Written by What Is SWIT
SWIT is the regional innovation arm of Odu’a Investment Company, focused on driving tech and socio-economic transformation in South-West Nigeria. It supports research-based ventures, deep tech, clean tech, and other high impact startups through acceleration, commercialization of research, strategic investment, and ecosystem building.
What the SWIT Accelerator Offers (Benefits)
- A 7-month program for startups that already have proof-of-concept or a working prototype.
- First phase (≈ 4 months, Nov ’25 – Feb ’26) where about 40 teams will refine product-market fit, validate with customers, and get ready for pilot engagements.
- Second phase (≈ 3 months, Mar – May ’26) where ~10 ventures will receive USD 50,000 in equity investment, run pilots with Odu’a subsidiaries or partners, and work toward raising follow-on funding.
- Access to mentorship, networks, partners, and exposure to investors. Strong emphasis on ventures based in or scaled to South-West Nigeria, particularly those tackling big problems via frontier tech, agritech, clean/energy tech etc.
Who Should Apply (Eligibility)
You should apply if:
- You run or co-founded a venture that’s past idea stage (proof-of-concept or prototype).
- You are able to run customer-pilots within 6-12 months or are already doing so.
- Your team has strong technical or domain expertise in deep tech / research / life sciences / agritech / energy/climate, or adjacent sectors.
- Your startup has or can have some connection to South-West Nigeria — either by operation base or co-founder origin. They prioritize ventures that contribute to that region.
Timeline & Key Dates
| Item | Date / Period |
|---|---|
| Application closes | October 25, 2025 |
| Pre-Accelerator phase (for ~40 startups) | November 17, 2025 – February 28, 2026 |
| Accelerator phase (for ~10 ventures) | March – May 2026 |
What SWIT Looks For
- Ventures with strong technical or research foundations and potential for high impact.
- Teams capable of executing quickly (pilots, customer engagement).
- Solutions that can scale, ideally solving substantial problems in their sectors.
- Clear business models, path to follow-on funding, or revenue.
How to Apply
- Go to the SWIT Accelerator page on SWIT website.
- Fill out application form, including details on team, prototype/PoC, what stage your product is, and your plans for pilots or customer validation.
- Provide clear documentation if you have revenue, customer pilot, or research data.
- Submit before October 25, 2025.