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Programmes
Programmes for founders and builders
An accelerator that takes no equity, a six month founder residency and hardware grants, run by people who have built companies in Lagos.
Accelerator
Twelve weeks, no equity
Mentors every week
Two hours a week with an operator who has done it before.
Investor meetings
At least eight introductions per team.
A free desk
Four hot desks for the team for the full programme.
Demo Day
Five minutes on stage in front of 400 people.
Residency
Founder residency
Six months for solo founders and pairs at idea stage: a desk, a mentor, weekly legal and finance clinics, and a stipend of ₦300,000 a month for twelve residents a year.
Who it is for
First time founders living in Lagos, with a problem they know well.
How to apply
A two page note and a ten minute call. Intakes in March and September.
Grants
Hardware grants
Lab time in the Foundry and a parts budget of up to ₦2,500,000 for teams building physical products. Six grants a quarter.
| Grant | What you get | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Prototype | Three months of bench time and ₦1,000,000 parts | First prototype |
| Pilot | Six months of bench time and ₦2,500,000 parts | Pilot with a customer |
Alumni
What alumni say
We came in with a spreadsheet and left with three paying hospitals and a seed round.
Adaeze, founder, example client
The mentors told us the hard things early. That saved us a year.
Kunle, founder, example client
Questions
About programmes
Do you take equity?
No. Polaris takes no equity in any programme.
Is there a fee?
No fee for the accelerator or residency. Teams pay their own travel.
Can teams outside Lagos apply?
Yes, but you need to be on campus three days a week during the programme.