LAGOS, Sept 2 – Cascador, a Nigeria-focused platform for growth-stage entrepreneurs, has selected 10 Nigerian businesses for its 2026 ScaleUp Programme, a 12-week accelerator designed to help growth-stage companies strengthen their businesses, improve their strategy and prepare for their next phase of expansion.
The companies were selected from more than 1,000 applicants and operate across sectors including property technology, clean energy, agriculture, healthcare, beauty and wellness, tourism, critical minerals and food production.
The latest cohort includes Venco, a digital platform that helps multi-tenanted communities manage payments, utilities and operations; SunFi, a clean energy financing company; and ColdHubs, which provides solar-powered cold storage to help reduce post-harvest losses.
Other selected businesses are EHA Clinics, which provides primary care, digital health, pharmacy and home-care services; Beauty Hut Africa, a technology-enabled beauty retail and distribution company; BEYOND Fitness; Ziba Beach Resort; Tulay Africa, which connects global industrial buyers with African producers of critical minerals; Maanj Agric, which connects smallholder farmers with financing; and Finger Chops, a bakery that produces and distributes bread across Nigeria.
The businesses will take part in a hybrid programme made up of two weeks of in-person sessions and 10 weeks of virtual sessions involving founders and their leadership teams. The physical sessions will cover the programme’s kickoff and pitch week, while participants will also receive one-on-one support from investors, African and international experts and strategic partners.
Cascador said the programme will assess each business across areas such as finance, operations, legal matters and technology to identify gaps that could slow its growth. The support will then be tailored to the needs of each company rather than following a standard approach.
Participants will also gain access to Cascador’s network of advisers, venture capital firms, strategic partners and banking relationships. By the end of the programme, they are expected to have a clearer understanding of their customers and stronger operating models.
The selected companies will be eligible for follow-on funding through Cascador’s Catalytic Fund, which deploys up to $5 million annually through local-currency debt, equity and guarantees. The programme will end with a live Pitch Day, where participants will compete for $50,000 in awards.
David DeLucia, co-founder of Cascador, said the programme is focused on helping established businesses grow sustainably and create lasting economic value. Cascador’s chief executive, Trish Thomas, also said the selected founders are already creating jobs and generating value across important sectors of the Nigerian economy, adding that the programme will provide the training, mentorship, networks and leadership support needed for their next stage of growth.
The programme comes two weeks after Cascador partnered with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Youth Development through the Nigerian Youth Academy to support young entrepreneurs.
Since starting operations in 2019, Cascador said it has supported more than 70 ventures that have collectively raised $125 million. Previous participants include Sycamore, Koolboks, Fex Delivery, Drive45 Mobility and Lenco.
Cascador plans to run another ScaleUp cohort in spring 2027, with applications expected to open in November 2026.
