CAPTION: Student Business Pitch Competition winners at DevEast Entrepreneurship Week 2026

DevEast has marked the 6th edition of DevEast Entrepreneurship Week, bringing together students, educators, entrepreneurs and business mentors for four days of practical learning, mentorship, enterprise development and opportunities designed to strengthen entrepreneurship across South-East and South-South Nigeria.

Over the years, DevEast Entrepreneurship Week has evolved beyond an annual event into a platform for strengthening entrepreneurial capacity, connecting aspiring and existing entrepreneurs with knowledge and mentorship, and creating opportunities for ideas and businesses to develop and grow.

The 2026 edition featured four key programs: Train the Trainers, Business Mentorship Workshop, Entrepreneurship Marketplace, and Student Business Pitch Competition, each addressing a different aspect of the entrepreneurship journey.

The Train the Trainers program brought together lecturers and entrepreneurship facilitators to engage with practical business perspectives and explore approaches to strengthening entrepreneurship education. This was followed by the Business Mentorship Workshop, where aspiring and existing entrepreneurs engaged with business mentors drawing from their experiences and practical insights on the realities of building, navigating and growing enterprises.

The Entrepreneurship Marketplace created an avenue for entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses, products and solutions, while connecting with other entrepreneurs, participants and stakeholders within the ecosystem.

The week culminated in the Student Business Pitch Competition, providing student entrepreneurs with a platform to present their business ideas and solutions and compete for funding to support the development of their ventures.

GridSense, representing the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), emerged as the winner of the Student Business Pitch Competition, with Statora from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and ZeeCraft from the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede finishing as first and second runners-up, respectively. Consolation prizes were also presented to other participants in recognition of their efforts and participation in the competition.

Speaking on the conclusion of the 6th edition, Ugbonma Ekeagbara, Program Officer, DevEast, said:

“Six editions on, Entrepreneurship Week continues to show us what is possible when we create opportunities for people at different stages of the entrepreneurial journey to learn, connect and build. This year, we brought educators, business mentors, entrepreneurs and students into the same ecosystem, creating pathways for knowledge to move from the classroom to enterprise and for promising ideas to receive the exposure, guidance and support they need to grow.”

The 2026 edition of DevEast Entrepreneurship Week was supported by SATH Foundation, the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), and Bedrock Initiatives, reflecting the value of collaboration in strengthening entrepreneurship development and expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs across the region.

Over the years, SATH has remained a key supporter of DevEast through SATH Foundation, reflecting a longstanding commitment to entrepreneurship and enterprise development. This year, that commitment was further strengthened as Signal Alliance Technology Holding (SATH) marked its 30th anniversary, providing an opportunity to deepen its contribution to the 6th edition of DevEast Entrepreneurship Week.

With its 6th edition concluded, DevEast Entrepreneurship Week continues to deepen its role as a platform connecting entrepreneurship education, mentorship, enterprise development and opportunities to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem across South-East and South-South Nigeria.