Nile University held the second edition of Startup, one of its flagship employability and entrepreneurship initiatives, on November 24th and 25th, 2021. The event, which was driven by the university’s Student Services Department, was aimed at aiding Nile University’s students and alumni with exciting and feasible startup ideas and existing startups to achieve their business goals through financial and other forms of support.
The two-day event was divided into two phases— a business pitch session (Day 1) and seminar (Day 2). During the pitch session, Nile University’s students and alumni presented their business ideas before a panel of judges comprising accomplished entrepreneurs such as Dare Odumade (Founder/CEO, Chekkit Technologies Inc.), Tobenna Okoli (Principal Consultant, Result Science), Ogo Akabogu (FCT State Manager, Bank of Industry), and Jeremiah Dan-Okayi (Head Strategy & Policy, Development Bank of Nigeria Plc).
Thirteen (13) students and alumni participated in the pitching competition for a chance to win the cash and other prizes provided by the event’s sponsor organizations for the top four pitches. Interestingly, the judges found the business ideas presented by the students and alumni so fascinating and innovative that they declared a whopping 10 of the 13 participating students and alumni (rather than the expected four) winners of the prizes.
Day 2 of the program featured educative seminar presentations by Dr. Rislanudeen Muhammad (General Manager, Bank of Industry) and Prof. Joseph Nnanna (Chief Economist, Development Bank of Nigeria Plc) on the event’s theme: Entrepreneurship; A Catalyst to Sustainable Economic Development, an interactive session during which the speakers fielded the questions of the audience, and an award ceremony for the students and alumni with the winning pitches.
