OFFCHART NXT STARTUP CHALLENGE
YOUR STARTUP COULD BE WHAT'S NXT.
Compete for a share of the ₦30M Founder Prize Pool.
Join a founder journey designed to help you sharpen your business, get discovered, earn your place on the OffChart NXT Startup Stage, and connect with investors, financiers, corporates and strategic partners.
Get Ready. Get Discovered. Get in the Room. Get Capital.
Applications close 31 August 2026
Founder Ticket Required
OffChart NXT 2026 • Port Harcourt • 22–23 October
The ₦30M Founder Prize Pool is being mobilised with partners. Awards are subject to final Challenge Rules and confirmed prize commitments.
Open
#OffChartNXT2026
MORE THAN A PITCH COMPETITION
A great pitch can get attention.
A stronger business, the right visibility and access to the right people can take you much further.
The OffChart NXT Startup Challenge is built to help promising Early Traction and Early Growth founders move from potential to opportunity.
You will not simply apply and show up to pitch.
You will get the opportunity to sharpen your business through the Pre-DealRoom Programme, compete for a place among the Top 50, gain visibility across the OffChart NXT community and potentially advance to the Startup Stage, Final 10 and curated DealRoom conversations.
Because where you are building from should not determine how far you can go.
WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU?
Opportunity Beyond the Prize
CAPITAL
Compete for a share of the ₦30M Founder Prize Pool, with flagship prizes for Early Traction and Early Growth startups.
READINESS
Go through the Pre-DealRoom Programme and strengthen the business story, numbers, pitch and investment readiness behind your company.
VISIBILITY
Top founders will be showcased to the OffChart NXT audience, ecosystem, media, business leaders and capital partners.
ACCESS
Get closer to investors, lenders, corporates, grantmakers and strategic partners through the OffChart NXT DealRoom.
The prize is only one possible outcome. Investment conversations, financing, pilots, customers, partnerships and strategic introductions could ultimately be worth much more.
₦30M. DIRECTLY BEHIND FOUNDERS.
THE PRIZE POOL
Category
Prize
Early Growth Winner
₦10M
Early Growth Finalist
₦3M
Early Growth Finalist
₦3M
Early Traction Winner
₦5M
Early Traction Finalist
₦3M
Early Traction Finalist
₦3M
Community Prize
₦2M
HealthTech Award
₦1M
TOTAL PRIZE POOL
₦30M
One application. Multiple ways to win.
And even if you do not win a cash prize, getting discovered by the right investor, customer or strategic partner could open an entirely different door.
HOW IT WORKS
APPLY
Complete your application and verify your OffChart NXT Founder Ticket.
GET READY
Eligible applicants enter the Pre-DealRoom Programme to strengthen their businesses and prepare their final submissions.
MAKE THE TOP 50
Final submissions are assessed and the strongest 50 startups advance.
GET DISCOVERED
The Top 50 are publicly unveiled and enter the Community Prize campaign, giving founders another opportunity to mobilise their communities and grow visibility.
TAKE THE STARTUP STAGE
Qualified startups pitch at OffChart NXT before founders, investors, business leaders and ecosystem stakeholders.
MAKE THE FINAL 10
5 Early Traction + 5 Early Growth companies advance to the flagship final.
GET IN THE ROOM
Through the DealRoom, relevant founders can be matched with investors, financiers, corporates and strategic partners.
THEN, SEE WHAT HAPPENS NXT.
WHO SHOULD APPLY?
EARLY TRACTION
You have launched and have early evidence that the market wants what you are building.
That could mean customers, users, transactions, contracts, partnerships, early revenue or another credible form of market validation.
EARLY GROWTH
You already have meaningful commercial traction and are actively scaling customers, revenue, markets, team or operations.
If you have built something real and can demonstrate progress, we want to see it.
THE TOP 50
THE TOP 50 IS MORE THAN A SHORTLIST.
Make the Top 50 and you become part of a highly visible cohort of businesses emerging through the OffChart NXT Startup Challenge.
Top 50 founders will enter the public Community Prize campaign, compete for a place on the Startup Stage and become part of the founder pipeline being surfaced to relevant capital and strategic partners.
TOP 50 = VISIBILITY + STARTUP STAGE OPPORTUNITY + COMMUNITY PRIZE CONTENTION + DEALROOM DISCOVERY
THE DEALROOM
THE BIGGER OPPORTUNITY MAY NOT BE THE PRIZE.
The OffChart NXT DealRoom is designed to create relevant conversations between founders and:
Potential outcomes can include investment, debt, grants, pilots, procurement, partnerships, customer introductions and follow-up conversations.
There are no guaranteed deals.
But there is value in being prepared, visible and in the right room.
READY TO PUT YOUR STARTUP ON THE MAP?
If you are building a company with real potential, this is your opportunity to sharpen it, showcase it and compete for capital.
