From ideas to traction, all in one place

Our Innovative Drives

SDCs impact is channeled through a suite of strategically designed programs, each targeting a distinct stage of the entrepreneurial journey

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Our Programs

SDC Innovation Drives

SDCs impact is channeled through a suite of strategically designed programs, each targeting a distinct stage of the entrepreneurial journey

SDC Startup School
Self-paced
Aspiring and first-time founders

SDC Startup School

A self-paced, online program dedicated to foundational startup education. It bridges the knowledge gap for aspiring and early-stage founders, offering essential training on core business concepts, idea validation, and initial market entry.

Ideal For:

Aspiring Founders
First-Time Founders
University Students (Early Stage)
Professionals Seeking a Career Transition
Free
Self-paced
Online
Rich Curriculum
SDC Launchpad
8 weeks
first-time startup teams

SDC Launchpad

An intensive, cohort-based pre-incubator focused on accelerating early-stage startup teams. Launchpad guides founders through business model design, traction, and investor readiness.

Ideal For:

Early-Stage Startup Teams
SDC Startup School Graduates
Validated Concepts
Explorers and Curious Minds
Cohort-based
Pre-incubator
Traction Achievement
Alumni Network
SDC Champions
Annual
Student founders

SDC Champions

Focused on universities, Champions offers dynamic bootcamps, hackathons, and competitions to nurture student startup founders. This program supports ventures from ideation through early execution, helping build a vibrant pipeline of future founders within academic communities.

Ideal For:

University Students (All Levels)
Student Entrepreneurship Clubs/Societies
Academic Faculty/Departments
Aspiring Founders within Academia
Bootcamps
Hackathons
Competitions
Mentorship
Campus Community
SDC Startup Stories
Monthly
Broad audience (founders, aspiring entrepreneurs, general public)

SDC Startup Stories

A flagship podcast and content platform sharing founder journeys, lessons, and insights. Startup Stories inspires and educates a broad audience, extending SDC’s reach beyond formal programs.

Ideal For:

Founder journeys
Aspiring & Early-Stage Founders
SDC Program Alumni
Ecosystem Players
General Public
Podcast
Content platform
Objectives & Goals for Founders

Objective - To equip aspiring and first-time African founders with the foundational knowledge, practical skills, and support needed to launch and grow successful startups

01

Goal 1

Guide founders through idea validation, business model execution, and investment storytelling

02

Goal 2

Foster a practical approach to startup development, ensuring founders can build viable ventures from the ground up

03

Goal 3

Connect founders with relevant mentorship, resources, and a supportive community

7%

Startup School

Over 3,000 unique participants annually, with a 70% completion rate and 60% launching a business within 6 months post-program.

5%

4Launchpad

cohorts annually, accelerating 100 teams per year, with 80% achieving measurable traction and 40% raising pre-seed funding.

100+

Startup School

Over 3,000 unique participants annually, with a 70% completion rate and 60% launching a business within 6 months post-program.

1000+

Startup School

Over 3,000 unique participants annually, with a 70% completion rate and 60% launching a business within 6 months post-program.

Impact STats

Impact & Reach

SDC’s impact is channeled through a suite of strategically designed programs, each targeting a distinct stage of the entrepreneurial journey

Join Now
Two entrepreneurs working together at a desk
Our Team

Meet the the Venture Partners

SDCs team comprises seasoned entrepreneurs, curriculum developers, venture builders, and ecosystem experts with deep knowledge of the African startup landscape. Supported by a Pan-African advisory network of over 50 mentors, operators, and investors, SDC ensures every program is both theoretically sound and practically relevant.

WISDOM JOHN ESQ

WISDOM JOHN ESQ

Multi-disciplinary Expert

Faculty12+ years
several professional organizations
Abuja, Nigeria

Wisdom is a skilled Business and Transaction Lawyer with expertise in Tech Law, Legal Compliance, and Legal Education. As the Lead of Lawgic Africa, he offers legal advisory, compliance, legal risk management, and general legal education to professionals and startups.

Expertise:

TechGrowth StrategyData Analytics
Oluwatobi Kola-Sodipo CXAC (Cert)

Oluwatobi Kola-Sodipo CXAC (Cert)

Principal Partner & Founder

Faculty14+ years

Customer Experience Consulting | Local Partner to Sandsiv (Voice of Customer Solution Provider) | Development and Training | CX Speaker. A dedicated Hospitality and Customer Experience professional, she has a proven track record in diverse industries. Her experience with multinational companies has focused on enhancing customer satisfaction, resolving issues, and driving business productivity.

Expertise:

Tech LeadershipProduct DevelopmentAI/ML
Luke Ndatigh

Luke Ndatigh

Operations professional and entrepreneur

Faculty14+ years
Adyen

Luke is a versatile Operations Professional and Entrepreneur. With experience in software engineering, SRE, business development, and operations strategy, he has a proven track record in business process re-engineering. He is adept at crisis, change, operations, and risk management, as well as business valuation methods.Luke holds a Bachelors degree in Computer Science and is currently pursuing an MBA. His diverse experience makes him a valuable asset for organizations seeking to optimize their operations and drive growth.

