Empowering African Innovation through Sports, Investment, and Entrepreneurship
From the 16th to the 19th of June, UM6P organized the inaugural edition of One Court Africa in collaboration with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).
This three-day experience brought together NBA players and leading experts to explore the power of impact investing and discover cutting-edge African initiatives addressing social and environmental challenges. The program featured immersive workshops, case studies, and dynamic exchanges with specialists from across the continent and beyond
A key highlight was the Jump Shot: NBPA × UM6P Innovation Challenge, hosted at StartGate, UM6P’s innovation and entrepreneurship platform. After two days of expert-led masterclasses, personalized mentorship, and strategic workshops, six high-potential African startups—selected from over 420 applications—pitched their ventures during Pitch Day. The selected startups tackled major challenges in financial inclusion, tech-enabled social impact, and sustainable development. A total of $160,000 in funding was awarded by the NBPA Foundation.
Bridge Africa members also contributed to the success of One Court Africa. Bridgers Taslim Ngome and Abdoulaye Yaro delivered opening keynotes—moderated by Lex Paulson—highlighting the importance of education quality and infrastructure in advancing development in Africa, with compelling examples from Mali and Senegal.
Through this initiative, UM6P reaffirms its commitment to empowering African talent and strengthening connections between the continent and its global diaspora. Program led by UM6P US, with the contribution of Africa Business School, StartGate, and Bridge Africa.
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