TruQ, a Nigerian logistics startup, has won the TC Startup Battlefield competition. The startup, which operates by streamlining mid-mile logistics in Africa, won the 2.5 million naira cash prize ahead of nine other competitors, including Jamit, a social audio network, which emerged as runner-up with a prize of 1.5 million naira.
The maiden edition of the competition involved Nigerian startups only. The startups that featured in the competition include auto tech startup – Flickwheel, Stackjunior (an edtech platform), Powerful Technology Limited, and Royalty.io (music cataloguing startup). Other startups that participated include fintech startup – Payslice; Fless (a money management startup for small businesses); food delivery startup – Belarush; and growth-as-a-startup service, Deepbux.
The competition was judged by Hope Dilthakanyane (investment principal at Founders Factory Africa and panel chair), Nela Ekpenyong (head of portfolio at Ingressive Capital), Uwem Uwemakpan (head of investments at Launch Africa VC Fund II), and Gloria Okorie (venture partner at Republic).
TruQ’s CEO, Williams Fatayo, said the win is a validation of the startup’s hardwork and dedication. TruQ has previously received funding from the 2023 Google Black Founders Fund, and was also part of the Techstars 2022 accelerator cohort. The startup was also part of the V8 Growth Labs. Speaking further, Fatayo announced that TruQ has raised seed funding, and details of the fundraise will be announced in the coming days.
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Ike Orizu, co-founder and CEO of Jamit, the startup that claims to be styled as “the African podcaster’s platform, built with love from Africa, for African podcast listeners and creators,” also spoke on his startup’s win. Orizu said the win is a testimony of the hardwork invested into the startup. He noted that the company will reinvest the cash price won into the startup, and put the global recognition and publicity achieved through the competition to good use.
TC Startup Battlefield is an evenue for local startups to showcase their innovations to the global community. The competition was held at the just-concluded flagship Moonshot Conference by TechCabal.