Lagos, Nigeria. 26th May, 2026 – The iDICE Startup Bridge has commenced the first cohort of its Founders Lab programme, following the submission of over 13,000 applications and a highly competitive selection process. With 185 entrepreneurs onboarded into a structured hybrid initiative, the nationwide effort to support the development of scalable, locally relevant solutions, is set to contribute to the growth of Nigeria’s innovation economy.
In a strong demonstration of national inclusion and ecosystem expansion, the programme cohort includes participants from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with a maximum of ten selected ventures representing each state. This structure reflects a deliberate commitment to ensuring that innovation and entrepreneurial opportunity are not concentrated in a few major cities, but distributed across the country.
The programme represents a strategic investment in early-stage technology solutions, focusing on founders who are developing innovative ideas with the potential to drive economic value, create jobs, and expand access to services, moving from problem validation to product development and early business formation.
The programme will be delivered through a hybrid learning structure that combines online learning and live masterclasses with industry experts, as well in-person mentorship sessions facilitated through partner innovation hubs across the FCT and 36 states of Nigeria. Throughout the programme, participants will undergo a structured process of idea validation, development, and refinement, with a strong emphasis on measurable progress, execution, and business readiness.
At key points in the programme, participants who meet defined milestones and demonstrate strong progress will unlock grant funding of up to ₦10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira).
In addition, top-performing startups across various cohorts of the Founders Lab will be selected to pitch at a national iDICE Startup Bridge Demo Day at the end of the year. This stage will provide an opportunity for additional funding, broader ecosystem exposure, and strategic engagement.
The launch of this cohort signals a broader national movement, one where innovation is not only encouraged, but actively developed across every region of the country. As the programme begins, the focus shifts from selection to where ideas are tested, refined, and developed into businesses with the capacity to create meaningful impact across Nigeria and beyond.
About iDICE Startup Bridge
The iDICE Startup Bridge is a structured entrepreneurship and growth programme designed to take Nigerian founders from where they are to where they’re capable of going. It is a program implemented by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Bank of Industry, and financed by the AfDB, AFD, and IsDB; to support Nigerian founders from early-stage ideas to scalable businesses through training, mentorship, and access to capital that unlocks as you hit your milestones.
