From Campus Idea to Startup Spotlight: My TECASBE 2.0 Journey

Participating in TECASBE 2.0 has been one of the most defining moments of my entrepreneurial journey as a student at the University of Ilorin. Navigating the dynamic intersection of technology, public safety, and innovation, I entered the competition with a strong idea, but limited resources, exposure, and real-world validation.

TECASBE, however, was more than just a competition — it was a launchpad.

Winning the Best Start-Up Prize for my startup, CRIMINOVA LIMITED — a tech-driven company focused on community safety and emergency response — gave me more than recognition. It validated the problem we were solving through our product, ALERTIVO, which is designed to address insecurity, fire outbreaks, and health emergencies on Nigerian campuses. That validation opened doors I never imagined would be accessible to a student founder at my level.

What TECASBE Did for Me

The exposure TECASBE offered was truly transformative. It placed me in front of university leadership, business mentors, investors, and fellow student innovators. For the first time, I had to clearly articulate CRIMINOVA’s business model, our unique value proposition, and our future roadmap — all in a high-stakes, competitive environment. That process alone sharpened my entrepreneurial thinking and helped me refine the core of my solution.

Since TECASBE 2.0, I’ve made measurable progress:

  • Idea to Prototype: We’ve built the first version of our mobile emergency response app in collaboration with developers.
  • Legal Formation: CRIMINOVA is now officially registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) — a huge milestone for a student-led innovation.
  • Pitch Momentum: I’ve prepared for and pitched at other national and global competitions like TiE Global and Pitch2Win, all riding on the momentum TECASBE created.
  • Confidence and Clarity: The mentorship I received before and after the competition has helped me better communicate my startup’s vision to stakeholders, users, and investors alike.

A Message to Fellow Student Founders

TECASBE taught me something powerful: student entrepreneurs are not too early — we’re right on time. We’re in the best position to create, learn, and scale impactful ideas within our campus ecosystems.

I walked away from TECASBE not just with a prize, but with a new sense of purpose — to keep building, to keep learning, and to represent what’s possible when innovation is nurtured in our universities.

To the organizers, mentors, and supporters of TECASBE: thank you for believing in student innovators like myself. CRIMINOVA is still growing, but thanks to TECASBE, we’ve already taken some of our most important first steps.

Olanrewaju Pelumi
Winner, Best Start-Up Prize – TECASBE 2.0
Founder, CRIMINOVA LIMITED
300-Level Criminology Student, University of Ilorin

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