15 high-potential and promising technology African startups have been selected to join the sixth class of Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa Program which according to Google is their most diverse class yet, with 47% women co-founders from across seven countries and seven sectors. The startups are using technology to build products and solve some of Africa’s biggest challenges, with massive potential to contribute to the billion-dollar Africa internet economy GDP.
” We’re are happy to welcome 15 companies from across Africa to the sixth class of our Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa program,” Nitin Gajria; Managing Director at Google Africa and Rowan Barnett, Head of Google.org EMEA, posted in a blog post.
The Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa program was introduced in 2018 to support the African startup ecosystem, and to date, so far 67 startups from 17 African countries have been supported and have collectively raised USD$72 million (approx. UGX255.6 billion) and created 2,800 direct jobs.
In this year’s cohort, the 15 selected startups came from Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tunisia, and Ghana. Nigeria had the most startups with a six-count, South Africa had three startups, Kenya had two startups, and Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tunisia, and Ghana each had one startup.
The three-month accelerator will provide the startups with over USD$3 million (approx.UGX10.65 billion) in equity-free support, mentorship, working space, PR backing, and access to technology and startup expert advisers from Google, Africa, and their external communities around the world.
The selected startups to benefit from this year’s program include;
- Angaza Elimu (Kenya): an education tech startup delivering quality and relevant education on-demand using artificial intelligence.
- Chekkit (Nigeria): a patented consumer intelligence, engagement & loyalty software-as-a-service for authentication, and tracking and tracing of consumer goods and pharmaceutical products.
- Emergency Response Africa (Nigeria): a healthcare tech startup connecting first responders and verified emergency-ready hospitals to emergency victims.
- Envisionit Deep AI (South Africa): developed RADIFY an artificial intelligence product that detects and highlights abnormalities across medical diagnostic images.
- GeroCare (Nigeria): a cloud-based hospital that enables individuals to provide regular home medical care for their elderly loved ones.
- Khula! (South Africa): an ecosystem of digital platforms that exist to make the agricultural value chain more efficient and fair.
- Ndovu (Kenya): a micro-investment platform providing access to financial markets, financial literacy, and tools to diversify financial risk.
- Nguvu Health (Nigeria): a preventive and corrective tech solution for mental health.
- OneHealth (Nigeria): a digital pharmacy and healthcare platform, leveraging technology to provide access to medicines, information, and healthcare providers.
- PayWay Ethiopia (Ethiopia): digitizing payments in Ethiopia.
- Tabiri Analytics Inc (Rwanda): comprehensive and automated cybersecurity as a service for enterprises in underserved markets.
- Tendo (Ghana): enables anyone in Africa to sell online with zero capital investment.
- Third.Design (Tunisia): a software-as-a-service platform that helps individuals easily design 3D immersive experiences.
- Vittas International (Nigeria): a tech-enabled financing platform that extends credit to healthcare SMEs in Nigeria.
- Whoosh (South Africa): a digital payments solution enabling merchants and businesses to expand online.
Notably, Google says their programs such as the Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa Program are essential to their efforts to create platforms and initiatives that will aid in the development of Africa’s digital economy.
Google is committed to supporting African entrepreneurs building successful technology companies and products. Over the years, they have worked with some incredible startups across Africa, tackling everything from healthcare, education, streamlining e-commerce, to improving the food supply chain.