{"id":932642,"date":"2026-07-13T19:46:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T19:46:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/932642\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T19:46:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T19:46:20","slug":"nigerian-canadian-bakare-wins-top-export-award-in-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/932642\/","title":{"rendered":"Nigerian-Canadian Bakare Wins Top Export Award in Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"

INNOVATION \u2022 DIASPORA \u2022 TECHNOLOGY<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nigerian entrepreneur and technology strategist, Damilare Bakare<\/a>, has continued to make a mark in Canada\u2019s innovation space after his company, X-Innovations<\/a>, clinched Alberta\u2019s Trade Accelerator Program (TAP)<\/a> Export Plan of the Year 2025 Award.\n<\/p>\n

The award, presented on January 29, 2026, recognised the commercialisation strategy behind the company\u2019s dual-use AI wearable technology designed for the health and fitness sector.\n<\/p>\n

The recognition highlights the strength of X-Innovations\u2019 export strategy and points to the growing influence of African-founded innovation companies competing on the global stage, at a time when Nigeria itself will be watching the FIFA World Cup 2026<\/a> from outside the tournament. For founders and investors looking to understand how African-led ventures are breaking into international markets, X-Innovations\u2019 story offers a compelling case study, and an open door. Scan the QR code below to learn more.<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

Bakare, who hails from Nigeria and studied at Covenant University<\/a> before relocating to Canada for a Master\u2019s degree in Technology and Innovation Management<\/a> at Carleton University<\/a>, is quick to credit God first for the honour, describing it as the product of years of work rather than a sudden breakthrough.<\/p>\n

It was during his studies in Canada, and his exposure to the country\u2019s fast-evolving technology ecosystem, that he identified an opportunity to bridge innovation ecosystems across continents, rather than simply build a new technology startup. That realization came clearer after working with York Angels Investors<\/a>, he said, and that became the foundation for X-Innovations<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n

Bakare\u2019s journey mirrors that of a growing number of African-raised founders who have used Canadian graduate programmes as a launchpad into the country\u2019s startup economy, before eventually building companies that look back toward the continent for talent, partnerships and ideas.\n<\/p>\n

From marketing startup to innovation platform <\/strong><\/p>\n

X-Innovations launched with marketing and product development but evolved into a broader platform covering artificial intelligence, commercialisation, investment readiness, ecosystem development, community engagement, international trade and startup visa services.<\/p>\n

The company is now positioning itself for global expansion, with plans to deepen innovation and trade partnerships between Nigeria, Canada and other markets, while building strategic relationships across the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and other emerging innovation hubs. Bakare said Africa\u2019s biggest export potential no longer lies only in natural resources but increasingly in its talent, creativity and ability to solve global problems through innovation.\n<\/p>\n

Rather than operating solely as a technology firm, X-Innovations has taken a broader approach focused on helping founders, businesses, investors and institutions commercialise ideas, navigate international markets and build sustainable innovation ecosystems. The company offers startup advisory services, export development programmes, investment preparation and Startup Visa-related services, practical support for any founder serious about accessing Canada\u2019s innovation economy. Book a complementary consultation<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n

AI wearable tech at the centre <\/strong><\/p>\n

Artificial intelligence sits at the centre of that strategy. The company\u2019s award-winning product is a wearable technology that combines health, performance and dual-use capability, and its timing could not be more relevant. As the FIFA World Cup captures global attention, the conversation around how athlete data is collected, interpreted and applied has never been louder. Bakare\u2019s platform sits squarely in that space, offering a vision of how AI-powered wearables could fundamentally change the way player performance data is gathered and used in real time, from injury prevention and recovery monitoring to in-game tactical decision-making at the highest level of sport.\n<\/p>\n

The implications stretch well beyond football. This crossover potential is precisely what Canada\u2019s Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, Evan Solomon<\/a>, the country\u2019s first-ever AI minister has been championing federally, pushing Canadian AI companies to move from research leadership into real-world commercialisation and adoption.\n<\/p>\n

Judges credited the project not only for its underlying technology but also for its international market strategy and export readiness. Industry observers say that for a wearable health technology product, credible engineering paired with a clear path into foreign markets is often what separates award-winning ventures from the field.\n<\/p>\n

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L-R: Damilare Bakare; Investor, Vital8T Ventures, Randy Duguay; Founder, Born Global Advisory and Ex-Government of Alberta, Senior Trade Relations Officer, Manisha Arora; Co-founder of LitLife Inc., Daniel Taylor; CEO & Co-Founder, FireSafe AI, Nafaa Haddou; and\u00a0 Founder, EMC\u00b3 Consulting Corporation, & TED x Speaker, Erin McDonald
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Building communities through Fusion Forum <\/strong><\/p>\n

