For founders
Build the systems Africa needs.
The 16-week cohort for African founders shipping payment, savings, credit, and remittance infrastructure.
Where it fits
Where Cohort 1 fits
Cohort 1 is the intensive founder formation stage of LAB’s four-part venture engine.
The developer community feeds the cohort with candidates. The cohort forms founders across 16 weeks. Selected ventures continue into incubation for 6 to 12 months, and every cohort closes with a Demo Day for backers, partners, and the ecosystem.
If you are ready to apply, everything below is for you.
Read How It WorksWho should apply
Who this is for
Cohort 1 is designed for African founders who meet each of the following.
01You are a developer or technical operator with shipped work you can point to: GitHub, deployed products, competition results, or comparable evidence
02You have identified a specific African market problem in payment, savings, credit, remittance, or adjacent financial infrastructure
03You want to build a venture, not just contribute to one, and you will commit 16 weeks of full focus to formation and shipping
04You are based in Africa or working directly with African users and markets
05You are coachable, willing to receive hard feedback, and ready to change your approach when the evidence demands it
The programme
What the 16 weeks contain
Weeks 1 to 4
Foundation
Technical foundations across Bitcoin, Lightning, stablecoins, and mobile money infrastructure. Commercial foundations around African market realities. Your working thesis validated or evolved.
Weeks 5 to 10
Formation
Deep technical work building the specific infrastructure your venture requires. Commercial work testing distribution, pricing, and user acquisition. Regulatory work understanding your compliance path.
Weeks 11 to 14
Shipping
You ship. Real users. Real transactions. Real evidence. LAB team and mentors work directly alongside you to remove obstacles and accelerate delivery.
Weeks 15 to 16
Positioning
Fundraising narrative. Pitch preparation. Introductions to aligned capital partners. Post-cohort trajectory planning.
What founders receive
Support that survives graduation
01Formal cohort formation: structured technical, commercial, regulatory, and founder development
02Technical mentorship from the LAB team and external partners across Bitcoin, Lightning, stablecoin, and mobile money infrastructure
03Commercial guidance from experienced African fintech operators and successful founders
04Small pre-seed capital, structured per venture based on stage and needs
05Legal, tax, and operational infrastructure, handled so you can focus on shipping
06Access to LAB's institutional network: universities, corporates, civic bodies, government
07Priority introductions to capital: Backer Circle members, corporate anchors, aligned ecosystem grants
08Founding Cohort recognition: permanent status as a member of LAB's inaugural venture engine cohort. Cohort 1 graduates are first in line for incubation residency, and shape how LAB's incubation practice evolves from here
Process
Application process
Five steps from first form to formal offer.
01Initial application: an online form covering your background, shipped work, market thesis, and cohort motivation
02Portfolio review: the LAB team reviews your submitted work, GitHub, shipping evidence, and market thesis
03Interview: a 60 to 90 minute conversation with the LAB founding team. Not a test, a real conversation
04Reference and verification: two references from technical peers or previous collaborators
05Decision: selected founders receive a formal offer with cohort start date and terms
Application
Tell us what you have built
Links beat descriptions. If your public work answers a question, leave the answer short and let the link do the work.