The approval represents a significant step in Luno Nigeria’s regulatory journey, following an extensive engagement process with the SEC, and reflects the company’s commitment to building within Nigeria’s evolving digital asset regulatory framework.

Admission into ARIP means Luno has satisfied the SEC’s requirements to participate in the programme and is authorised to operate within its defined scope, subject to the Commission’s ongoing compliance obligations and regulatory conditions.

Luno has operated in Nigeria since 2015 and was one of the first cryptocurrency exchanges to serve the market. The company has since built a strong local presence, combining global expertise with deep local market experience, and continues to view Nigeria as one of its most important markets globally.

Speaking on the approval, Luno Nigeria CEO Ayotunde Alabi said, “This is an important milestone for Luno Nigeria and a strong validation of our commitment to building responsibly in one of Africa’s most important cryptocurrency markets. Admission into ARIP gives us a clearer regulatory pathway, strengthens trust with customers and partners, and provides a stronger foundation for the next phase of our growth, particularly as we expand our focus on institutional and B2B opportunities. We are grateful to the SEC for its continued engagement and to everyone across Luno whose hard work, resilience, and commitment helped us get to this point.”

As Luno continues to expand its operations across B2B operations, engaging banks, fintechs, payment providers, asset managers and corporate institutions exploring digital asset solutions, regulatory clarity is increasingly becoming a prerequisite. Admission into ARIP strengthens Luno’s ability to engage these organisations as demand grows for compliant digital asset infrastructure, including stablecoin applications, treasury solutions, crypto-as-a-service offerings and secure access to digital assets.

ARIP is an innovative regulatory environment designed to fast-track the on-boarding of digital asset and other investment service providers (like Virtual Asset Service Providers and tokenised product platforms) through a controlled regulatory sandbox. It allows the Commission to assess novel business models and technologies in a controlled regulatory environment to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect investors and preserve market integrity.

Building on the initial licensing rollout in 2024, Luno’s inclusion in the programme’s second batch reflects Nigeria’s commitment to creating a structured, transparent environment for the sector to grow. The development strengthens trust among customers, institutional partners, regulators and the wider market.

Paystack Index builds on existing Paystack products, such as Paystack Checkout, by giving Zap users in Nigeria a new way to check out with supported Paystack merchants via AI agents. The product is launching in early access as Paystack learns how people want to use AI agents to get things done, starting with familiar tasks like buying airtime and mobile data, funding wallets, sending money, and paying for food.

Paystack Index is live in Nigeria and currently works with supported AI clients, including Claude, ChatGPT, and OpenClaw. At launch, it supports airtime and mobile data purchases across major Nigerian networks, transfers via Zap, and food ordering through Chowdeck.

With Paystack Index, users can ask a supported AI agent to complete a task. Index interprets the request, routes it to the right provider or supported Paystack merchant, processes the transaction through Zap and Paystack’s payment infrastructure, and helps the user complete checkout securely within the AI experience.

Users remain in control of what they authorise. Index only acts on requests that users send through their chosen AI agent and within the permissions and limits they set. Index does not store card numbers, CVVs, PINs, or bank account credentials, and transactions are processed through Paystack’s secure payment infrastructure.

“Paystack has always focused on helping businesses get paid safely and reliably, wherever their customers are,” said Shola Akinlade, CEO of Paystack. “As AI agents become a more common way for people to search, decide, and take action, we think checkout has to evolve too. Paystack Index is an early experiment in extending Paystack’s checkout infrastructure into AI experiences, starting with users in Nigeria and a few supported merchants and services. The goal is simple: help users complete everyday transactions more easily, while keeping authorization, permissions, and payment processing on trusted Paystack rails.”

As part of the controlled beta, Paystack will continue to test how users interact with AI agents for commerce, how merchants can safely participate in AI-led checkout experiences, and what infrastructure will be needed as this behavior evolves.

Paystack Index is now live in Nigeria in early access, with more features, supported merchants, billers, and African markets coming soon.

