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TECA Heat Action Wave (THAW) Nigeria

Prepare for, respond to, and recover from extreme heat

Nominate a venture

In the face of soaring temperatures, fragile infrastructure, and a rapidly changing climate, communities across Nigeria are struggling to cope with the mounting risks of extreme heat. Heatwaves are already threatening food and water security, straining health systems, reducing productivity, and endangering livelihoods, especially for those least equipped to adapt. Without urgent, innovative solutions, millions face a future of heightened vulnerability and lost opportunity.

The TECA Heat Action Wave (THAW) responds to this reality by backing bold, locally led ventures that protect people and businesses from the impacts of rising heat. From early warning tools and climate-smart financial instruments to emergency fintech and ecosystem enablers, THAW empowers entrepreneurs to pioneer innovations that help communities operate more safely and efficiently as temperatures climb.

The startups we support are early-stage, often with promising prototypes but still refining their strategies and growth pathways. By combining seed capital, venture-building expertise, and access to networks, THAW helps these entrepreneurs transform ideas into scalable solutions capable of building resilience across Nigeria and beyond.




Heat-driven problems we’re tackling

Our work will concentrate on the critical areas most affected by heat, detailed below:

  • Food & Farming: Crop and livestock loss, food spoilage
  • Cities & Housing: Homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods becoming dangerously hot.
  • Health: Rising illness and unsafe medicine storage.
  • Work & Livelihoods: Outdoor workers losing income and safety to difficult working conditions
  • Energy: Grids under pressure, costly cooling, and lack of affordable off-grid power.
  • Finance & Data: Households and businesses lacking financial resources and information to prevent or adapt to shocks

If your startup or business is building solutions in these areas, this is your opportunity to engage.



What we look for

 We seek ventures that:

 

Early-stage startups or SGB (small and growing businesses)

Startups with a conceptual prototype or pilot that are beginning to engage customers and demonstrate real potential for growth. These ventures have:

  • A conceptual prototype or pilot
  • Show early customer engagement
  • A team (or if a solo founder with a clear co-founder profile in mind) with strong commitment and community focus

 

Concept-to-Prototype

Idea-stage founders with compelling concepts ready to build their first prototypes. We’re open to bold ideas that address critical gaps, such as:

  • USSD/SMS-based heat alert systems
  • Cooling kiosks with integrated early warning displays
  • Micro-insurance pilots for climate shocks
  • Micro-loan products for cooling assets
  • Other innovative approaches at the concept stage

 

Tech Transfer (International Ventures Entering Nigeria)

Proven startup models from other markets looking to localize and scale in Nigeria. We’re particularly interested in ventures with traction elsewhere bringing solutions such as:

  • Agro-advisory platforms
  • Solar-powered cooling kiosks for urban markets
  • Solar cooling appliances
  • Reflective paints and cool roofing technologies
  • Waste-to-energy systems
  • Solar dryers and vegetable cooling chambers
  • Other validated models ready for the Nigerian market


Focus country

Nigeria


What we offer

Tailored Growth Support

Access to workshops, tools, and expert guidance to refine your business model, strengthen your impact and investor readiness.

Seed Investment

Selected ventures will be eligible for up to USD 50,000 in investment and continued technical assistance.

 

Community

Connection to global experts, funders, and partners working at the intersection of climate resilience and innovation.

What We Mean by Heat Resilience:

We’re seeking businesses that help communities, workers, or industries prepare for, respond to, or recover from extreme heat. This could mean:

  • ⚕️Health – Clinics predicting heat-related patient surges or public health tools that alert families in advance.
  • 👷🏽‍♀️ Worker Safety – Gig platforms protecting delivery workers during heatwaves, or tools for construction crews to adjust work hours.
  • 🌾 Agriculture & Fisheries – Agro-dealers using early warnings to time outreach, or logistics solutions that protect crops or cold chains from spoilage.

These are just a few examples. We welcome other innovative ideas that align with our focus on building resilience to extreme heat.


Examples of existing startups

Ignitia – provides real-time weather alerts
SlateSafety – offers an armband measuring heat risk
Thermo-Shield – develops cool coating for buildings
Koolboks – delivers solar-powered freezers
OKO – offers parametric climate insurance
Vua – provides a savings product that helps small-scale fishers manage low seasons, including those caused by climatic events like marine heat waves
Sunwave – produces and supplies ice using solar-powered ice machines through a micro-loan system for fish vendors
Altruistech – builds data collection, monitoring and alert devices for manufacturing firms to signal when temperatures or environmental conditions threaten worker safety or machine efficiency


Nomination timelines

Nominations close: October 30th, 2025

If you know an entrepreneur or venture developing solutions that help Nigeria’s communities and businesses adapt, grow, and thrive in the face of climate challenges, we want to hear from you.

Nominate a startup

Watch a recording of an INFO SESSION

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Supported by:

BFA Global, FSD Africa, ClimateWorks Foundation, and FCDO Nigeria have launched the TECA Heat Action Wave (THAW) to back 12 early-stage ventures across Nigeria with funding, mentorship, and technical expertise. By supporting innovations like early warning tools, climate-smart finance, and emergency fintech, THAW aims to protect heat-vulnerable communities in Nigeria and strengthen resilience against rising temperatures.

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