Nokia, Co-Creation Hub partner Futurice on ‘Growth Academy’

Mobile devices leader, Nokia and Co-Creation Hub (CCHUB) Nigeria have entered into a partnership with Finlad-based software house, Futurice to groom young Nigerian software entrepreneurs through ‘Growth Academy.’

Members of Game Acadamy phase 1 @ media launch with

Mr. Teemu Kiijarvi of Nokia West Africa, Mr Adetunji Eleso of

Co-Creation Hub and Mr. Paul Houghton of Futurice Finland

 

 

Speaking at the media presentation of the 10 members of the first enrolment into the Growth Academy, Head, Ecosystem and Developer Experience, Nokia West Africa, Mr. Teemu Kiijarvi, says Nigeria has a thriving and growing mobile software start-up scene with a lot of potentials for growth.

He also said that at Nokia, their objective with the Growth Academy is to support local talent in developing their skills and in growing their companies.

“Our aim is to integrate them into both regional and global markets and ensure future funding for growing their companies,” he declared.

As said by Kiijarvi, the Growth Academy is aimed at accelerating top Nigerian mobile software companies in growing their companies on regional and international levels.

He added that it’s the first of its kind business accelerator programme in Africa dedicated to providing intensive continuous hands-on support to help approximately thirty (30) early stage mobile technology start-ups grow into high growth businesses and build world class mobile applications for the Nokia platform regionally and globally.

He explained that the first programme of the Growth Academy commenced on May 10 and is expected to last July 2012, featuring 10 companies, with anticipation that at the end of three months, participants should have transformed into world class mobile application developers capable of launching products on the Nokia platform with full marketing support by Nokia.

“They will also have access to funding to scale their business through an investor presentation at the end,” he said.

 

Equally speaking, Director, Pre-Incubation and Research, Co-Creation Hub, Mr Adetunji Eleso described the Growth Academy programme as a novel accelerator programme in Nigeria, which will build the capacity of Nigerian technology start-ups to create world class applications that meet the real needs of Nigerian consumers.

Participants, he said, would have the opportunity to undergo hands-on and structured training with modules such as technology training and mentoring, business model development, implementation plan and lean product development which would build them to match up with local and global standards.

The participating 10 starts-up in the current progamme includes Efiko, MyCash, Ningo, Pledges51, Quadtech Mobile, RubiQube, Tiketmobile, Traclist, and Waserise.

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