Investor Pitch Deck · Confidential
The first AI-enabled end-to-end Event Management Platform in Africa
A one-stop marketplace for weddings, concerts, corporate events, and stays across Nigeria — connecting organizers, vendors, and attendees on a single intelligent platform.
The Problem
Event planning in Nigeria is broken
Organizers face fragmented tools, unreliable vendors, zero financial protection, and manual processes that drain time, money, and joy from every event.
No Measurable Portfolios
Finding competent providers relies on word-of-mouth with no verifiable track record
Upfront Payments, No Guarantees
Full payment before service delivery with no money-back protection
No Real-Time Substitution
Unable to swap non-performing vendors during the event lifecycle
Fragmented Guest Management
Manual coordination of invitations, access codes, seating, and menus
No Financial Protection
No event insurance or escrow systems to mitigate liability risks
No Post-Event Intelligence
Lack of feedback, analytics, and ratings from stakeholders
The Solution
iAriya: Everything events, in one place
A technology-driven marketplace that eliminates every major pain point through vetting, financial protection, AI coordination, and an integrated service ecosystem.
Vetted Providers
Rigorously screened against strict service standards with continuous quality reviews
Escrow & Insurance
Payments held in escrow until delivery. Compulsory event insurance protects all parties
AI-Powered Coordination
Real-time milestone tracking, automated oversight, and smart vendor management
Smart Guest Management
QR codes with seating, menus, and RSVP — sent directly to guests' phones
10 Integrated Services
Venues, catering, entertainment, ticketing, stays, merchandising — all in one platform
Post-Event Analytics
Ratings, reviews, and social media integration for accountability and insights
The Product
Built, tested, and ready to launch
The platform is fully developed with AI-powered search, event management, vendor marketplace, guest coordination, and booking services — live at iAriya.com.
Market Opportunity
A $10.7B market with no dominant platform
Nigeria's events industry is one of Africa's fastest-growing sectors, with an 11.13% CAGR — yet no single platform offers end-to-end digital event management.
Total Events Market
$10.7B
Africa-wide addressable
Market CAGR
11.13%
Year-over-year growth
iAriya SAM
₦18.7B
10 income streams
Digital Penetration
<1%
Massive whitespace
Business Model
Commission on every transaction
Like AirBnB and Booking.com — iAriya earns a commission on every transaction flowing through the platform across 10 diversified income streams.
Event Centre Hire
15%
commission
Event Planner Subscription
100%
commission
Merchandising / Aso-Ebi
20%
commission
Event Ticketing
8%
commission
Financial Products / Insurance
25%
commission
Hotel & Stays
12%
commission
Service Providers / Vendors
10%
commission
Catering Services
10%
commission
Entertainment Booking
15%
commission
Other Services
12%
commission
Revenue Projections
Two engines compounding together
Year 1
₦265.0M
Year 5
₦2.0B
Revenue CAGR
66.3%
5-Year Total
₦5.0B
Marketplace commissions + 80%-margin SaaS ARR from Hall, Concierge & Studio AI suites
AI Suite — SaaS Layer
Recurring SaaS on the same rails
Three vertical AI products — Hall (venue OS), Concierge (smart-hotel stays), Studio (planner cockpit) — driving 80% gross-margin SaaS revenue layered on commission.
iAriya Hall
booking, pricing, diesel ledger, predictive maintenance, CCTV vision, compliance
Y1 ARR
₦76.9M
15 modules
4.4x by Y5
iAriya Concierge
24/7 WhatsApp guest concierge, dynamic pricing, OTA reconciliation
Y1 ARR
₦55.0M
12 modules
4.4x by Y5
iAriya Studio
pipeline, vendor brain, run-of-show automation
Y1 ARR
₦48.1M
13 modules
4.4x by Y5
Y1 ARR
₦180.0M
Combined
Y5 ARR
₦786.2M
60/50/40/30% growth
5-Yr ARR
₦2.3B
Cumulative
Gross Margin
80%
SaaS economics
Combined Portfolio
Marketplace commissions + AI Suite SaaS
Two compounding engines on shared rails. Transactional commissions fund the network effect; recurring SaaS contracts lift gross margin and accelerate payback.
Commission (Marketplace)
₦2.8B
54.6% of 5-yr revenue
AI Suite (SaaS · 80% margin)
₦2.3B
45.4% of 5-yr revenue
Combined Total
₦5.0B
5-year combined portfolio
| Year | Commission | AI Suite | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | ₦85.0M | ₦180.0M | ₦265.0M |
| 2027 | ₦220.4M | ₦288.0M | ₦508.4M |
| 2028 | ₦440.8M | ₦432.0M | ₦872.8M |
| 2029 | ₦769.8M | ₦604.8M | ₦1.4B |
| 2030 | ₦1.2B | ₦786.2M | ₦2.0B |
Competitive Landscape
No major player offers full end-to-end
Existing competitors operate in narrow, siloed categories. No single platform covers the full spectrum of event needs the way iAriya does.
Existing Players (Top Half)
- Most focus only on weddings — The Knot Worldwide ($850M raised, 4M+ couples, 850K vendors) but limited to vendor discovery
- Concentrated in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia — minimal presence in Africa
- None offers financial services, event insurance, or AI-powered coordination
iAriya's Defensible Moat
- Only platform with integrated menu booking & table seating
- Only platform with QR-based access, ticketing & guest management
- Embedded financial services: escrow payments & compulsory event insurance
- AI-powered search, real-time milestone tracking & vendor coordination
"iAriya is the only operator competing across every category — making it the most comprehensive event platform in the market."
Go-to-Market Strategy
Aggressive, capital-efficient growth
A multi-channel approach designed for the Nigerian market — leveraging social proof, cultural relevance, and viral growth mechanics.
Social Media Heavy
Instagram, TikTok, Twitter — viral content around Nigerian event culture (Owambe, Detty December)
Influencer Partnerships
Celebrity event planners, lifestyle influencers, and Nollywood partnerships
Radio Jingles
Mass-market radio campaigns across Lagos and major Nigerian cities
Early Bird Offers
Free premium features for first 1,000 vendors and event planners
Referral Program
Existing users earn credits for every new vendor or event owner they bring
City-First Expansion
Launch in Lagos → consolidate → expand nationally → West Africa → continent
Use of Funds
₦155.0M — strategic allocation
Platform is already built. Every dollar goes to market capture and growth.
Social media, radio, influencers, early bird promotions
Core team salaries, office operations
Cloud hosting, AI scaling, platform hardening
Partnership development, vendor acquisition
Licensing, regulatory, insurance partnerships
Contingency buffer
The Founding Team
60+ years of combined expertise
Tunde Dopemu
Co-Founder
Over 30 years in IT — Agile, DevOps, commercial, retail, regulatory, and financial-critical systems. Co-Founder of Bukafoodtoyou.com (online food delivery). Chartered IT Professional (CITP), Chartered Engineer (CEng), MBCS. First-class honours in Civil Engineering; Master's from Cranfield University.
Yomi Ibidapo-Obe
Co-Founder
Over 30 years in technology — Oil & Gas, IT Infrastructure, Networks, Security, and Database Management for Fortune 500 companies including IKEA, Rolls Royce, Ford Motor Company, and NATO. Serial entrepreneur with franchise and FinTech startup experience.
The Investment Opportunity
₦155M for 7% equity
In perpetuity. The platform is built. Every dollar goes directly to market capture across Nigeria's $10.7B events industry.
5-Year Revenue
₦5.0B
Moderate scenario
ROI Multiple
17.52x
On ₦155M investment
Avg Profit Margin
51.8%
Across 5 years
iAriya.com · Confidential