Startup Kano

2025 Impact Review: Anchoring Innovation in Northern Nigeria

Newletter, Update /

NEWSLETTER 2025 Impact Review: Anchoring Innovation in Northern Nigeria Dear Future Builders, As we move towards the second half of the year, the team has been going through our projects and activities of last year and we are truly in awe looking back at 2025. If 2024 was about planting seeds, 2025 was the year the roots truly took hold. It was the year Startup Kano moved deeper and more strategically into helping architect the future of Northern Nigeria’s economy. But when we look at the reports on our desks, we don’t just see numbers and milestones. We see you.We see the nervous excitement of a founder pitching for the first time at PitchStar Preincubation Program. We see the focus in the eyes of the hackers at CyberFest. We see the nod of mutual respect between a government official and a tech creative at the Digital Kano Conference. Here is the story of our collective year of 2025. Coming Together: Our Key Success Strategy Coming together has been our key success strategy. At Startup Kano, we have always been keen on partnerships, constantly looking for new value to bring to the ecosystem for our diverse target groups. We kicked off the year reminding ourselves that entrepreneurship can be a lonely road, but it doesn’t have to be walked alone. Throughout the first half of last year, our Founders Friday, Monthly Tech Meetups, and the Expert Series brought you into the room with industry titans. Whether it was discussing fintech security with Seun Runsewe, exploring sustainable architecture with Oluwagbemiro Bello, or mastering monitoring and evaluation with Fatima Turaki, these sessions bridged the gap between local talent and world-class expertise. To everyone who showed up, shared a struggle, or offered advice: you are the heartbeat of this community. Kano Climate Change Policy: Protecting Our Home By July, we proved that technology is about more than just software. In a landmark collaboration with Green Legacy Nigeria, the Certa Foundation, and the Kano State Ministry of Environment, we launched the Kano State Climate Change Policy. Working closely with the Honorable Commissioner, Dr. Dahiru Hashim, we moved beyond paperwork to action. We curated a portfolio of startups that are literally saving our environment: Earthbond generated 210 MWh of clean energy to reduce diesel dependency; Three Waste diverted over 100,000kg of trash from landfills; and Nurtured AgriTech deployed digital tracking to support the state’s 5 Million Trees Campaign. The Governance Ambassadors Programme (GAP) Running alongside these initiatives, we recognized that the future belongs to the youth. We initiated the Governance Ambassadors Programme (GAP) in partnership with YOSPIS Nigeria, born out of a critical need to bridge the gap in civic education and active citizenship. Through school outreach programs, essay competitions, and multi-sectoral stakeholder dialogues, GAP has successfully fostered a new wave of civic awareness. We are empowering students not just to be passive residents, but to understand leadership, civil rights, and their role in governance. Digital Kano Conference – Second Edition September was historic. At the 2nd Digital Kano Conference, we didn’t just talk about the future; we showed it. Startup Kano played a critical role in managing the startup showcase, ensuring that the innovation on display matched the magnitude of the event. We sifted through 217 incredible applications to curate 20 top-tier ventures in the Coronation Hall. It was a moment of pure pride to watch our local founders pitch their solutions directly to Vice President Sen. Kashim Shettima and our Governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf. We saw our ecosystem stand toe-to-toe with national leaders like Aminu Maida (EVC NCC), Malam Kashifu Inuwa (DG NITDA), and the Royal Father of the Day, His Highness Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II. Beyond the pitches, we facilitated conversations with international partners like Dr. Russell Avre and Barry Palte, alongside industry leaders like Dr. Olasupo Olusi from the Bank of Industry and Alh. Dr. Auwalu Rano. The high quality of these interactions contributed significantly to the event’s success and the launch of the KASITDA Strategic Roadmap (2025-2030). PitchStar: Resilience and Expansion By October, we celebrated the fruits of deep resilience. We know access to finance is still a significant hurdle, but the PitchStar Cohort 4 taught us that grit is our most valuable currency. We are incredibly proud of our graduates who completed this grueling incubation, including Daily Invoice, Blind Access, Maish Ecocycle, Auto fix and Axon Reach. These startups have demonstrated market readiness, and we are not stopping here. For 2026, we have set ambitious plans to expand the PitchStar program to other northern states, including Gombe, Jigawa, and Katsina, to unearth and polish even more gems across the region. Citizen Reporting Cross-Platform Project Expansion: Giving People a Voice From October to December, we took innovation on the road. Funded by the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund (NYFF) and Leap Africa, and in partnership with Blue Sapphire Hub, our Citizen Reporting Project expanded beyond Kano into Katsina and Jigawa. We engaged high-level stakeholders, including Jigawa State Governor H.E. Umar Namadi and the First Lady of Katsina, Hajia Fatima Dikko Radda, to ensure government buy-in. But most importantly, we engaged over 1,000 citizens, providing them with digital tools to report issues like gender-based violence and service delivery gaps. This taught us that technology must be inclusive—we heard your requests for Hausa language support and offline tools, and we are listening. Building Capacity and Security We closed 2025 by building talent. Partnering with Arewa Cyber Squads and Startbench, we hosted CyberFest 2025, gathering over 500 participants to train the next generation of ethical hackers. Finally, in December, we partnered with the Google Developers Group to host DevFest Kano at the Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN), focusing on AI and Cloud solutions. Looking Ahead We started 2026 in high spirits, and the vision is getting bigger. We are no longer just a hub; we have evolved into Northern Nigeria’s powerhouse, ecosystem enablers dedicated to driving sustainable growth. Thank you for being part of our journey, for your time, and for