Millions of businesses worldwide rely on WhatsApp to communicate with customers, yet many still manage sales and marketing manually through broadcasts and one-on-one messaging. Tisabot addresses this challenge by enabling businesses to automate customer conversations, run compliant WhatsApp campaigns through the Official WhatsApp API, and convert chats into sales using artificial intelligence.

The platform acts as an Al-powered sales assistant that can instantly respond to customer inquiries, answer questions, recommend products, follow up with leads, and provide customer support around the clock.

Through an impact partnership with Elevenlabs, tisabot.com also extends its services to provide a superstore called ShopOnTisa, a WhatsApp-based eCommerce marketplace that allows businesses all over the world to upload products, receive orders, answer customer questions, and complete transactions without requiring a website or mobile app.

The company integrates advanced Al technologies to support both text and voice interactions, enabling businesses to engage customers through natural conversations on the messaging platform they already use daily.

“Our vision is to become the operating system for businesses that run on WhatsApp. We believe the future of commerce will be driven by conversations, where customers simply send a message and Al handles sales, support,3 and engagement instantly, ” the founder and CEO, Israel Kehinde said.

Tisabot is currently preparing for its MVP launch in Delaware and is raising a pre-seed round to support product development, WhatsApp integrations, customer acquisition, and team expansion.

The company aims to help small and medium-sized businesses across emerging markets grow through Al-powered conversational commerce while contributing to economic growth and digital inclusion.

The third billion was processed in under nine months, three months faster than the previous billion. Daily transaction volumes nearly doubled over the same period, rising from approximately 2.4 million to five million.

African mobile money grew 26% in transaction value last year, with merchant payments globally up 50% to $155 billion (GSMA State of the Industry Report 2026). PawaPay’s transaction volumes have grown faster than the broader market across several of the sectors it supports.

Mobile money increasingly sits behind a long tail of smaller businesses across the continent: from optical chains like Lapaire processing eye-test and glasses payments across multiple markets, to e-commerce operators in cities like Kampala, education technology platforms collecting parent payments, and retail businesses processing daily takings.

PawaPay connects businesses to almost 50 money operators across 20 African markets through a single API, giving access to more than a billion wallets, with direct regulatory licences where required by local frameworks. The company has processed over €10 billion in payments to date.

PawaPay supports merchants through a single integration that manages operator connectivity, settlement, FX, reconciliation and regulatory coverage across its markets. Since 2022, the company has also used stablecoins within its treasury operations to reduce settlement float and improve predictability across different currencies.

Heiti Allak, Director of Product at PawaPay, said: “Businesses expanding across Africa should not have to build a payments company inside their own organisation. That is what happens when each new market adds operator relationships, settlement flows, support processes and treasury requirements. PawaPay takes that complexity away from the business, enabling them to focus on their customers and growth. Three billion transactions is what mobile money looks like when it sits behind everyday economic activity, from transport and subscriptions to remittance and humanitarian support.”

Over the past six years, PawaPay has supported businesses using mobile money across sectors including remittance, transport, digital services and humanitarian payments. Companies including Deriv and GiveDirectly rely on PawaPay to operate across multiple African markets through a single integration.

The program will support businesses as they start, manage and grow their operations, starting with the Paystack Small Business Bundle. The bundle gives eligible Nigerian merchants access to up to ₦4 million in discounts on tools and services from selected partners across key areas of business operations, including commerce, bookkeeping, logistics, design, workspace, customer communication, and digital tools. 

Small businesses play a significant role in Nigeria’s economy, but many still face everyday operational challenges, from managing sales and records, reaching customers, handling deliveries, and accessing affordable tools. The program has been developed to provide practical support for these businesses as they manage daily operations and plan for their next stage of growth.

The Paystack Small Business Program will start with the following initiatives:

• Paystack Small Business Bundle: a collection of tools, services, resources, and partner offers to help small businesses operate more efficiently and grow sustainably.
• Paystack Small Business Launchpad: dedicated, hands-on support to help high-potential businesses get the most out of Paystack and accelerate their growth.
• Paystack Small Business Grant: funding for high-potential businesses to support their next stage of growth.

