Thrive in Tech 6.0 Lagos: 45 Tech Teams Compete for AI Innovation Prizes
Forty-five energetic tech teams converged in Ikeja, Lagos, for the sixth edition of Thrive in Tech, turning raw artificial intelligence concepts into market-ready business solutions. Centered on the theme “Build for Impact,” the two-day innovation gathering at GolfView Suites challenged young developers, product managers, and engineers to look beyond short-term competition wins and focus on creating long-term commercial value.
From Hackathon Prototypes to Scalable AI Businesses
Launched in 2020 by Femi Ayilara and a group of industry peers, Thrive in Tech grew out of a mission to bridge skill gaps and mentor emerging tech talent across Africa. Out of more than 100 team registrations, organizers selected 45 finalist cohorts to compete across eight specialized tracks, with nearly 95 percent of participating teams incorporating artificial intelligence into their products.
While cash rewards of ₦500,000, ₦300,000, and ₦200,000 were awarded to top performers, Ayilara stressed that the program’s broader objective is long-term venture building. Backed by an alumni community of over 5,000 professionals, the initiative combines rigorous training, senior mentorship, and startup acceleration—with plans already underway to launch an international edition in the United Kingdom next year.
Industry Judges Demand Viability, Compliance, and Real-World Impact
Evaluating the pitches, Chief Judge Oluwaseun Oluboyo, Chief Technology Architect at ipNX Nigeria Limited, emphasized that true technological progress is measured by social and commercial outcomes. He noted that ipNX supported the hackathon to help local innovators transform indigenous ideas into scalable solutions for African and global markets.
Reinforcing this stance, Akintola Taofeek, Head of Engineering and Payments Architect at fintech firm Hydrogen, reminded founders that securing seed funding is not the sole indicator of startup health. He urged teams to build balanced corporate structures—pairing technical talent with expertise in risk management, regulatory compliance, marketing, and business strategy to survive beyond the hackathon stage.
To relieve young founders of expensive foreign currency costs associated with international hosting, corporate partners introduced immediate operational support. Babatunde Ojumu, Director of Technical Solutions at SoftAlliance & Resources, announced that their cloud platform, SoftKloud, is providing all finalist developers with one month of free local cloud hosting, followed by low-cost local currency pricing tiers starting at ₦10,000 monthly.
Combined with AWS credits, free deployment tools, and dedicated track support from digital identity platform QoreID, Thrive in Tech 6.0 provided participants with the infrastructure, mentorship, and corporate exposure necessary to convert ambitious ideas into viable digital enterprises.
