycles and deeper expertise are required — this early support can be the difference between stagnation and sustainable innovation.
Details on the programme structure and support pillars are outlined on SWIT’s portal: https://accelerator.swit.africa/
A Broader Ecosystem Signal
SWIT’s initiative represents a much-needed pivot in how African innovation pipelines mature. Too often, startups are pushed toward scaling only to stall for lack of technical validation or product-market clarity.
By meeting founders earlier in their journey — before they chase growth or external capital — SWIT could help shift the ecosystem toward durability over velocity, and impact over optics.
The big question for African tech is not simply “who has funding?” — it’s “which startups have the foundation to use funding wisely?”
In this light, SWIT’s first cohort doesn’t just represent 28 companies. It represents a strategic bet on depth, capability, and long-term execution.
