If your business cleans up waste, farms fish sustainably, or moves goods by water, this one is worth your time. OceanHub Africa has opened applications for Cohort 8 of its Acceleration Program, and Nigerian startups can apply.
It is free, it takes no equity, and it is built for businesses that already have paying customers. The deadline for this selection round is 6 December 2026.
About the Programme
OceanHub Africa is a Cape Town based enabler of ocean-impact entrepreneurship. Its Acceleration Program is a nine-month accelerator for up to 10 revenue-generating Blue Economy startups across Africa.
The programme runs mostly online from March 2027. Founders meet in person for a one-week bootcamp in April 2027, and the cohort graduates in early 2028 with an investor pitch.
Benefits
You do not get a cheque on day one. You get a weekly coach, a work plan and introductions to the people who write cheques.
- A personal Entrepreneur in Residence who coaches you weekly and builds your work plan with you.
- Investor-readiness support, including financial analysis, fundraising strategy and a data room investors expect.
- Technical help with software, hardware design, IoT, operating procedures and digital systems.
- Eligibility for OceanHub’s follow-on capital, including the Blue Loop interest-free loan facility and the Catalytic Bridge Facility, which run their own processes.
- Guaranteed stage time to pitch at a Blue Economy conference in Africa after graduation.
- Access to a cohort of founders and an alumni network of 42 ventures.
Eligibility Criteria
- A registered, active business in the Blue Economy or an adjacent sector, such as waste management and recycling, fisheries, aquaculture, ocean data, boat building, maritime logistics or coastal tourism.
- A product or service already in the market, past the prototype stage.
- Provable revenue. There is no minimum amount, and you do not have to be profitable. Pilots and letters of intent alone are not enough.
- At least two co-founders with complementary skills. A solo founder can apply with a management team of more than four people.
- A clear, measurable ocean-impact case.
- One team member free for weekly sessions, and a founder or executive able to attend the April bootcamp.
Up to three seats are kept for ventures that are not fully validated commercially but show breakthrough innovation or exceptional ocean impact, with registered or pending IP and a written path to revenue.
Documents Needed to Apply
- Company incorporation documents (required).
- An investor pitch deck.
- Financial statements and management accounts, if you have them.
- Proof of traction: customer contracts, invoices and impact KPIs.
Your incorporation papers come from the Corporate Affairs Commission. If you are not registered yet, our business registration service can get you ready before the deadline.
A tight pitch deck backed by clean numbers wins here. If your financials are messy, a professionally written business plan helps you tell the story properly.
Key Details at a Glance
Programme: OceanHub Africa Acceleration Program Cohort 8 (2027)
Organizer: OceanHub Africa
Eligible location: Registered African Blue Economy startups, including Nigeria
Funding available: No cash grant. Free coaching and support, plus eligibility for follow-on capital
Application deadline: 6 December 2026
How to Apply
- Read the full programme details on the OceanHub Africa Cohort 8 page.
- Gather your incorporation documents, pitch deck, financials and proof of revenue and impact.
- Fill in the online application form and submit.
- Watch your email. The top 20 are contacted between 18 and 20 December 2026 and send a pitch video by 18 January 2027.
The final cohort is announced on 15 February 2027. Apply early, because selection closes on 6 December.
Final Thoughts
Not every accelerator wants your equity, and this one does not. If you have customers paying you and an ocean-positive model, the coaching alone is worth the application.
Looking for more funding options? See our full list of latest opportunities and apply before the deadlines close.