Four ambitious Nigerian entrepreneurs embarked on a 7-day tour to Helsinki and Tallinn, Finland, as part of the GIZ/Digital Transformation Center Nigeria’s (DTC Nigeria) TechMyBiz Acceleration Program, this program empowers early-stage businesses with the resources they need to thrive and build.
The Journey Begins: Helsinki Exploration and SLUSH.
The adventure kicked off with arrival in Helsinki on November 18th. After introductions and team building, the focus shifted to exploring the vibrant Finnish ecosystem. Meetings with key players like Helsinki Business Hub and Business Finland opened doors to potential investment and partnerships.
A highlight was visiting Maria 01, the Nordic startup haven, followed by networking opportunities at local meetups. But the real game-changer was SLUSH 2024, a massive tech conference.
SLUSH: A Launchpad for Global Connections & Investments.
The world’s largest gathering of venture capital, 5,500 global founders and startup operators and ecosystem leaders, with over $3 trillion in assets under management. At SLUSH2024, the spotlight shone brightly on four exceptional Nigerian entrepreneurs from GIZ/DTC Nigeria’s TechMyBiz Acceleration Program who leveraged the global platform to forge connections, secure partnerships, and propel their innovative startups onto the international stage.
These talented entrepreneurs – Abiola Jimoh (XCHANGEBOX), Christiana Okere (myStashhq), Emeka Ehinze (Retailloop Technologies), and Gift Muoneke (Greenera Technologies LTD) – are all part of the GIZ/DTC Nigeria’s TechMyBiz Acceleration Program, which is co-funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
This program empowers early-stage Nigerian businesses with the resources and support they need to scale their impactful solutions, which is implemented by Crestsage Limited.
Building Bridges, Building Investment
SLUSH was about creating bridges between Nordic-African continents and fostering a thriving ecosystem for Nigerian startups. Here’s how these entrepreneurs leveraged the event:
- Abiola Jimoh (XCHANGEBOX) secured a strategic partnership with Business Helsinki, a key step in expanding XCHANGEBOX’s operations into the European market.
- Christiana Okere (myStashhq) connected with an investor specifically interested in African startups led by women, and also identified potential customers, paving the way for immediate growth.
- Emeka Ehinze (Retailloop Technologies) established valuable connections with paddle a payment provider in Finland, growcify in India, hemp store in India, Mikko Armila business in Helsinki, and Startup Malta.
- Gift Muoneke (Greenera Technologies LTD) identified battery manufacturers for his Microgrid solutions, a crucial step in scaling his clean energy technology across borders and a connection with investors.
Nigeria Meets Nordic: Building Bridges Through Collaboration
The tour culminated in a spectacular event – “Nigeria Meets Nordic” at Maria 01. The evening showcased Nigerian startups pitching to Finnish investors and accelerators, followed by insightful discussions on fostering stronger Africa-Nordic startup ecosystems.
The panel discussion highlighted the immense potential for collaboration, particularly in fintech, healthtech, and climate tech. Overcoming challenges like cultural differences were addressed, emphasizing the importance of supportive ecosystems, knowledge sharing, and talent mobility.
A Look to the Future: A Thriving Ecosystem
The success of the TechMyBiz startups at SLUSH reinforces the building of a cohesive and vibrant ecosystem. The GIZ/Digital Transformation Center Nigeria are proud to support these talented entrepreneurs as they contribute to Nigeria’s digital economy.
