Agrilogiq and Locstat Become NEC XON Vendors After Success in JICA NINJA Accelerator
Agrilogiq and Locstat became NEC XON vendors after the JICA NINJA Accelerator, showcasing innovative solutions in agriculture and smart infrastructure. Their Tokyo visit strengthened ties with NEC and investors, paving the way for future collaboration and expansion in Africa.
Two South African startups, Agrilogiq and Locstat, have officially become NEC XON vendors, marking a major milestone in their growth and industry recognition. This achievement comes as a direct outcome of the JICA NINJA Accelerator in South Africa – Open Innovation Edition, where they successfully completed a three-month proof-of-concept (PoC) with NEC XON, the pan-African subsidiary of Japan’s tech powerhouse NEC Corporation. Their selection as vendors signals the strength of their solutions and their strategic fit with NEC XON’s innovation roadmap, paving the way for deeper collaboration in Africa.
The two startups headed to Tokyo from January 19th to 25th to meet with decision-makers at NEC Corporation’s Main Headquarters to deepen their relationship, and also relationships with other Japanese Corporations and Investors. Furthermore, a JICA-sponsored event took place on January 23rd, 2025, in one of Tokyo’s key business districts to showcase the startups and their PoCs with NEC XON and guide the Japanese Business Community on how to promote open innovation in Africa.
During Demo Day, Chris Duvenage, Team Leader: Digital Solutions at NEC XON, pointed out how JICA’s NINJA program helped them better understand strategic collaboration with startups as they look forward to working further with Agrilogiq and Locstat to create solutions that not only advance industries but also uplift communities worldwide.
With Agrilogiq, the PoC confirmed the startup’s alignment with NEC's agricultural initiatives that address food security in Africa and synergies with international partners, paving the way for potential integration and scaling through NEC’s Africa projects.
As for Locstat, the PoC revealed that the startup’s platform enhances NEC systems with seamless data flow and offers strategic synergies in smart infrastructure and urban development using analytics and enhanced monitoring capabilities. Both parties agreed to conduct further testing to validate scalability and explore integration with larger platforms and data sets.
“The fact that this project resulted in tangible outcomes such as letters of intent and onboarding as official vendors, demonstrates that more support is needed to validate strategic fit and take corporate-startup collaboration beyond mere introductions. This was just a first step towards helping unlock the true potential of strategic value and returns for corporates and startups alike. I am hopeful that similar programs will be born from this in the ecosystem” says Yannick Gayama, Managing Director and Head of Programs at Double Feather Partners, the Japan-based Africa-focused VC and consulting firm leading the project on behalf of JICA.
The NINJA Accelerator is a collaborative effort powered by JICA and led by Double Feather Partners, Deloitte Tohmatsu, and supported by local partners and global experts to foster innovation and economic growth in the region. After resounding success in Kenya, the program expanded to South Africa with a new acceleration partner, pan-African tech Accelerator Startupbootcamp AfriTech, and the participation of NEC Corporation’s majority-owned African entity NEC XON.
