We Build Startups that Create Jobs and Economic Opportunities

Sandbox is an AI-first venture studio helping underserved African founders build, ship, and scale startups that create jobs, generate income, and unlock market access.

Team collaborating

Backed by world-class partners

AWS logoAWS
Tech4Dev logoTech4Dev
ChatGPT logoChatGPT
Vortex logoVortex
StackUp logoStackUp
GlobalVentures logoGlobalVentures
LoopLab logoLoopLab
SecureCapital logoSecureCapital
MetricFlow logoMetricFlow
Nucleus logoNucleus
Team meeting at whiteboard

Entrepreneurship Shouldn't Be a Luxury

Africa's most talented founders face structural barriers: lack of technical co-founders, expensive tooling, limited networks, and constrained capital.

Generative AI has dramatically lowered the cost of building — but only for teams that can combine tools with customer-focused execution.

Sandbox removes friction with execution-first infrastructure: capital, tooling credits, coaching, and market access so founders can build real businesses that create jobs.

95%
of African VC capital concentrates in 4 countries
20–40%
youth unemployment across Sub‑Saharan Africa
10–50x
reduction in startup costs through AI tooling

How Sandbox Works

From idea to Revenue in 6 Months. Hover to explore.

01

Hackathon

48 Hours

We select founders based on execution, not pitch decks. Build a working prototype using AI tools in 48 hours. Top 10 teams get admitted to the incubation program.

Build working prototype
Form your team
02

MVP Sprint

4 Weeks

Each startup receives $5,000 in capital plus $300,000+ in AI tooling credits. Build and ship a market-ready MVP with technical support and product coaching from Sandbox.

Ship weekly
Technical Architecture
03

Market Validation

12 Weeks

Convert pilot users into paying customers. Run go-to-market experiments, establish sales motions, and generate real revenue. Target: 10+ paying customers by week 16.

First Revenue
User Growth
04

Investor Readiness

4 Weeks

Build investor materials, clean cap tables, develop unit economics models. Get warm introductions to aligned VCs and angels for follow-on funding.

Warm Intros
Data Room

What You Get

Everything You Need to Build a Real Business

Capital & Tools

$5,000 MVP capital per startup + $300,000 in AI tooling credits (Claude, GPT-4, Cursor, Midjourney) and infrastructure (AWS, Vercel, Stripe).

Expert Coaching

Structured product development, go-to-market strategy, sales coaching, and investor readiness training from experienced operators.

Network Access

Direct connections to corporate partners for pilot customers, strategic partnerships, and distribution channels across Africa.

Investor Intros

Warm introductions to aligned VCs, angel investors, and impact funds actively investing in African startups.

Peer Community

Join a cohort of ambitious builders solving real problems. Share learnings, collaborate, and build together.

Tech4Dev Credibility

Backed by a pan-African development organization with proven impact across 22 countries and 10+ years of execution.

We Measure What Matters: Jobs, Income, and Real Businesses

100%
Live MVPs delivered
90%+
Startups with paying customers
50+
Jobs created per cohort
$250k+
Aggregate revenue generated

We Back Builders, Not Just Ideas

Ideal Founder Profile

Pattern
  • Idea-stage or early-stage founders based in Africa
  • Strong bias toward action—you build, you ship, you iterate
  • Leveraging AI as a productivity multiplier, not just a feature
  • Building solutions with clear economic or social impact potential
  • Willing to execute under constraints and prove demand with paying customers

Priority for: Women founders, founders from underserved communities, and founders outside major tech hubs.

Partnership Opportunities

Help Us Build Africa's Entrepreneurial Infrastructure

We're partnering with AI tool providers, corporates, and impact investors to democratize access to venture creation. Whether you provide tooling, distribution, or capital—let's build together.

Ready to Build?

Applications for Cohort 1 are now open. If you're a builder with a bias for action, join us.

Apply Now

Questions? Email us at info@sandboxbyt4d.com

Latest Insights

Stories on venture building, market trends in Africa, and updates from our cohorts.

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