NBA Africa picks Reborn, Fitclan, Athlon, Atsur and Songdis as Triple‑Double Accelerator winners in Kigali

NBA Africa has announced the five prize-winning startups from the second edition of the NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator, supporting a new generation of African entrepreneurs working at the intersection of sports, technology and entertainment. The winning companies are Reborn from Morocco, Fitclan and Athlon Technology from Egypt, and Atsur and Songdis from Nigeria. All five will receive financial support and a place in Carnegie Mellon University Africa’s 12‑month Business Incubation Program within its Innovation Hub, a package valued at up to 70,000 dollars per startup.

The top three startups, Reborn, Fitclan and Athlon Technology, will also each receive 10,000 dollars in API credits and an immersion day with the OpenAI engineering team at the company’s headquarters, giving them direct access to global‑level technical expertise as they build and scale their products.

This year’s accelerator attracted more than 700 applicants from 32 African countries, with just 10 finalists reaching Demo Day in Kigali, Rwanda. At CMU‑Africa in Kigali, the finalists pitched their products to a judging panel that included CMU‑Africa Director Dr Conrad Tucker, OpenAI Africa Lead Emmanuel Lubanzadio, and ServiceNow Africa Vice President and Managing Director Cheick Camara alongside ServiceNow Head of Strategy and Operations Nikki van Gasse. The Demo Day was supported by CMU‑Africa, ServiceNow and OpenAI, with ALX Ventures again serving as the Official Operating Partner of the programme.

Morocco’s Reborn took first place. The startup provides detailed performance indicators that give athletes deep insight into their physical condition and on‑field performance, helping them identify strengths, address weaknesses and optimise overall output. Reborn receives 25,000 dollars in cash, access to the CMU‑Africa incubation programme, 10,000 dollars in API credits and the OpenAI immersion day.

In second place, Egypt’s Fitclan operates a digital fitness hub built on a flexible subscription model for both individuals and corporate clients. The company is awarded 15,000 dollars in cash, plus the CMU‑Africa incubation slot, 10,000 dollars in API credits and the OpenAI engineering immersion day.

Third place went to Egypt‑based Athlon Technology, which uses accessible mobile technology and artificial intelligence to deliver video analysis tools for amateur and budget‑constrained sports teams. Its aim is to close a clear market gap with a user‑friendly, hardware‑light solution. Athlon Technology receives 5,000 dollars in cash, the CMU‑Africa incubation opportunity, 10,000 dollars in API credits and the OpenAI immersion day.

Nigeria’s Atsur, which leverages blockchain technology to drive investment in African art and support artists and art communities, took fourth place and is awarded 2,500 dollars in cash plus entry into the CMU‑Africa Business Incubation Program. Fellow Nigerian startup Songdis, which provides digital distribution and services tailored to African independent artists and labels, secured fifth place and the same 2,500‑dollar cash prize and incubation opportunity.

NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi said the finalists and winners reflect the strength of African innovation in sport and entertainment. She praised the “creative, talented and passionate entrepreneurs” in this year’s cohort and stressed that the support from the programme is designed to help them scale their products and deliver lasting impact across Africa and globally.

From performance analytics and digital fitness to AI‑driven video tools, blockchain‑backed art investment and music distribution for independent creators, the winners show how African founders are building real companies for real markets. In a young continent where technology, sport and culture are growing together at speed, these startups underline a simple truth: Africa may still be early in its independence story compared with older economies, but its innovators are already designing the future, not just consuming it – and that perspective is the lens through which this newsroom chooses to tell the story.