Through the Small Business bundle, eligible merchants can access offers from partners including Bumpa, Ijeworks, Wiicreate, Flowcart, Simplebks, Africaworks, Paystack, Kindlybook, FezDelivery, Gamp, Pressone, Mercurie, Shuttlers and Canva.

Paystack is targeting 2,000 Nigerian SMBs for the Small Business Bundle, with additional partner offers expected over time.

The Bundle is available to eligible Nigerian merchants with a live Paystack account, at least 10 Paystack transactions in the last 30 days, and operations in Nigeria. Eligible merchants can visit the Small Business Bundle Page to browse available partner offers, submit their business details and receive redemption instructions once their eligibility has been confirmed.

The 17th edition of the annual Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum (NDSF) on Internet Governance for Development concluded on a high note Thursday, at the Welcome Centre Hotels, Lagos, culminating in the prestigious DigitalSENSE Africa Hall of Fame Awards.

This landmark edition, themed “Sustaining WSIS Vision with Multistakeholder Synergy in Nigeria,” served as a vibrant backdrop for celebrating the pioneering individuals and corporate giants anchoring the nation’s digital evolution.

The high point of the forum was the official induction of industry titans into the DigitalSENSE Africa Hall of Fame; an elite circle reserved for trailblazers who have dedicated decades to defending digital rights, shaping technology policy, and building critical national infrastructure.

Dr. Olusola Teniola, who masterfully presided over the day’s proceedings as the Forum Chairman, was received into the Hall of Fame to a resounding ovation. A veteran with over 32 years of global technology experience, Dr. Teniola, currently the Director of Strategic Business Initiatives at ipNX Nigeria and former President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON); was honored for his relentless advocacy in broadband expansion, internet affordability, and his steadfast guidance within Nigeria’s multi-stakeholder space.

Joining him in the Hall of Fame was the highly respected Ebeledike, whose strategic contributions to infrastructure resilience and ecosystem sustainability were formally enshrined. The induction celebrates a legacy of deep institutional dedication, recognizing leadership that successfully bridges the gap between complex digital policy and grassroots national development.

In a deeply emotional and poignant segment of the ceremony, the forum paid a special posthumous tribute to the late Gbolahan Awonuga, the beloved former Executive Secretary of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).

Recognized for his foundational contributions, unparalleled dedication, and decades of structural service to the telecommunications sector, the special posthumous honor was met with immense reverence by industry leaders. The organizers noted that Awonuga’s enduring legacy as a bridge-builder between operators and regulators remains a vital cornerstone of Nigeria’s modern digital infrastructure footprint.

In the corporate categories, the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) emerged as a standout winner. Charged with managing Nigeria’s country-code Top-Level Domain (.ng), NiRA was named the ‘Custodian of the Decade’ in recognition of its monumental strides in digital sovereignty and cybersecurity. The organizers praised NiRA’s leadership for aggressively localizing Nigeria’s online identity, lowering barriers to domain acquisition, and fortifying the underlying Domain Name System (DNS) infrastructure against evolving global threats.

Simultaneously, telecom giant MTN Nigeria was honored with the DigitalSENSE Africa 2026 Mobile Inclusion and Connectivity Award. The accolade recognizes MTN’s unmatched contributions to expanding the Nigerian telecommunications landscape, bridging the digital divide, and ensuring millions of citizens are linked to the digital economy.

Adding to the stellar corporate honors, infrastructure giant Digital Realty was recognized with the DigitalSENSE Africa 2026 Infrastructure Backbone Award: Digital Realty Nigeria. The milestone award highlights Digital Realty’s foundational role in scaling Nigeria’s cloud readiness, anchoring local data hosting capabilities, and providing the robust data center framework necessary to power a secure, resilient African internet ecosystem.

Reflecting on the significance of this year’s awards, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, Lead Convener of NDSF and Group Executive Editor of ITREALMS Media Group, noted that the 2026 honors list represents the perfect intersection of regulation, infrastructure, and identity.

“Achieving true digital trust requires honoring the people who build the networks and the institutions that protect our identity on those networks,” Nweke stated. “Dr. Teniola, Ebeledike, MTN, Digital Realty, the late Gbolahan Awonuga, and the team at NiRA embody the exact multi-stakeholder synergy required to keep the WSIS vision alive and thriving in Nigeria.”