Get Ready. Get Discovered. Get in the Room. Get Capital.
APPLY TO THE OFFCHART NXT STARTUP CHALLENGE
bit.ly/ocnxt-pitch
Applications close 31 August 2026
Founder Ticket Required
OffChart NXT 2026 • Port Harcourt • 22–23 October
APPLICATION FORM
Submit Your Application
Applications close on 31 August 2026
* Founder Ticket Required to apply
Founder Ticket Access Required
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the OffChart NXT Startup Challenge?
The OffChart NXT Startup Challenge is a founder discovery, readiness, visibility and capital-access programme for promising Early Traction and Early Growth startups. It combines founder preparation, competitive pitching, cash prizes, public visibility and access to relevant capital and strategic partners.
How much is the Prize Pool?
OffChart NXT is mobilising a ₦30 million Founder Prize Pool. The prize architecture includes a ₦10M Early Growth Winner Prize, ₦5M Early Traction Winner Prize, four ₦3M finalist prizes, a ₦2M Community Prize and a ₦1M HealthTech Award. Prize awards remain subject to the final Challenge Rules and confirmed prize commitments.
Who can apply?
The Challenge is designed for Early Traction and Early Growth startups building valuable businesses and able to demonstrate real progress through customers, users, revenue, transactions, partnerships, contracts or other credible traction indicators.
Do I need an OffChart NXT ticket to participate?
Yes. A valid Founder Ticket is an eligibility requirement for participation in the Startup Challenge. There is no separate Challenge application fee, but you must hold a valid Founder Ticket.
Does buying a Founder Ticket guarantee that I will pitch or win a prize?
No. Your Founder Ticket gives you eligibility to participate. A complete application and verified Founder Ticket allow you to enter the Pre-DealRoom Programme, but they do not guarantee Top 50 selection, a Startup Stage slot, advancement to the Final 10 or a prize.
Will applicants be screened before the Pre-DealRoom Programme?
There is no competitive screening before the learning programme. Once your application is complete and your Founder Ticket is verified, you can enter the Pre-DealRoom Programme. Competitive assessment happens after the programme, based on the required final submission.
Do I need to submit a pitch deck when applying?
No. The initial application is designed to understand your company, stage and traction. You will have the opportunity to strengthen your business materials during the Pre-DealRoom Programme before submitting the materials used for Top 50 assessment.
What is the Pre-DealRoom Programme?
It is the founder-readiness component of the Startup Challenge. It is designed to help participating founders improve their business clarity, traction narrative, numbers, capital ask, pitch and readiness for investor or strategic conversations.
How are the Top 50 selected?
After the Pre-DealRoom Programme, founders complete a final submission. Those submissions are assessed against the Challenge criteria, and the strongest companies emerge as the Top 50.
What happens when I make the Top 50?
Top 50 startups are publicly announced, enter the Community Prize campaign, become part of the Startup Challenge discovery pipeline and qualify for the next stage of the competition. They will also be surfaced for relevant DealRoom and partner opportunities.
How does the ₦2M Community Prize work?
The Community Prize is a public voting award designed to reward founders who can mobilise their communities. Voting begins after the Top 50 are announced. The Community Prize is independent of Startup Stage judging, so a Top 50 startup can win the Community Prize even if it does not ultimately reach the Final 10.
What is the HealthTech Award?
The ₦1M HealthTech Award is a special award for an eligible HealthTech startup participating in the Startup Challenge. It is separate from the Early Traction and Early Growth flagship prizes.
What is the DealRoom?
The DealRoom connects relevant startups with capital providers and strategic organisations based on fit. That can include investors, lenders, banks, corporate innovation teams, grantmakers, accelerators and other partners. The goal is to create conversations that can lead to capital, customers, pilots, partnerships and other growth opportunities.
Does participating guarantee investment?
No. The Startup Challenge and DealRoom create access and visibility, but neither OffChart NXT nor participating capital partners can guarantee investment, financing or commercial deals. Founders are still responsible for demonstrating that their businesses are compelling opportunities.
Can I win more than one prize?
Special awards such as the Community Prize or HealthTech Award may stack with another prize, subject to the final Challenge Rules.
When do applications close?
Applications close on 31 August 2026. Early application is encouraged so your Founder Ticket can be verified and you can be onboarded into the Pre-DealRoom Programme without unnecessary delay.
When and where is OffChart NXT 2026?
22–23 October 2026 in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Founders who qualify for on-site Startup Challenge activities should be prepared to participate at OffChart NXT.
YOUR STARTUP COULD BE WHAT'S NXT.
You have built the business.
Now put it in front of people who should know it exists.
Compete for a share of the ₦30M Founder Prize Pool.
bit.ly/ocnxt-pitch
Applications close 31 August 2026
Growth Doesn't Follow Maps.