truQ, a logistics startup, has emerged winner of the debut TC Startup Battlefield, pitching against eight other startups at the just concluded Moonshot Conference by TechCabal.
TruQ, a logistics startup streamlining mid-mile logistics across Africa, has won the TC Startup Battlefield competition. The startup clinched the ₦2.5 million cash prize ahead of nine other competitors. Jamit, a social audio network, emerged as runner-up, walking home with ₦1.5 million.
The competition was held at the just concluded flagship Moonshot Conference by TechCabal. TC Battlefield competition is dedicated to showcasing local startups’ innovations to a global audience. The maiden edition featured only Nigerian startups which include: Flickwheel, an auto tech startup; Stackjunior, an edtech platform; Powerful Technology Limited; Royalty.io, a music cataloguing startup; Jamit, a social audio network; Payslice, a fintech startup; Fless, a money management platform for small business owners; Belarush, a food delivery startup; TruQ a logistics startup; and Deepbux, a growth-as-a-startup service.
The competition was judged by Hope Dilthakanyane, investment principal at Founders Factory Africa—who also chaired the panel; Nela Ekpenyong, head of portfolio, Ingressive Capital; Uwem Uwemakpan, head of investments, Launch Africa VC Fund II; and Gloria Okorie, venture partner at Republic.
Speaking on the win, Williams Fatayo, CEO of TruQ, said the win is a validation of the work that the startup is doing. This is not TruQ’s first rodeo; the startup was a recipient of the 2023 Google Black Founders Fund. The startup was also part of the Techstars 2022 accelerator cohort, and the V8 Growth Labs. According to Fatayo, TruQ’s win coincided with the startups seed raise which will be announced in the coming days.
Jamit’s co-founder and CEO, Ike Orizu, is proud of the company’s win, which he sees as a confirmation of the team’s hard work and commitment to excellence. In an interview with TechCabal, Orizu noted that the money will be reinvested into the company. Beyond the cash prize, Orizu asserts that Jamit has gained increased global recognition and publicity with both local and international audiences.
Launched in 2018 by Stan Agbadugo and Ike Orizu, Jamit is styled as “the African podcaster’s platform, built with love from Africa, for African podcast listeners and creators”. The startup released its first podcast in 2019, proceeding into podcast production and distribution, and became a podcast platform in 2020. According to Orizu, the startup has over 170 creators on its platform at the moment and has partnered with global giants, Dolby and Sony.
