Bitoshi Africa Founder, Timilehin Zubair, on Saturday, October 5, 2026, in Lagos, Nigeria, announced seed funding support for four emerging founders during Tech Cirvee Fest 3.0, marking a deliberate move by the company to strengthen early-stage innovation through direct investment in promising African tech builders.
The initiative, which forms part of the Bitoshi invests in African tech builders programme, was designed to identify high-potential ideas presented at the event and provide financial backing to help selected teams transition from concept to early development.
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The announcement was made during a live pitching session that brought together founders, developers, and ecosystem stakeholders.
Zubair said the decision reflects Bitoshi Africa’s long-term commitment to supporting innovators at the most critical stage of their journey. According to him, many ideas across the continent fail not because of a lack of creativity but due to limited access to early support systems.
“A good pitch can earn applause, but a great idea deserves the opportunity to become something bigger,” Zubair said. “We believe Africa’s technology ecosystem must do more for the people building the future, not just celebrating it.”
The Bitoshi invests in African tech builders initiative awarded seed funding to four selected founders, including the team behind SAAIM, a mobile-first fasting companion platform developed by Abdulganiy Eniola Maryam and Tijani Hibatul-Mannan Kanyinsola, alongside ApplyLater, founded by Joseph Oyetunde and Triumph Nwodo.
SAAIM is designed to consolidate fragmented digital lifestyle tools used during fasting periods into one platform, offering features such as meal planning, prayer scheduling, hydration tracking, and routine reminders.
The founders said the product was built to address what they described as a “disconnected digital experience” for millions of users who observe fasting practices throughout the year.
ApplyLater, on the other hand, focuses on simplifying access to scholarships, grants, fellowships, and job applications through an AI-powered workspace that organises opportunities and tracks application progress.
The founders described the platform as a response to the overwhelming nature of multi-step application processes faced by young professionals.
Zubair noted that both projects reflect the type of problem-solving innovation Bitoshi aims to support, adding that the goal is not only funding ideas but helping founders move closer to product-market readiness.
The announcement was met with strong reactions from participants at Tech Cirvee Fest 3.0, many of whom described the intervention as timely in a funding environment where early-stage African startups often struggle to secure pre-seed capital.
One of the selected founders, Joseph Oyetunde, said the support represents a significant turning point for early validation.
“What matters most at this stage is belief and backing,” he said. “This funding gives us the push to refine our product and take it to the next level.”
Industry observers note that initiatives such as this are becoming increasingly important as Africa’s startup ecosystem continues to expand, particularly in fintech, edtech, and lifestyle technology segments.
However, they also caution that sustained mentorship and infrastructure support are as critical as funding in determining long-term success.
Bitoshi Africa said the investment is part of a broader strategy to deepen engagement with builders across the continent by combining capital support with ecosystem exposure and development opportunities.
The company added that it plans to continue similar interventions across future innovation events.
The Bitoshi invests in African tech builders programme is expected to expand in scope over the coming years as more startups emerge from university ecosystems, tech hubs, and independent developer communities.
As the event concluded, Zubair reiterated that the company’s focus remains on long-term ecosystem impact rather than short-term visibility. “If we want to see stronger African technology companies in the future, we must start by supporting the people building today,” he said.
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The initiative positions Bitoshi Africa within a growing group of organisations betting on early-stage innovation as a driver of Africa’s digital economy transformation, with emphasis on sustainability, scalability, and founder development.
