On May 14, 2025, the Radisson Blu Anchorage in Victoria Island, Lagos, was abuzz with entrepreneurial energy as Cascador hosted its annual Pitch Day.
The event brought together a select group of alumni from the Cascador program, an initiative renowned for nurturing mid-stage, mission-driven African entrepreneurs.
Since its launch in 2019, Cascador has helped elevate six cohorts of entrepreneurs through a combination of education, self-discovery, mentoring, pitch training, and personalised advisory support.
Pitch Day is a hallmark of the Cascador experience, reserved exclusively for alumni who have completed the transformative program. To earn their spot as finalists, participants had to submit comprehensive applications demonstrating business viability, impact metrics, and financial sustainability.
This year, nine entrepreneurs were chosen to pitch their ventures: Michael Ogundare of Crop2Cash, Joycee Awosika of Oriki, Omoniyi Salami of N.E.A.T., Olumide Gbadebo of Adunni Organics, Babatunde Akin-Moses of Sycamore, Chibuke Goodnews of DoChase, Oluwaseyi Adefemi of Drive45, Olufemi Idowu of 24SEVEN, and Omowunmi Emmanuel-Ogah of Ex-Care.
Cascador awarded all nine businesses debt financing : ₦225,000,000 to Ex-Care; ₦500,000,000 to N.E.A.T.; ₦100,000,000 to Crop2Cash; ₦750, 000,000 to Oriki; ₦100,000,000 to Adunni Organics; ₦250,000,000 to DoChase; ₦1,500,000,000 to Sycamore; ₦2,000,000,000 to Drive45; and ₦500,000,000 to 24SEVEN.
The event was anchored by David Ubabudike, who kept the programme engaging and seamless.
A major highlight of the evening was the unveiling of the $2 million Catalytic Fund, a landmark commitment that will see Cascador allocate $2 million annually, starting in May 2025, to empower its alumni with the capital they need to scale their impact. This fund is designed as a combination of debt, equity, and collateral investments, in partnership with Sterling Bank, to meet the unique needs of each business.
The financing solutions are customised to each entrepreneur’s business model and cash flow patterns, ensuring that support is both relevant and sustainable. The Catalytic Fund represents a significant step forward in Cascador’s mission to drive sustainable economic growth and support transformational businesses making a difference across Nigeria.
In addition to the main funding pool, Cascador celebrated entrepreneurial excellence by awarding two special innovation prizes. The NSIA Prize for Innovation, sponsored by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority(NSIA), awarded $10,000 to Crop2Cash for their outstanding work in agritech.
The DBN Innovation Prize, sponsored by the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), awarded $5,000 to N.E.A.T. for their innovative approach to entrepreneurial excellence.
Cascador also recognised Oriki with a $10,000 award for delivering the best pitch of the day.
The event was graced by an impressive roster of business leaders, mentors, and judges. Abubakar Sulaiman, Managing Director of Sterling Bank, delivered a keynote speech emphasising the need for Nigerian businesses to become “bankable”: viable and profitable. He highlighted Sterling Bank’s commitment to ensuring that entrepreneurs can independently access the financial support they need and joined the panel of judges in presenting awards.
The judging panel included Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, co-founder of Future Africa, Flutterwave, and Andela; Ada Osakwe, co-founder of Atika Ventures and CEO of The Nuli Food Company; and Daniel Adeoye, Partner at Verod Capital.
The Cascador team led by David DeLucia, Founder, Trish Thomas, CEO, Amanda Etuk, Program Director and Patrick Amajama, Administrator hosted the groundbreaking event with the support of partner representatives from the NSIA, DBN and Sterling Bank
In his address, Delucia explained the rationale behind Cascador’s selective admissions process, noting that the program admits a limited number of Nigerian entrepreneurs each year to ensure one-on-one mentorship and meaningful relationships.
He spoke passionately about his commitment to sharing knowledge and fostering the next generation of Nigerian business leaders, describing Cascador as a “cascade of wisdom from one generation to the next.”
As the event concluded, the sense of possibility in the room was palpable. Cascador Pitch Day 2025 not only celebrated the achievements of its alumni but also set a new benchmark for entrepreneurial support in Nigeria. With the launch of the Catalytic Fund and the continued backing of visionary partners, Cascador is set to empower even more entrepreneurs to transform their industries and communities in Nigeria for years to come.
Applications for the 2025 Cohort of Cascador is open till June 1, 2025 https://cascador.org/apply-now/
