ClapMi, an African creator-tech startup, has secured a $20,000 innovation grant from Lisk through the Aya × Lisk Incubation Programme, aiming to launch Africa’s first competitive livestreaming platform, it said in a statement.
The funding will accelerate ClapMi’s development of its creators layer and support the company’s mission to scale a hybrid Web2/Web3 livestream competition platform that enables performance-based monetisation for creators across the continent.
Africa’s creator economy is projected to surpass $29.8bn by 2032, driven by mobile-first consumers and a digitally native population. But monetisation remains a significant challenge. Industry data shows that over half of African creators earn less than $60 per month, as traditional livestream and social platforms rely on passive consumption, opaque payout systems, and algorithms that undervalue competitive formats popular in African entertainment.
ClapMi was designed to address this gap. The platform reimagines livestreaming as a competitive experience, introducing real-time, head-to-head battles where creators earn based on performance, audience engagement, and outcomes. This structure mirrors the rivalry, energy, and communal engagement characteristic of African digital culture, while providing a monetisable format for creators.
The platform operates on a hybrid Web2 and Web3 architecture. Audience interactions, including votes and tips known as “Claps”, are tracked on-chain, ensuring transparent, real-time payouts to top-performing creators. Blockchain payment integrations across Solana, Lisk, and BEP-20 enable borderless payouts and reduce dependence on traditional financial systems.
Since its launch in August 2025, ClapMi has hosted over 150 livestreams, attracting more than 6,000 active users across Africa and the diaspora. The platform has already distributed more than $1,000 directly to creators and fans, demonstrating proof of concept for performance-based monetisation.
High-traffic events, such as the Solana SuperteamNG Omega Football Competition, successfully connected thousands of fans without affecting livestream quality. Competitions like Nigeria versus Ghana creator matchups, co-hosted by Cade Esports, generated strong organic engagement and validated demand for structured competitive content.
The $20,000 grant from Lisk will support enhancements to ClapMi’s blockchain-enabled payment systems, strengthen its competitive livestream engine, and accelerate the launch of a dedicated mobile app, lowering access barriers for creators and driving faster adoption.
“The grant validates our mission to create a creator economy for Africans, by Africans, for the world,” said Co-founder and CEO of ClapMi, Justice Eneje.
“We are focused on turning creator income from unpredictable side earnings into reliable, scalable revenue by replacing opaque ad models with transparent, performance-based rewards. Our Web3 integration delivers the borderless payout system African creators have long lacked.”
With the web app in live beta and the mobile app soon to launch, ClapMi is expanding beyond gaming and football into singing battles, comedy showcases, and lifestyle-driven interactive shows.
The company aims to become the definitive competition layer for Africa’s creator economy, giving creators financial control and global visibility while transforming audiences into active participants rather than passive viewers.
ClapMi said it is positioning itself at the forefront of African digital entertainment, combining livestream competition, mobile accessibility, and blockchain transparency to create a more equitable and participatory creator economy.
