April 13, 2026
by Innov8League is proud to announce the successful conclusion of Innov8League 4.0, bringing together a vibrant community of founders, innovators, and industry leaders from across Africa and the global diaspora.
After a rigorous multi-stage evaluation process, NutraBoom emerged as the overall winner, receiving a $5,000 prize package designed to accelerate its growth. This includes $1,000 in seed funding, alongside strategic consulting, business support, and access to the Innov8League ecosystem. NutraBoom is an innovative venture focused on advancing nutrition and wellness through accessible, science-driven solutions
Advancing Innovation with Purpose
Innov8League continues to deliver on its mission:
to discover, support, and elevate high-potential founders building scalable, impact-driven solutions.
This year’s competition attracted a diverse range of startups addressing critical challenges across sectors such as:
• Climate and Sustainability
• Food Production, Food Systems and Agribusiness
• Clean energy
• Digital platforms and Infrastructure
Following an intensive review process, six outstanding startups advanced to the final round, where they presented their solutions to a distinguished panel of judges.
Guided by Global Expertise
Innov8League 4.0 was supported by an exceptional panel of VIP judges, whose expertise spans artificial intelligence, venture capital, finance, and innovation strategy. Standout judges include:
- Chelsea Iluno – Artificial Intelligence Researcher specializing in geospatial and high-performance computing systems at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).
- Ademola Adewuyi – Venture Partner and startup strategist with experience across Amazon, ALAT by Wema, and venture ecosystems.
- Kolade Folami – Founder of AfroSophia, advancing Afrocentric knowledge systems through artificial intelligence.
- Dumebi Ugwuegbulam – Finance and risk professional with experience at Deloitte and JPMorgan Chase, focused on AI-driven decision systems.
Their insights and evaluations played a critical role in identifying and elevating the most promising ventures in this year’s cohort.
Recognizing Excellence
In addition to the overall winner, Innov8League recognized several outstanding startups across key categories, reflecting the depth and diversity of innovation within the cohort.
These recognitions highlight Innov8League’s commitment to supporting not just a single winner, but a broader pipeline of entrepreneurs building impactful solutions.
More Than a Competition
Innov8League is more than a hackathon — it is a platform for building the future of innovation.
Through its programs, Innov8League:
• Connects founders with global experts and mentors
• Provides visibility and validation for early-stage startups
• Supports ventures with practical tools for growth and scalability
• Builds a strong ecosystem for collaboration and long-term impact
Under the leadership of Akinyemi Iledare and Ahmed Ogundimu, Co-Conveners of Innov8League, the platform continues to expand its reach and influence across emerging innovation markets.
Looking Ahead to Innov8League 5.0
With the success of Innov8League 4.0, preparations are already underway for Innov8League 5.0, which aims to expand participation, deepen partnerships, and unlock even greater opportunities for founders.
We invite innovators, partners, and ecosystem stakeholders to stay connected as we continue to build a global platform where ideas evolve into impact.l
The future is being built — and Innov8League is just getting started. 🚀