By Gloria Ikibah
The South East Development Commission (SEDC) has announced the winners of the maiden edition of the South East Venture Capital Program (SEVCP) Pitch Competition, signalling what officials described as a major step towards building a stronger innovation and enterprise ecosystem across Nigeria’s South East.
The competition ended with a high-profile Finals Day and Investment Ceremony in Enugu, where startups from sectors including healthcare, artificial intelligence, clean energy, agriculture, fintech, logistics, education technology and mobility presented their business ideas before investors and industry experts. 
The initiative was organised under two categories — the Incubator Track and the Accelerator Track. While the Incubator Track focused on supporting early-stage businesses with foundational development and venture readiness, the Accelerator Track targeted startups with more advanced and scalable business models.
At the end of the selection process, ten startups emerged under the Incubator Track, while fifteen secured places under the Accelerator Track following a competitive evaluation involving investors, business executives, ecosystem leaders and industry specialists.
The Commission explained that although the accelerator category was initially designed to support twenty startups from an expected pool of thirty finalists, only twenty-five businesses eventually pitched before the panel. It stated that the number of winners was reduced to fifteen to preserve the quality and competitiveness of the programme.
Speaking on the significance of the initiative, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SEDC, Mark Okoye II, said the Commission remained committed to supporting indigenous entrepreneurs capable of transforming the region’s economy.
Okoye added that the programme was designed to serve as more than a startup contest.
He said: “The Commission remains committed to identifying and supporting indigenous entrepreneurs capable of building scalable businesses that can drive industrialization, create jobs, attract investment, and reposition the South East as a leading innovation destination on the continent.”
“The South East Venture Capital Program is not merely a startup competition but a long-term economic development strategy designed to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of the region and strengthen the pipeline of investable businesses emerging from the South East.”
The selected startups are expected to receive financial backing, mentorship, investor access, technical support, advisory services and broader post-programme growth opportunities aimed at helping them become sustainable and investment-ready enterprises.
SEDC also reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with venture capital firms, innovation hubs, development institutions, academic organisations and private sector partners to deepen entrepreneurship and innovation-led economic growth across the South East.
The Commission further commended participating founders, judges, mentors, sponsors and ecosystem partners for contributing to the successful execution of the programme’s inaugural edition.
The startups selected under the Incubator Track are Health Vault NG LTD, VIBET BIO, Wattmuse Energy, KoboTrac, Simsak, Growdex, Farmi AI LTD, CNG Protect, Linia Finance and Keke Ride.
Those selected under the Accelerator Track include Ondigo Technologies Limited, Skilladder, KIRA AI LIMITED, RapidMedicare Limited, SmartAirs, Bra-X, Stur Africa, Nigenius, SpaceOps, FLOF CO, Case Radar, Smart Transport Grid Ltd (STRAG), 8Bit Digital Systems Limited, CLIMAX GREEN (AGROFUXION), and Afiari.
The Commission noted that the programme forms part of a broader long-term strategy aimed at driving innovation-led growth, strengthening enterprise development and building a globally competitive South East economy through sustained investment in entrepreneurship, technology and talent development.
