Nigerian entrepreneurship platform Cascador has selected 10 growth-stage companies for its 2026 ScaleUp Program, backing businesses in healthcare, renewable energy, agriculture, property technology and consumer sectors as it shifts its focus toward companies with proven commercial traction.
The companies were chosen from more than 1,000 applicants for the 12-week accelerator, which provides executive mentorship, investor access and eligibility for up to $5 million in follow-on financing through Cascador’s Catalytic Fund, managed in partnership with Sterling Bank.
The 2026 cohort includes property management platform Venco, solar financing startup SunFi, cold-chain logistics provider ColdHubs, healthcare company EHA Clinics, beauty retailer Beauty Hut Africa, wellness chain BEYOND Fitness, hospitality operator Ziba Beach Resort, mineral export marketplace Tulay Africa, agritech firm Maanj Agric, and commercial bakery Finger Chops.
The latest intake marks a strategic change for Cascador, which has increasingly targeted businesses that have moved beyond the startup phase and are positioned for regional expansion.
“Our focus now is helping them scale further and unlock their full potential, giving them the training, mentorship, networks and leadership skills needed to power their next phase of growth,” Chief Executive Officer Trish Thomas said in a statement.
The accelerator combines two weeks of in-person executive sessions with 10 weeks of virtual coaching for founders and their leadership teams. Participants also compete for $50,000 in cash prizes during a live pitch event at the end of the program.
Among this year’s participants is Venco, whose software enables payments, utility billing, resident communication and estate operations for multi-tenanted residential and commercial developments.
“We’re incredibly proud to be part of Cascador’s 2026 ScaleUp Program,” said Venco Chief Executive Chude Osiegbu. “The mentorship, resources and networks the program provides will accelerate our growth as we expand our technology platform to more communities across Africa.”
Women lead 60% of this year’s cohort, while founders come from five of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, highlighting the program’s emphasis on building a geographically diverse pipeline of entrepreneurs.
Since its launch in 2019, Cascador has supported 70 ventures that have collectively raised $125 million in external capital. Its alumni served more than 1.7 million customers in 2025, according to the organization.
“The next chapter of Nigeria’s entrepreneurial story will be about what happens when proven businesses get the support they need to scale,” said Cascador co-founder David DeLucia. “That is where sustainable economic value will be created.”
Cascador was founded to strengthen leadership capacity among Nigerian entrepreneurs and has increasingly positioned itself as a bridge between founders, investors and business mentors as startups face a tougher funding environment and growing pressure to achieve profitability.
You can register to be notified when applications open for Cascador’s next cohort here.