NBA Africa is trying to plug gaps in the continent’s fledgling sports industry supply chain with a plan to invest and support early-stage startups focused on sports and creative industries in Africa.

The Triple Double: NBA Africa Startup Accelerator program will provide selected startups with access to capital, mentorship from international industry leaders and the chance to work with NBA Africa and the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The league is particularly keen on startups in ticketing, event management, youth development, AI and digital marketing. The program was announced this week in Nairobi at the American Chamber of Commerce’s Business Summit, by NBA Africa CEO Clare Akamanzi alongside US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and US Trade and Development Agency Director Enoh T. Ebong.

NBA Africa said the accelerator was “in support of” US President Joe Biden’s Digital Transformation with Africa Initiative and will be operated by ALX Ventures, an African startup incubator. Accelerator programs such as Seedstars and Silicon Valley’s Y-Combinator have played an important role in Africa’s tech ecosystem supporting companies in their early stages, including Flutterwave and Paystack.

Startups have until Friday, May 31, to apply online after which the submissions will be narrowed down to the top 10, who will be paired with mentors to provide guidance on product development, business growth and go-to-market strategy. Four final winners will be selected following a demo day slated for September in New York to coincide with the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).