Yerwa Pitch backs Borno founders with capital, coaching and customers — turning everyday ingenuity into resilient enterprises that hire, supply and scale.
Real markets. Real makers. A backdrop that breathes with the state it serves — no stock Silicon Valley gloss.
Not a one-day pitch. A pipeline — from application to bootcamp to growth programme — that de-risks early enterprise and connects it to real buyers, finance and mentorship.
Borno's creativity is already at work — in Monday Market, in Bulumkutu workshops, in farms across Konduga and Biu. Yerwa Pitch makes that creativity investable: clear stages, credible judging, and post-pitch support that turns a good pitch into a going concern.
We don't fly in a Silicon Valley template. We build with Borno's makers — terracotta, indigo, sand and sun — and pair it with investment-grade rigour.
Scroll to fill the line. Each stage is a gate — and a growth moment.
Entrepreneurs apply from across Borno State — all sectors, all LGAs.
Strongest applications shortlisted by an independent panel.
Intensive training + second pitch round narrows to the Top 10.
Ten finalists selected. Profiled, coached and market-ready.
The Yerwa 10 pitch live at the Yerwa SME Festival — with buyers in the room.
Cash prizes, recognition and business-development support — for more than the top three.
Post-competition mentorship, market linkages and finance clinics — for 12 months.
Every form takes under 3 minutes. We route you to the right team within 24 hours.
Put your brand behind Borno builders. Fund prizes, clinics or the growth programme — with clear ROI on jobs and enterprise growth.
Sell, sample and sign buyers at the Festival Market. 100+ stalls, curated footfall, live demo slots.
Your shot at the Grand Pitch. Open to founders across Borno — idea to early revenue, all sectors.
Apply to Pitch →Be in the room. Keynotes, market, live pitches and hiring fair — Maiduguri, one day that matters.
Volunteer, mentor, media or just curious? Tell us how you would like to plug in.
Sponsor a stage, not just a logo. Every naira is traceable — from bootcamp seat to business funded to job reported. Quarterly impact briefs, site visits, and a jobs dashboard for partners.
Component built now, populated after Stage 4. Each card: photo, business name, one-line pitch, sector tag.
Investors, founders and operators sharing practical lessons at the Yerwa SME Festival.
Speakers to be announced soon.