The 2026 NDSF enjoyed robust support from institutional heavyweights and industry pillars, including the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), IHS Nigeria, Digital Realty, Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), NiRA, the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), the Internet Society (ISOC) Nigeria Chapter, the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), and the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA).

With this successful outing, the forum has once again solidified its position as the ultimate barometer for progress in Nigeria’s digital economy; celebrating foundational triumphs while actively mapping out the policy breakthroughs of tomorrow.

The annual high-level forum is scheduled to hold this Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the prestigious Banquet Hall, Welcome Centre Hotels, Lagos, anchoring its deliberations on the crucial theme: “Sustaining WSIS Vision with Multistakeholder Synergy in Nigeria.”

The Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, is set to deliver the Keynote Address, highlighting the regulatory framework required to preserve the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) vision through inclusive, multi-stakeholder partnerships.

Joining the regulatory commission in driving this momentum is IHS Nigeria, the nation’s premier digital infrastructure champion boasting a footprint of over 16,000 telecom towers and 15,000km of fiber optic cables across the country. Alongside data center colocation leader Digital Realty, these organizations are heavily backing the forum as part of their commitment to promoting critical national infrastructure and securing Nigeria’s digital possibilities.

Speaking ahead of the event in Lagos, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, the Editor-in-Chief of host media organization ITREALMS Media Group, commended the immense institutional support flowing from the public and private sectors.

“Achieving sustainable internet governance and digital trust requires an intentional alignment of regulation and infrastructure,” Nweke remarked. “The active collaboration of the NCC, IHS Nigeria, and Digital Realty ensures that the 2026 forum will move beyond mere dialogue to produce clear, actionable policy recommendations for our digital economy.”

The event will be presided over by Dr. Olusola Teniola (hon), Director, Strategic Business Initiatives, ipNX Nigeria and former President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), who will deliver the Chairman’s Opening Speech on the 2026 NDSF blueprint.

Earlier, leading telecommunications, technology, and internet governance stakeholders have thrown their weight behind the 17th milestone edition of the annual Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum (NDSF) on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D), including ICT infrastructure leader MTN Nigeria; the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON); premier software and DNS infrastructure firm Upperlink Limited; and the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), managers of the .NG country code Top Level Domain name.

This integration enables commuters searching for transit directions on Google Maps to view Shuttlers’ routes and book seats within the platform. The partnership expands access to reliable shared transport for businesses and professionals navigating urban centres.

This milestone reflects the growing need for structured, shared mobility in urban Africa. Across the continent’s fastest-growing cities, formal public transport infrastructure faces significant pressure from rapid population growth, leaving millions of professionals dependent on fragmented and costly alternatives. According to the World Bank, African cities lose an estimated 2% to 5% of GDP annually to transport inefficiency. In Lagos, the average commuter loses more than 30 hours a month to gridlock.

To qualify as a Google Transit Partner, Shuttlers aligned its data architecture, route systems, and real-time operational capabilities with Google’s partner infrastructure requirements.

Speaking on this achievement, CEO and Co-Founder of Shuttlers, Damilola Olokesusi, shared, “We are incredibly proud of our integration into the Google Maps Transit system. This, alongside hitting 10 million journeys since launch, is a reflection of years of hard work. For millions of professionals, commuting is still unpredictable, exhausting and expensive. We have spent the last 10 years building technology and operational infrastructure that makes daily transportation more dependable – for commuters, businesses that employ them, and the fleet operators who power our network.”

Olumide Balogun, Director for West Africa at Google, said: “We are pleased to welcome Shuttlers into the Google Transit ecosystem in Nigeria. Reliable transit information helps people navigate cities more confidently and efficiently. As more Nigerians adopt digital tools for everyday mobility, integrations like these help make trusted transportation easier to discover and access.”

Shuttlers currently serves 30,000 active users across more than 1,000 itineraries, operating more than 430 buses daily across Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. Since launching in 2016, the platform has maintained a 99% trip completion rate and a 99.94% incident-free rate across its entire journey history. The average Shuttlers commuter saves 60% to 88% on transport costs compared to ride-hailing services, and reclaims 8 to 12 hours from gridlock every month.