Outside of product development, Bakare built a name for himself as a community organiser. Through Fusion Forum<\/a>, an initiative initially launched during the techstars<\/a> Edmonton startup week<\/a>, he regularly convenes entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, policymakers, students, creatives and business leaders to discuss artificial intelligence, commercialisation, investment and human-centred innovation.\n<\/p>\n

The forum has grown into one of the company\u2019s flagship platforms, creating spaces where conversations develop into partnerships and where founders gain access to new markets, investors and collaborators. <\/p>\n

According to Bakare, innovation cannot thrive in isolation. \u201cThe future belongs to those who can connect technology and creativity, this means connecting ecosystems, industries and people,\u201d he says, adding that sustainable innovation depends on collaboration between government, academia, business and communities. That philosophy, he noted, has also shaped his growing involvement in Alberta\u2019s innovation landscape, including its commercialisation programmes and entrepreneurship networks. Nigerian businesses and brands interested in leveraging X-Innovations\u2019 platform for market expansion or commercialisation partnerships are encouraged to subscribe on LinkedIn to our newsletter<\/a> or scan the QR code<\/a> below to learn more.\n<\/p>\n

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From left to right: Damilare Bakare, Mohamad Issa.
\nTo watch the fight, visit the link. <\/a>
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Beyond the Boardroom: Sport, Art and the Many Dimensions of Damilare Bakare<\/strong><\/p>\n

Outside of X-Innovations, founder Bakare<\/a> is a boxer with a 5-1 record, including one bout ended by knockout inside the first 30 seconds. Bakare<\/a> trains at Alliance Boxing in Edmonton and has trained at Finchley Boxing Club in London, the gym credited with producing heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua.<\/a> He is also on an active martial arts journey at the Ging Wu Martial Arts Association<\/a>, where he has participated in various demonstrations and is gradually working his way through the ranks, and plays semi-professional football for Eternity FC, where he is known as a prolific goalscorer. Across all three disciplines, he supports charity initiatives including campaigns for children fighting cancer, and believes physical wellness, creativity and leadership are deeply interconnected, experiences that continue to shape X-Innovations\u2019 approach to AI-powered health and performance technologies.\n<\/p>\n

As a photographer, published visual artist<\/a> and cultural curator, Bakare has captured some of the biggest moments in African culture on Canadian soil, most notably capturing global Afrobeats superstar Davido<\/a> at a major Afrofestive event, in 2025, a night that drew thousands and underscored the growing influence of African culture in the diaspora. His creative reach extends into film and modelling too. Bakare<\/a> has appeared on set alongside NHL superstar Connor McDavid<\/a> in an All-Star commercial production, and alongside country music artist Dallas Smith<\/a> in the feature film Souls Road<\/a>, projects that speak to a profile that stretches well beyond the startup world.<\/p>\n

Music forms part of his wider creative ecosystem. He has collaborated on several recent projects with his younger brother, Lagos-based artist Ayokunle Bakare<\/a>, who records as Ayrestored<\/a> and whose forthcoming album, also titled Restored, is currently in the works. Their collaborations include Trionda<\/a>, inspired by the (Adidas FIFA World Cup 2026<\/a>) Official match ball, and COYG<\/a>, a celebratory Arsenal<\/a>-themed release, with Bakare contributing visual artwork to related projects. For him, music, visual storytelling and culture are not side projects but connected tools for expression, identity and community building across borders.\n<\/p>\n

For Bakare, the boardroom, the boxing gym, the camera lens and the paintbrush are not separate pursuits but parts of the same broader project, building communities, whether in business, sport or art.\n<\/p>\n

Next Phase: International partnerships <\/strong><\/p>\n

With the award win behind it, X-Innovations is now focused on international partnerships, foreign direct investment and cross-border commercialisation, building innovation bridges between Nigeria, Canada and the wider global economy.\n<\/p>\n

Bakare said Nigeria remains central to that vision. He believes the country\u2019s entrepreneurial energy and youthful population position it to become one of the world\u2019s most influential innovation markets in the decades ahead.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cMy goal is not just to build another successful startup, but to create a platform that allows founders, researchers, investors and institutions to collaborate across borders, unlocking opportunities that benefit communities on both sides of the Atlantic and help drive human evolution forward,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n

As economies increasingly compete on innovation rather than geography, Bakare\u2019s story reflects a broader shift in what the African diaspora is building, not just sending remittances home, but moving capital, knowledge and partnerships in both directions.\n<\/p>\n

Nigeria may not be on football\u2019s biggest stage at the 2026 World Cup, but one of its own is already competing in a different arena, and winning.<\/p>\n

Connect with X-Innovations \u2014 scan the QR code<\/a> or visit www.thexinnovations.com<\/strong><\/a> | Book a call<\/a> Email: [email\u00a0protected]<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

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Edmonton, Canada | X-Innovations & XposureNow Technology\n<\/p>\n

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