Microsoft Nigeria, in partnership with The Future Project, has announced the final series of Demo Days across Nigeria to support over 2,000 Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) across Nigeria through the Accelerate LABS initiative.

Launched in August last year, the programme is intended to empower entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 through required technological resources, trainings, mentorship and seed funding required for them to build socially-responsible businesses in their communities.

Thousands of participants were registered under the initiative this year, with the demo days also providing an opportunity for entrepreneurs to sell their ideas, exhibit their products for purchase and also pitch ideas for possible investment.

The final phase of events in the first edition of the initiative have been held in the Northern region, starting with Abuja (North Central) on 20 June, 2018; Kaduna (North-West) on 21 June, 2018; Bauchi (North-East) on 23 June, 2018.

Additional demo days will be held in Enugu (South-East) on 28, June 2018; Edo (South-South) on 29 June, 2018 and Lagos (South West) on 30 June, 2018.

Speaking during the announcement, Olusola Amusan, Citizenship Lead, Microsoft Nigeria said, “Over 10 months, we have successfully educated, selected and empowered viable young ideas and startups that can be transformed into profitable businesses. As part of Microsoft’s objectives to improve entrepreneurship in Nigeria, Accelerate Labs has connected budding entrepreneurs in Nigeria to opportunities, resources and investors to impact their communities”.

The initiative is blended in structure through Online and In-Class trainings, supporting different sectors ranging from Technology, Fashion, Education, Agriculture, Transportation, and others to stimulate economic development through enterprise development and technology incubation.

In a statement released by The Future Project, the Project Lead, Bukonla Adebakin said, “Through our intensive trainings, we engaged over 8,000 participants across the country on the methods to build and sustain their businesses, with focus on pitch presentation, funding proposals, client relations, and others. With the success of the graduates in the first stream and focused assessments of participants in the second and third streams, the participants are capable of impacting the country through socially inclined, high profit, and highly competitive enterprises”.

The grand demo day for participants will be held in Lagos this Saturday, 30 June 2018.