With an ongoing commitment to urban climate impact, Shuttlers is actively integrating Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electric buses into its fleet, reducing emissions by up to 60% compared to traditional diesel alternatives.

As Shuttlers continues to grow its mobility offering, the company remains focused on building structured mobility solutions that improve how people move through African cities, creating better outcomes for commuters, businesses, and transport operators alike.

Speaking while conducting 185 contestants of the 2026 National Girls in ICT (NG-ICT) Competition on a tour of the National Communication Museum domiciled at the Commission in Abuja on Thursday, the Executive Vice Charman (EVC) of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, said the initiative also aligns with the Commission’s digital literacy advocacy.

The contestants were selected by the Ministry across the country’s geo-political zones for competition to promote digital inclusion and inspire greater participation of girls in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and other Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

The visit to the Commission by the students formed part of activities organised by the Minister under the National Girls in ICT Programme, an initiative aimed at bridging the gender gap in the technology sector by equipping young girls with digital skills, mentorship opportunities and exposure to innovation.

Maida, who was represented by the Director, Research and Development Department, Babagana Digima, noted that the museum tour was designed to create a link between the old and new generations in Nigeria’s telecommunications journey, helping young people appreciate the sector’s transformation from analogue systems to the current digital revolution.

During the study tour, NCC officials guided the students through exhibits and historical artefacts that document key milestones in the Nigeria’s telecommunications history and the evolution of the communications sector to date. He emphasised that understanding the industry’s history would inspire the participants to contribute meaningfully to the future of digital innovation in Nigeria.

The EVC noted that exposing young people to the history of technological advancement and innovation is essential to building a new generation of leaders for Nigeria’s growing digital economy.

“The whole idea behind this is that we are looking at the younger generation. We want to show them what communication is all about. This place is a museum meant to preserve the history of what has gone before and to keep the artefacts, ensuring that people see the evolution from the postal system to telegraphy, from analogue systems to the digital era.

“This is essentially what we are showing them in the shortest amount of time and, of course, to excite the curiosity of the young ones. When they see what happened in the past and how it has progressed into the future, they can also take it up from here and think about what it will look like going forward. That is the whole essence of having them here,” he said.

During the tour, the participants learned about generational trends in telecommunications development, dating back to 1886 when the colonial administration established first communication facilities primarily to support administrative functions. They were also taken through the history of the country’s early telegraph services, which linked Lagos to other parts of West Africa and Europe through submarine cable connections.

The tour highlighted the state of telecommunications at Independence in 1960, when Nigeria had only 18,724 telephone lines serving an estimated population of about 40 million people. The students were also briefed on various development plans that followed Independence, the operations of the former Department of Posts and Telecommunications (P&T) and Nigerian External Telecommunications (NET) Limited, as well as the establishment of the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) in 1985 to coordinate the provision of internal and external telecommunications services.

A major highlight of the visit was the display of rare historical artefacts preserved at the NCC Museum. Among the exhibits were a Post Office Counter dating back to 1852, Sorting Racks introduced to Lagos in 1852, the Grand “T” Key used at the Lagos Post Office in the nineteenth century, leather mail bags dating back to 1863, Drop Bag fittings from the late 20th Century, a 511A Letter Scale from the mid-20th Century, an Improved Dynamometer Scale from the 1920, Telegram machines, Teleprinter T100, Cordless PBX, Digital Card Phone and others.

This year’s event brought together more than 300 investors, lenders, mentors, and ecosystem builders for high-value conversations with founders scaling impactful companies across Nigeria.

Pitch Day is the culmination of Cascador’s annual Catalytic Fund deployment cycle, a funding initiative that provides up to $5M per year in tailored support to Cascador’s ScaleUp alumni through a blend of debt and equity investments, while celebrating the entrepreneurs who have grown through its ecosystem. Finalists were selected based on their ability to absorb and multiply the value of capital, education, and networks, as well as their potential for social impact, including job creation and service to underserved communities.

