I don’t know who needs to hear this, but checking the Bitcoin charts right before Valentine’s Day is a high-risk activity. Between the "bloody" red charts and the "romantic" red roses, this weekend is looking expensive. If your portfolio is currently doing a deep dive, you might want to pivot your Saturday plans quickly.

And if the red in your portfolio wasn't enough to humble you, just look at the Arsenal scoreline from Thursday. There is a specific kind of "unfiltered joy" that comes from watching the Gunners drop points , it’s the only thing currently trading higher than Nvidia stock. Whether you’re an Arsenal fan currently in the "denial" stage of the grief cycle, or a rival fan feeding off the chaos, it’s a timely reminder that even the most promising "bull runs" can hit a sudden, painful wall.

Whether you’re holding BTC, holding a bouquet, or just holding onto the hope that your team finishes the season with some dignity, remember: markets go up and down, and title races slip away, but the grit it takes to build a business stays the same. Let’s get into the updates for this week.

Our first Demo Day of the year was nothing short of intense, and the energy was palpable with a total of 55 members in attendance cheering on the next wave of innovation. We started with 16 applications, which was painstakingly narrowed down to just 5 finalists for the live showdown.

Our founders didn't just show up with slides; they showed up with grit, data, and a clear vision for the "Global Bridge" we spoke about in our last issue

The Final Five:

After a series of high-pressure pitches and laser focused questions from our judges, Joel Muli, founder of MOTI, took home the NGN 500,000 prize!

Joel is building the future of car rentals and mobility out of Kenya, and his pitch proved that the problems we are solving in the WO Community have no borders.

A Word from the Champ: "Thank you Onyeka for organizing such an amazing Demo Day . Big thanks to the judges for their time and valuable feedback, to the founders for the inspiring pitches, and to the audience for the incredible energy and support. It was an honor to share the stage with you all." — Joel Muli, CEO of MOTI (Connect with Joel on LinkedIn)

Growth is a team sport, and as this community continues to scale, it’s time to bring in more firepower to ensure every founder and operator here gets the support they deserve.

It gives me great joy to announce our new WO Community Manager — Thara Aisha Atta.

Thara is stepping in to support Onyeka, our dedicated volunteers, and our community advisors in driving more value, better connections, and bigger opportunities for every member of our community.

Beyond her heart for community building, Thara is a high-performer and a builder herself. She recently made it to the finalist stage for the NASENI Innovation Hub, proving that she doesn't just manage innovators—she is one.

Thank you, Thara, for accepting the offer to take on this role. We are incredibly excited to work alongside you in the months ahead as we build the next phase of WO.

let's do two things fam :

One of the best things about the WO family is seeing what you all build outside of the startup world. This week, we are shining a light on an upcoming experience curated by one of our own community members.

Love is sweeter when shared 💕 If you’re looking for a break from the pitch decks and charts, this is it. For Love, Laughter & Colours, there is a special 20% OFF Plus-One discount for the WO circle because painting, singing, and vibing hit differently with a friend by your side.

The Experience:

The Details:

Because who needs a Valentine when you’ve got a community that has your back?

Register Now: bit.ly/TheDoyenLoveReg

For more info and enquiries, reach out to the organizers at: 08053844601 or 09129773205.

Hub71 is Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, backed by the Government of Abu Dhabi and Mubadala. This is for founders ready to expand into the Middle East and beyond.

The biggest pitch stage on the continent. If you want to put your business in front of global VCs in Morocco, this is the one.

The most famous "first check" in Africa. If you haven't accessed this yet, the window for this year is closing soon.

For technical founders who are leveraging AI or Machine Learning to solve high-scale problems.

As mentioned earlier, this is for the operators in the "real economy"—Health, Water, and Education.

For "Impact" startups that are solving big problems in a way that is also highly profitable.

KPMG is looking for resilient and ambitious female-led ventures across Africa that are ready to scale despite global uncertainty.

LVLUP Ventures is looking for early-stage startups with strong traction and a clear path to scale. They are industry-agnostic but focus heavily on the founder's grit and market potential.

Ever wondered why some startups get into YC or Techstars while others with "better" products get rejected?

In this session, Onyeka pulls back the curtain on the accelerator world. This isn't just a "how-to" guide; it’s a strategic breakdown of what happens behind closed doors—from avoiding the dreaded "Zombie Investor" to the exact moment you should hit 'submit' on your application.

Why you need to watch this before Monday:

If you are planning to apply to any of the opportunities in our Vault this week, consider this required viewing.

👉 Watch the Accelerator Masterclass here