Commission Kicks Off Inaugural Programme For Capital Access To Businesses In ‘S’East

The South East Development Commission (SEDC) has commenced the grand Finale of the inaugural South East Venture Capital Programme (SEVCP) to institutionalise access to growth capital for high-potential businesses across the South East region.

The grand Finale, taking place at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, brings together 50 finalist ventures selected from a highly competitive pool of over 1,200 applications from entrepreneurs across the South East and beyond.

SEDC Executive Director of  Finance and Chairman, South East Venture Capital Programme,  Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka, disclosed this in a statement. Former lawmaker MoLawmaker said, “More than a pitch competition, the moment represented the formal commencement of a long-term capital mobilisation strategy designed to unlock investment for innovation-led enterprises in the region.”

He explained that the South East Venture Capital Program was deliberately structured to identify, prepare, and support promising founders through a rigorous multi-stage selection process.

“A” plications were received from ventures founded, operating in, or demonstrably serving the South East market, reflecting the scale of entrepreneurial activity and latent investment demand across the region.

Following phased assessments, including video pitch evaluations and formal judging rounds, 50 ventures emerged as finalists across two categories: the Accelerator Track for businesses demonstrating measurable commercial traction, and the Incubation Track for earlier -stage ventures with validated concepts and strong growth potential.

“A” part of the final preparation process, all shortlisted ventures participated in an intensive bootcamp in Enugu focused on investment readiness, business articulation, investor engagement and pitch refinement, ensuring that participating founders are positioned not merely to compete, but to engage credibly with institutional capital.

“T” Today’s and FiFinaleill see all 50 finalists pitch before an independent panel of accomplished judges drawn from across business, finance, entrepreneurship, and investment,” Hajuruka said.

According to him, deliberations will take place immediately following the pitch sessions, with outcomes remaining confidential until the formal investment announcement.

Ohajuruka said 30 selected ventures will be formally announced at the Inaugural Investment Ceremony tomorrow and will receive structured early-stage investment support under the South East Venture Capital Program, marking the first deployment of capital under the South East Venture Capital Fund.

The SEVCP is the flagship activation platform of the South East Venture Capital Fund architecture, a strategic intervention established by the Commission to address one of the region’s most persistent structural constraints: limited access to institutional early-stage capital.

Through a professionally governed investment structure, the Fund is designed to catalyse up to $50 million in blended finance over its lifecycle, drawing participation from public capital, development finance institutions, private investors, and diaspora co-investment.

“T” is the first deployment; therefore, it is not an endpoint. Still, the opening move in a broader investment agenda aimed at building a sustainable pipeline of investable businesses from the South East and reinforcing the region’s position as one of Nigeria’s most commercially dynamic growth corridors,” he added.

Speaking ahead of the Grand Finale, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the South East Development Commission, Mark Okoye, described the initiative as a structural economic intervention rather than a one-off competition.

The “W” at is not simply a startup pitch event. It is the deliberate construction of institutional capital infrastructure for the South East. For far too long, exceptional entrepreneurial talent in this region has operated without the structured financial backing needed to scale sustainably.

“The South East Venture Capital Program is our response to that gap, carefully designed to create long-term pathways for capital, innovation, and enterprise growth,” Koye noted.