Seye Kolawole

Seye Kolawole

Investment and Portfolio Manager

Faculty15+ years
Aruwa Capital

Seye Kolawole is an investment and strategy professional with 8 years’ experience across the investment landscape, spanning investment management, buy-side, and sell-side M&A advisory, capital raises and due diligence mandates, public sector investment advisory and corporate development. She is currently an Investment and Portfolio Manager at Aruwa Capital, where she is responsible for deal origination, execution, fundraising and value creation initiatives across the portfolio.

Anthony Obidike

Anthony Obidike

Solicitor

Faculty5+ years
Detail Commercial Solicitors

Anthony is a Corporate attorney, qualified to practice in Nigeria. He provides legal advisory services to companies on the intersection of law, technology, and finance. He is well experienced in Finance, Technology, Private equity and Employment Law.

Expertise:

FinTechLaw
Tim Obafemi FCA, FCTI, FIMC

Tim Obafemi FCA, FCTI, FIMC

Managing Partner & Head of Wealth

Faculty10+ years
Bickersworth Associates

Tim is a seasoned finance and investment expert with nearly two decades of experience in Sub-Saharan Africa, specializing in financial analytics, fund management, strategy, and business process re-engineering. He is a chartered accountant, certified tax practitioner, and Certified Management Specialist from the London Graduate School, holding fellowships in multiple professional bodies.

Expertise:

Product Development
Robert John

Robert John

Chief Data Officer

Faculty10+ years
Enterfive Ltd

Robert is a seasoned data scientist with over a decade of experience in database management, enterprise software development, data engineering, visualization, and Machine Learning. He is recently delved into embedded systems and TinyML, excited about their potential for widespread adoption in Africa.

Expertise:

Product Development
Head of Growth and Marketing

Head of Growth and Marketing

Chief Data Officer

Faculty10+ years
Bitnob

Damilola Robert is a dynamic Growth & marketing professional with a track record of success in the fields of marketing, growth, and Partnership. A graduate of Economics from the prestigious University of Ilorin, Damilola has a wealth of experience and a proven ability to drive growth and strategic marketing initiatives across the B2C and B2B market. Currently serving as the Head of Growth and Marketing at Bitnob, Damilola plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the company. Before his time at Bitnob, Damilola Robert led the Growth team at mDoc across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. Damilola also has a solid foundation in the advertising industry, with seven years of experience in integrated marketing communication. He has managed brands like Nokia, Samsung, UBA, Nigerian brewery, MTN and many more.

Expertise:

Product Development
Adefolajuwon Ijaiya

Adefolajuwon Ijaiya

Faculty10+ years

Adefolajuwon Ijaiya is a seasoned Investment Professional with experience in building early-stage startups. His core expertise lies in Business Intelligence, Data Analytics, and Venture Capital. As a Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA®), he possesses a deep understanding of Financial Data Analysis within the Venture Capital context.

Expertise:

Product Development
	Ismail Olasunkanmi

Ismail Olasunkanmi

Multi Roles

Expert10+ years

He is a passionate technology leader with a proven track record of driving innovation and scaling high-growth startups across Africa. As CTO at Future Africa, he has evaluated and supported numerous startups, contributing significantly to the portfolios impressive performance. Olasunkanmis expertise spans full-stack development, cloud infrastructure, and strategic technology planning. He is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of tech talent and has mentored hundreds of learners.

Expertise:

Product Development
Udori Ekpin

Udori Ekpin

IT professional

Expert10+ years

He is an IT professional with a strong interest in behavioral economics and building products for emerging markets. Currently, Ekpin works as an Engineer at a prominent Financial Technology company in Nigeria.

Expertise:

Product Development
Tayo Sowole

Tayo Sowole

IT professional

Expert15+ years

He is a business leader with nearly 15 years of experience spanning multiple functions. He excels at building highly effective and well-aligned sales, operations, marketing, and customer success teams. Sowoles professional journey includes impactful tenures at companies such as ULesson Education, Miva Open University, SeamlessHR, Bento Africa, and Dealdey. He has also consulted for numerous African SaaS and e-commerce firms, contributing significantly to their growth and success.

Expertise:

Product Development
Abiola Oshunniyi

Abiola Oshunniyi

Health and Sustainability Consultant

Expert15+ years

He is a seasoned Health and Sustainability Consultant with nearly two decades of experience advising global stakeholders. Her expertise lies in developing innovative strategies, driving sustainable growth, developing capacity, and building strong partnerships. Oshunniyi has successfully designed, led, and supported complex multi-million-dollar projects funded by renowned organizations. Her work has spanned various regions, enhancing health security, strengthening systems, and promoting sustainable practices. She is passionate about contributing to global health security, socioeconomic, and sustainability initiatives.

Expertise:

Product Development
Essein Etuk

Essein Etuk

Business Growth Expert

Expert15+ years

He is a dynamic operations leader with over a decade of experience driving business growth and expansion. He specializes in transforming logistics, procurement, and supply chain operations, implementing strategic initiatives that improve operational efficiency and cultivate partnerships. With a keen eye for market trends, Etuk leads diverse teams in adopting innovative technology solutions, enabling them to navigate complex challenges with agility. His commitment lies in delivering outstanding results while positioning organizations for sustainable expansion

Expertise:

Product Development
FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

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