Deadline Date: April 20, 2026
iDICE Startup Bridge – Founders Lab offers aspiring entrepreneurs a structured path to transform innovative ideas into real, working businesses.
The programme focuses on turning an idea into a clear problem and solution, validating whether real customers need the product, designing or improving an MVP or early product, developing a simple, practical business model, creating an initial business plan and execution roadmap, and understanding basic operations, pricing, and costs.
The Founders Lab is part of the Startup Bridge initiative under the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) programme, implemented in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI). It is designed to equip early-stage, technology-enabled businesses with the knowledge, expert mentorship, and access to capital needed to grow and compete at scale. Nigerian entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 who are building innovative solutions with strong growth potential can leverage this programme to strengthen their business foundation, become investment-ready, and unlock pathways to funding and long-term success.
Running for 12 weeks, the Founders Lab guides founders step by step through the early stages of building a startup. Participants gain clarity on the problem they are solving and their target customers, test their assumptions with real users, design or refine an MVP or prototype, develop a practical business model, understand basic operations and costs, build a clear business plan, and prepare for the next stage of growth.
Founders in the programme have access to practical tools and frameworks for execution, a structured curriculum focused on early-stage entrepreneurs, mentorship from experienced founders and ecosystem experts, peer learning and a founder community, regional hubs and support networks, performance-based access to funding opportunities, and clear pathways to further support through iDICE Startup Bridge’s Growth Lab.
To be eligible, applicants must be between 18 and 35 years old, have a business at the idea or market validation stage, operate from any of the 36 states in Nigeria including the FCT Abuja, commit to the 12-week programme, and be willing to participate in all learning sessions, assignments, evaluations, and Demo Day activities.
For more information, visit iDICE Startup Bridge.