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Celebrating a Trailblazer: Dr. Amina Sambo Magaji PhD.

Newletter, Update /

For a decade, Dr. Amina Sambo-Magaji has remained one of the most influential voices, mentors, and builders within the Startup Kano ecosystem and the broader Nigerian innovation landscape. Since 2017, her relationship with Startup Kano has gone far beyond titles or affiliations. She has been a consistent mentor, board member, advisor, advocate, and supporter of the vision to build a thriving technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Northern Nigeria. At different stages of our journey, from community meetups and Conference speakers to founder mentorship sessions, policy conversations, innovation programs, and ecosystem development initiatives, Dr. Amina has continuously shown up for founders, innovators, women in tech, and young people daring to build solutions for Africa’s future. Impact on AI and the Startup Ecosystem Today, we proudly celebrate not only her incredible journey but also a historic milestone: becoming the first female Technical Director of the Apex Technology Regulator in Nigeria (NITDA) and one of the world’s leading contributors in Artificial Intelligence. Professional Impact and Ecosystem Leadership This achievement is more than a personal milestone. It reflects years of excellence, consistency, advocacy, and groundbreaking contributions toward shaping Nigeria’s digital future. It is also an inspiration to thousands of young women and aspiring innovators across Africa who now see what is possible through knowledge, resilience, and purpose-driven leadership Amina Sambo-Magaji, PhD, is internationally recognized as an AI expert, innovation strategist, startup ecosystem builder, and technology policy developer with over 21 years of experience driving digital transformation and innovation development globally.Throughout her career, she has played a pivotal role in designing and implementing programs that have impacted more than 20,000 founders, entrepreneurs, startups, and business owners nationwide. Her work has consistently focused on building sustainable systems, advancing emerging technologies, strengthening digital capacity, and empowering young people to leverage innovation for socioeconomic transformation. Academic Excellence and National Impact Her academic and professional journey reflects a rare combination of technical excellence and ecosystem leadership.She earned a First-Class degree in Computer Science from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) before obtaining a Master’s degree with Distinction in Information Engineering and a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from Robert Gordon University, Scotland. Her academic work and research contributions have been presented in several international conferences and journals, particularly in areas related to AI, digital innovation, technology-enhanced learning, and national digital capacity development. As part of her contributions to academia and emerging technology development in Africa, Dr. Amina was among the pioneering team involved in establishing MSc and PhD programs in Artificial Intelligence at the Africa Centre of Excellence on Technology Enhanced Learning (NOUN-ACETEL). Through this work, she has helped strengthen Nigeria’s growing AI ecosystem while contributing to the development of future researchers, innovators, and technical experts. At the policy and national development level, Dr. Amina has played transformative leadership roles at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), where she has led major initiatives focused on digital literacy, innovation, startup development, and technology capacity building. Over the years, she pioneered and led strategic programs under departments such as Digital