Builders Circle · Abuja

The Hacker House for Technical & Non-Technical Founders, Marketers, and Operators.

Our purpose is clear: to gather the brightest minds to co-build, iterate, and launch defensible AI products in two weeks. BuildersCircleAI is an invite-only residency where you pair with world-class mentors and ship audacious progress.

LocationAbuja
Residents12-15 builders / cohort
Sprint2-week build sprints
FocusAI-native companies

Live-in community

Curated operators, engineers, and designers who want to live, build, and ship on the continent together.

Hands-on operating system

Daily standups, accountability pods, and mentors who have launched products in energy, fintech, infra, and tooling.

Launch platform

Private demo nights, angel previews, and content support to tell your story beyond Abuja.

Program Flow

Structured like a build sprint, not a conference.

Every cohort runs on a cadence that respects deep work. Expect early-morning output reviews, communal lunches for cross-pollination, afternoon fieldwork, and evening salons with people actually shipping.

01 · Orientation (Day 0-1)

Touch down, claim your studio, and align with the cohort. We map your two-week roadmap, lock in success metrics, and match you with an accountability partner.

02 · Build Days (Day 2-7)

Stacked working sessions, office hours with operators from YC, Stripe, Paystack, Anthropic, and lightning field trips into Abuja's tech ecosystem.

03 · Demo Day + Marketing (Day 8 onwards)

Demo day kicks off on Day 8 in a curated room of investors and storytellers. Marketing starts from these days to ship your launch moment with our media team.

Included

House perks that remove drag.

  • Chef cooking daily, healthy meals & wellness
  • Lots of games daily and active downtime
  • Dedicated content time for your product
  • Deep-work desks (we all have access to sleep everywhere)
  • 24/7 fiber plus redundant solar & GPU lab
  • Founder-only salon nights

Why Abuja

Abuja gives founders proximity to regulators, access to diplomatic networks, and a calmer canvas to think. Builders Circle anchors you in a neighborhood with reliable power, security, and the room to prototype hardware or software without friction.

Weekends feature road trips to partner labs, investor dinners, and community dinners with the city’s most curious minds.

Address Snapshot

Abuja, Nigeria

Apartment location will be sent once selected.

FAQs

Who should apply?

Technical and non-technical founders, marketers, operators, and designers building defensible AI products for African or global markets with Abuja as base camp.

Do I need a full team?

Solo founders are welcome. We match residents with complementary operators and loop in local talent when it makes sense.

What does the residency cost?

We run a simple program fee that covers housing, workspace, meals, and programming. Scholarships exist for standout builders from underrepresented ecosystems.

Screening framework

The prompts below help us understand your craft, commitment, and how you’ll pour into the house. Loom clips (30–60 seconds) beat pitch decks.

House rules and the operating manual drop after acceptance. Expect clarity on security, quiet hours, guests, content boundaries, and contribution expectations.

  • What problem are you solving and for whom?
  • Which build milestone will you hit during the 2-week sprint?
  • How will you contribute to the house (skills, tools, community energy)?
  • Drop a Loom link (30–60 seconds) sharing why Abuja + why now.
  • Do you have ₦500,000 to commit to the residency fee?

Request an Invite

Record a quick Loom (30–60 seconds), confirm you can commit ₦500,000 for the two-week sprint, and share how you’ll contribute to the house. We review submissions within 72 hours.

By submitting, you agree to our review process. You will be informed via email or phone after you have been screened and accepted.

Payment details and exact dates will be forwarded 1 week before the hacker house starts. Comprehensive ground house rules will be shared once accepted.