When two ecosystems meet: a look back at the first Dual Pitch Competition
On March 19, 2025, at the Okwelians Summit, Enovation Factory and The Okwelians inaugurated the first Dual Pitch Competition.
On March 19, 2025, at the Okwelians Summit, Enovation Factory and The Okwelians inaugurated the first edition of the Dual Pitch Competition. This unique initiative aims to connect two key value chains for startups: strategic support and impact financing. A concrete bridge between an incubator and an investment fund, at the service of sustainable innovation.
A bridge between two complementary logics
The Dual Pitch Competition was born of a shared desire to bring together two essential levers for the growth of impact startups.
On the one hand, Enovation Factory, a key player in the incubation and acceleration of innovative projects.
On the other, theOkwelians Venture Fund (OVF), an impact investment fund committed to supporting transformative entrepreneurial initiatives.
This first edition brought together 11 high-potential startups, with a dual objective:
For startups supported by Enovation Factory: the opportunity to obtain financing of 20 million FCFA, granted by OVF.
For startups already financed by OVF: the possibility of joining our support programsto consolidate their growth trajectory.
A jury of excellence for a demanding selection process
The jury was made up of high-level profiles committed to the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem:
Éric NTONFO - CEO, Fiatope
Ayuk ETTA - CEO, Mountain Hub
Lionel MBIANDJEU - Head of Digital Communication, CAMTEL
Laurent DALENCOUR - Program Director, Enovation Factory
Cyrille SCHOUAME - Representative, MINPMEESA
Larissa HAGBÉ - Investment Coordinator, OVF
Franck NDOUKA - President, Okwelians Overseas
Winners and special mentions
SEKURE, a startup resulting from the Enovation Factory incubation program, has been awarded 20 million FCFA in financing. This strategic support will enable the company to strengthen its technical infrastructure in the field of digital payments in French-speaking Africa.
Light Group, an OVF-funded startup, has been selected to join Enovation Factory's next S1 2025 support cohort.
Finally, a special mention was awarded to Afrokulture, which will benefit from a complementary pitch to the OVF board, with a view to potential funding of 20 million FCFA.
Team SEKURE
Light Group representative
Julien Kemloh, Ceo Afroculture
A concrete demonstration of possible synergies
Beyond the competition, this initiative embodies the added value of collaboration between investment funds and support structures: by combining financial support and strategic guidance, we help to create startups that are better prepared, more solid and ready for long-term growth.
As Franck NDOUKA, President of the OVF, pointed out:
"Pooling efforts between finance and strategic support, as we have done with Enovation Factory, creates a real acceleration effect. Together, we're laying the foundations for inclusive, sustainable growth."
Franck NDOUKA, President OVF
A shared vision for the ecosystem
At Enovation Factory, we believe that building a resilient entrepreneurial ecosystem requires intelligent alliances and collective action. This partnership with The Okwelians and its investment fund OVF is a strong demonstration of this. We will continue our efforts to connect talents with opportunities, and create the conditions for high-impact innovation.
Cédric K.
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