Deina Mayaki of Agriarche, the largest funding recipient from the 2026 Catalytic Fund, shared her experience, “Cascador’s ScaleUp program built upon my team’s ability to translate learning into action by helping us refine our message and market position, adjust our funding strategy, and adapt without defensiveness. The Catalytic Fund due diligence team assessed Agriarche’s financial strength, resourcefulness, and track record of success, and they rewarded our high-potential for scale and impact today by awarding a new N2.5B credit facility to power our growth.”

The 2026 Pitch Day Funding Recipients:

• Deina Mayaki (Agriarche) – Debt ₦2.5B ($1.7M)
• Deborah Gael (Koolboks) – Debt ₦2B ($1.4M)
• Okey Esse (Powerstove) – Debt ₦1.8B ($1.2M)
• Daniel Komolafe (First Electric) – Debt ₦500M ($357K)
• Femi Oyewole (Fortics) – Debt ₦200M ($142K)
• Preston Ideh (Stears) – Equity $450K
• Yinka Iyinolakan (Indigenius AI) – Equity $250K

“In just two years, Pitch Day has awarded more than $9M to growth-stage African founders, helping to build a new generation of entrepreneurs equipped to scale transformative businesses. We’re now looking for the next cohort of exceptional founders to join our 2026 ScaleUp program and hope to see them on stage at the next Pitch Day.” Dave DeLucia, Founder of Cascador.

Cascador’s ScaleUp Program works with an elite cohort of entrepreneurs to strengthen leadership, sharpen strategy, and prepare founders to scale sustainably. Through this approach, Cascador is helping build the next generation of high-impact African businesses. Since 2019, it has supported 70 companies that have collectively raised more than $125 million.

Applications for the 2026 ScaleUp Program are open until June 15 to transformative leaders ready to take their companies to the next stage of growth by accessing the connections, resources, and capital required to scale their businesses.

Alongside Iyin Aboyeji of Future Africa and Nneke Eze of Vested World, Daniel Ayoede of Verod Capital Management judged the prize competition for Cascador Pitch Day 2026. Speaking about his experience with Cascador, Ayoede said, “Two years judging Pitch Day, plus a season as faculty for the Cascador ScaleUp program, taught me something the term sheets never capture: capital readiness, not capital, is what turns funding into scale. The founders on stage today walk away with customer pipelines, team training, mentorship, and bespoke support, the connective tissue that lets them multiply what they raise. This is not an accelerator. It is ecosystem architecture, and these founders are its proof.”

Special Prizes Awarded

In addition to investment capital, two entrepreneurs received recognition for innovation and pitch quality, with $10k USD awarded by NSIA as a Prize for Innovation won by Indigenius AI and $10k USD awarded by the judges’ panel for Best Pitch, won by Koolboks.

Pitch Day featured a high-level panel discussion titled “Innovative Capital Deployment Structures in Nigeria,” moderated by DeLucia and bringing together leading voices across the investment, financial, and public sector ecosystem, including Idris Bello of LoftyInc Capital, Danladi Verheijen of Verod Capital, Darlington Nwankwo of Sterling Bank, Ada Osakwe of Agrolay Ventures & Nuli, and Ijeoma Taylaur of NSIA. The session will explore creative capital deployment strategies needed to help growth-stage businesses access patient equity, working capital, concessionary debt, and the strategic support required to scale sustainably.

Two 2025 Catalytic Fund capital recipients shared their performance and impact post-funding.

Babatunde Akin-Moses of Sycamore said, “Truly catalytic capital should create companies that eventually no longer need it: That is what it did for Sycamore. Our recent commercial paper raise was oversubscribed by 230%.”

Seyi Adefemi of Drive45, the largest capital recipient last year, said, “There are founders across Africa solving real problems and building resilient businesses. What they often lack is the financial and non-financial support to cross the gap between potential and scale. Cascador helped Drive45 cross that gap.”

Cascador’s alumni are driving innovation, raising investment capital, winning awards, and changing the face of the African economy. CEOs of growth-stage companies across Sub-Saharan Africa who have demonstrated meaningful traction and are ready to take their companies to the next stage of growth are encouraged to apply for the fall Cascador ScaleUp cohort.