- The 2025 Deal Room in Lagos focuses on startups innovating in music, film, fashion, design, live events, and publishing, as well as tech solutions powering these industries.
- Selected founders will receive mentorship, pitch to investors, and gain visibility through EWA’s platforms, with opportunities for funding and scale.
- Since its inception, the Deal Room has helped raise over $1 million for startups, with the 2025 edition promising expanded access and deeper support.
Entertainment Week Africa (EWA), Africa’s leading multi-sector creative summit, has announced the return of its flagship Deal Room, with applications now open for the 2025 edition.
Running November 18–23, 2025, in Lagos, the Deal Room is designed as a launchpad for founders building at the intersection of technology and the creative economy. Over three days of intensive mentorship, followed by a high-stakes Demo Day, selected startups will refine their models, sharpen investor-ready pitches, and present directly to the investors and institutions shaping Africa’s creative economy.
Last year, EWA’s Deal Room spotlighted some of Nigeria’s most promising startups, from Esosa, a travel-tech platform serving the African diaspora, to Taghub, an AI-powered influencer marketing network, and Synewave, a revenue-sharing platform empowering music artists. The 2024 cohort showcased the diversity and ambition of Africa’s new creative-tech builders — from carbon management to student payments — proving that the continent’s creative economy is fertile ground for scalable innovation.
Industry mentors like Kemdi Ebi (Enterfive Inc.) and Chikodi Ukaiwe (Salad Africa) guided the cohort, underscoring EWA’s role not only as a showcase, but as a real accelerator of founder journeys.
What’s New in 2025
This year, the Deal Room sharpens its focus on the creative economy, calling on startups and entrepreneurs building in music, film, fashion, design, live events, and publishing. At the same time, applications are open to businesses whose technology or services power these industries — from fintech platforms streamlining creator payments, to logistics ventures scaling fashion brands, to AI tools tracking audience insights. The goal is simple: spotlight ideas and ventures that unlock new value across Africa’s creative markets.
Since inception, the Deal Room has facilitated investments and connections that have raised upwards of $1 million for participating startups. Building on this momentum, the 2025 edition promises even greater access, stronger guidance, and opportunities for founders to secure funding.
Participants can expect:
- Guidance from leading mentors and industry figures
- Access to investors during Demo Day
- Visibility through EWA’s platforms and media partner networks
- Pathways to funding, mentorship, and scale
Deola Art Alade, Founder of EWA and Group CEO of Livespot360, described the Deal Room as “a concrete response to Africa’s creative capital gap — connecting talent, technology, and investment at scale.”
Applications for the 2025 Deal Room are now open. Founders across Africa building solutions for the creative economy are encouraged to apply for a chance to pitch before investors, gain mentorship, and join a community of innovators shaping the future of African creativity and commerce.
About Livespot 360:
Livespot360 is a creative company and entertainment powerhouse creating culture-shaping moments across Africa. From groundbreaking concerts and festivals to large-scale brand activations, Livespot builds platforms that merge creativity, technology, and storytelling. As the team behind EWA, Livespot is committed to amplifying African creativity and connecting it to global opportunities.
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