Literacy and Capacity Development, the Office for ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIIE), and the Digital Economy ecosystem. Her work at NITDA has significantly contributed to strengthening Nigeria’s digital innovation infrastructure, supporting startups, promoting emerging technologies, and creating pathways for young Nigerians to participate meaningfully in the global digital economy. Empowering Women and Building Communities Beyond government and policy leadership, Dr. Amina remains deeply committed to community impact and inclusive innovation.Through her nonprofit initiative, the She&Tech Empowerment Foundation, she has continued to create opportunities for women and girls in STEM, technology, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Her work through She&Tech has helped bridge gaps in access, mentorship, and digital inclusion, especially for young women aspiring to enter the digital technology ecosystem and career pathway. Her leadership philosophy has always centered around empowerment, inclusion, mentorship, and ecosystem building, values that strongly align with Startup Kano’s mission and community vision.At Startup Kano, we have had the privilege of witnessing Dr. Amina’s impact firsthand. Since 2017, she has consistently supported our ecosystem through mentorship, strategic guidance, advocacy, partnerships, and founder engagement. Her contributions have helped strengthen Northern Nigeria’s growing innovation ecosystem while creating opportunities for startups, founders, women in tech, and young innovators to thrive. A Lasting Legacy of Leadership and Mentorship One of the notable moments in this journey was her participation as a speaker at the Startup Kano Women Founders Conference 2022, where she shared valuable insights on leadership, innovation, technology, and the importance of empowering women within the startup ecosystem. Her presence and contributions at the conference reinforced her longstanding commitment to supporting women founders and building a more inclusive technology ecosystem across Nigeria. Her contributions to Startup Kano have never been limited to advisory roles alone. She has continuously opened doors for collaboration, visibility, mentorship, and ecosystem growth while championing the potential of Northern Nigerian innovators at both national and international levels.Dr. Amina also serves as a mentor with global and continental innovation platforms, including Founders Institute and VC4Africa, while sitting on advisory and governance boards such as Startup Kano Innovation and Data Scientist Network (DSN). Her ecosystem influence continues to shape conversations around AI, innovation policy, startup growth, digital transformation, and inclusive technology development across Africa.Yet despite these achievements, one of the most remarkable things about Dr. Amina remains her indefatigable commitment to mentoring others and creating opportunities for the next generation. For many founders, innovators, women in tech, and ecosystem builders, she represents more than a leader. “ She represents possibility.She represents what it means to combine excellence with impact. What it means to lead while empowering others. What it means to use technology not just for advancement, but for transformation.” As Startup Kano continues to grow and strengthen the innovation ecosystem in Northern Nigeria, we remain deeply grateful for leaders like Dr. Amina Sambo-Magaji, whose vision, support, and mentorship continue to inspire our journey. Thank you, Dr. Amina,  For believing in ecosystems, in founders, in innovation, and in the limitless potential of young Africans. Thank you for helping shape the

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From Fragmentation to Flow: How CIED is Powering Climate Innovation in Kano

