About SDC Startup School

SDC Startup School offers a transformative experience for first-time founders and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Recognizing the importance of a structured curriculum, It has been designed to provide a comprehensive foundation on the fundamentals of building a startup, tailored specifically to the African context. This avoids the pitfalls of fragmented online research and offers a cohesive, practical guide to startup success.

Our Approach: SDC Startup School is crafted to equip first-time founders and aspiring entrepreneurs with the essential tools and frameworks needed to transform their ideas into successful, revenue-generating startups. We guide you step-by-step from initial idea to thriving business, ensuring a connected and immersive learning experience.

Features:

Modular Curriculum: Simplified and easier to assimilate, our curriculum is divided into focused modules that make learning more manageable and practical.
Assignments & Case Studies: Each module includes assignments and case studies that help you apply the lessons learned directly to your startup.
Submission Process: Students are expected to submit their assignments via the assignment portal at the end of every module
Tasks and Templates: Students are expected to practice and complete each task assigned to a module

Curriculum Structure:

Startup Foundation: This module lays the groundwork by debunking common myths about startups and covering essential topics like the CEC Startup Roadmap, VC funding, alternative funding sources, and causes of startup failures.
Ideation and Problem Validation: Equip yourself with tailored tools and frameworks to identify pressing problems, pinpoint ideal customers, and achieve problem-solution fit.
Business and Revenue Models: Learn how to define, deliver, and capture value, exploring crucial concepts such as unit economics, pricing techniques, and revenue strategies.
Product-Market Fit: Gain practical guidance on building MVPs, testing and tracking their performance, and iterating effectively to achieve product-market fit.
Advanced Classes: Participate in sessions within the SDC Launchpad, a graduate programme of SDC Startup School, covering topics like building a pitch deck, legal fundamentals, and accounting basics for startups.

Learning Experience:

Interactive and Engaging: Each session feels like you’re in the room, with live recordings from a classroom of over 100 students and relatable case studies. You get to share your learnings as you go on in our class.
Certification: Upon completion, graduates receive a certificate validating their skills and knowledge.

About SDC Launchpad

The SDC Launchpad is an advanced graduate program of the SDC Startup School, designed for those who have successfully completed and obtained their certificate from SDC Startup School. This cohort-based program spans 8 weeks and is limited to a select group of 6 - 10 founders and a globally recognized faculty, focusing on putting into practice all the knowledge gained from SDC Startup School.

Participants can join as individuals without a startup idea and be matched with a team, or they can join as a startup and bring up to 2 co-founders or team members into the cohort. We run only 3 cohorts per year to ensure intensive, hands-on learning and personalized mentorship and advisory session with Cynthia E. Chisom

Upon successful completion, participants will receive clarity, recognition, enhanced visibility, and further support to accelerate their startup’s growth.

Who is the Principal Partner?

Cynthia E. Chisom is the Principal Partner at SDC Startup School, dedicated to providing first-time founders with the education, community, and support they need to thrive.

She is a multidimensional Startup Advisor with global experience across notable incubators and accelerators like Ventures Platform, Co-Creation Hub, Futurize Global, VC4A, and more. She holds an M.Sc. in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Management from Imperial Business School London. Cynthia is passionate about supporting early-stage startups in Africa, teaching relevant topics across various platforms, and serving as the VP, Venture Lab and Ecosystem at Spark Africa HQ.

Her accolades include recognition from Leading Ladies Africa as one of Nigeria's 100 Most Inspiring Women in 2022, acknowledgment by Ventures Platform as one of the 50 remarkable women leaders in technology and innovation in 2023, and the Trailblazer award by Bilaad Development Trust for her contributions to the ecosystem in 2024.

Join Us: SDC Startup School is designed to provide first-time founders and aspiring entrepreneurs with the education, community, and support they need to thrive.