Article, Programmes, Startup Kano Activities, Update /

As the Board Chair of Startup Kano, Aisha Tofa noted at the outset of the programme, “Today is not just about pitches. It is about possibility. It is about capital meeting opportunity… and shifting the narrative of Northern Nigeria, from untapped potential to activated opportunity.” She further emphasised the core intent behind the initiative: “CIED was designed… to move startups from potential to readiness and from readiness to investment.” This framing captures the essence of the Climate Innovation Ecosystem Development (CIED) Project, not simply as a programme, but as a system designed to connect ideas, structure, and capital in a way that enables real, scalable impact. Ecosystem Framing and Programme Launch​ Northern Nigeria has taken a deliberate step into the climate innovation space through the Climate Innovation Ecosystem Development (CIED) Project in Kano. Supported by PACE Nigeria and implemented by Startup Kano under the UK in Nigeria partnership, the CIED programme was designed as a structured ecosystem-building initiative that connected ideas to investment and impact. It did not function as a standalone training programme, but as a coordinated effort to build a climate innovation pipeline, one that supports startups from ideation through to investment readiness and scalable impact. At the core of the initiative was a recognition of a persistent challenge: many climate solutions fail not due to lack of innovation, but because the ecosystem around them is fragmented. While policies, funding opportunities, and support structures exist, they are often disconnected, making it difficult for startups to navigate the pathway from idea to implementation. The CIED programme was established to address this gap by intentionally building those missing linkages. Multi-Stakeholder Co-Creation and Policy Alignment​ The journey began with a multi-stakeholder roundtable and co-creation process that brought together government institutions, development partners, academia, innovators, and financial actors. Together, they worked to shape a practical toolkit that translates the Kano State climate change policy into actionable pathways for entrepreneurs. This process laid the foundation for stronger collaboration across the ecosystem and reinforced a shared commitment to making climate innovation work in practice, particularly for youth and women-led startups in Northern Nigeria. Pilot Cohort Selection and Venture Development Journey ​ At the centre of the programme was the 2026 CIED Pilot Cohort. Selected from a highly competitive pool of over 120 applicants in Kano, 13 climate innovators represented a diverse set of solutions focused on climate adaptation, clean energy, and waste management. Throughout the programme, they underwent an intensive journey of climate finance readiness, venture building, and investor engagement, equipping them with the skills and tools needed to access climate finance and scale their solutions within their communities. Bootcamp: Capacity Building, Finance Readiness and Systems Thinking The Climate Innovation Ecosystem Development Bootcamp served as the programme’s core capacity-building engine. Participants were guided through a structured progression that began with deep problem analysis using tools such as the Fishbone (Cause-and-Effect) Model and the 5 Whys technique. This ensured that solutions were grounded in real systemic issues rather than surface-level assumptions. They then moved into structured business model development using the Triple Layer Business Model Canvas, integrating economic viability, environmental responsibility, and social impact into a single coherent framework. This helped participants design startups that were not only financially sustainable but also environmentally responsible and socially relevant. As the programme progressed, participants engaged with Monitoring & Evaluation systems, ESG frameworks, and Social and Behavioural Change (SBC) concepts. These elements strengthened their ability to measure impact, align with investor expectations, and understand how behavioural dynamics influence climate outcomes. They also explored climate risk and sustainability exposure, gaining insight into how physical and transitional climate risks affect business survival, regulatory compliance, and long-term investment readiness. A strong emphasis was also placed on climate finance, where participants learned how funding flows within the climate ecosystem, how investment decisions are made, and how startups can position themselves to access available opportunities within Nigeria’s evolving climate finance landscape. Across all these layers, the programme contributed to the formation of a more structured ecosystem, one that connects policy to practice, innovation to finance, and ideas to implementation. Startup Reflections and Learning Outcomes Insights gathered from participating startups further reinforce the programme’s impact beyond the structured sessions and Demo Day outcomes. Reflecting on their experience through post-programme feedback, Her Ecospace, which emerged as the overall winner, described the programme as “an intensive, eye-opening journey that bridged the gap between traditional business modelling and climate-conscious entrepreneurship.” The team noted that it “provided a structured environment to refine our mission of turning waste into value,” highlighting the clarity and direction gained throughout the process. They further emphasised the transformative shift in their approach, stating that “the transition from a traditional Business Model Canvas (BMC) to a Triple Layered Business Model Canvas (TLBMC) was transformative,” alongside gaining “deep insights into ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards and Empathy Mapping.” This, they explained, enabled them to understand better both their community and the environmental implications of their work. Reflecting on the broader impact, they noted that “the programme significantly sharpened our focus at Her EcoSpace,” helping them move beyond simply “making products” to understanding their role within “a broader climate-ready ecosystem,” with a clearer roadmap for scalability and resilience. They also highlighted the climate readiness sessions as particularly impactful, noting that facilitators effectively translated complex global climate goals into practical, locally relevant actions, while suggesting that more hands-on sessions on navigating Nigeria’s green finance landscape could further strengthen future cohorts. Similarly, Beta Agric (Bera Tomato), which secured second place at the Demo Day, described the programme as “a very integral and rigorous training program that challenges thought processes and facilitates structured and strategic planning for overall business growth and climate alignment.” A major takeaway for the team was “our TLBMC design,” which has become central to their operations. They further explained that the programme helped bring their climate-smart business model to life and guided them in “creating, enacting and implementing our ESG policy, ensuring that it guides our operations. ”Reflecting on their experience, they noted

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