Google has today announced that 15 companies from across the continent have made it to the sixth class of their Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa program.
The Google Startups Accelerator: Africa program was launched in 2018 to support the startup ecosystem, and has so far supported 67 startups from 17 African countries who have collectively raised $72M and created 2800 direct jobs.
For the second year in a row, the programme is virtual and includes virtual training bootcamps, mentorship and Google product support. The three-month program is designed to support these nascent businesses through their early growth phases.
Commenting on the announcement, Onajite Emerhor, head of Google for Startups Accelerator Africa said “Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first virtual class of Google for Startups Accelerator Africa was launched. It was the first all-online iteration of Google’s accelerator program for Africa, and saw 20 startups from seven countries undergo a 12-week virtual journey to redefine their offering while receiving mentoring and attending workshops. This year, with the sixth cohort, we want to continue to play our part by supporting developers and startups within the Africa tech ecosystem, ensuring they get all the access and support necessary to see them continue to grow.”.
According to Google, this is the most diverse class yet with 47% women co-founder from across seven countries and seven sectors. 60% of companies selected were either Healthcare or Fintech startups.
The full list includes:
- Angaza Elimu (Kenya): an Education technology startup delivering quality and relevant education on demand using AI.
- 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 technology startup connecting first responders and verified emergency-ready hospitals to emergency victims.
- Envisionit Deep AI (South Africa): RADIFY is the AI product developed by Envisionit Deep AI 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 (mobile and web) that exist to make the agricultural value chain more efficient & fair.
- Ndovu (Kenya): A micro-investment platform providing access to financial markets, financial literacy and tools to diversify financial risk.
- Nguvu Health (Nigeria): Preventive and Corrective Tech for mental health
- OneHealth (Nigeria): A digital-first pharmacy and healthcare platform, leveraging technology to provide access to medicines, information and healthcare providers.
- PayWay Ethiopia (Ethiopia): With its fully functional payment technologies, PayWay is digitizing payments in Ethiopia.
- Tabiri Analytics Inc (Rwanda): Comprehensive and automated cybersecurity as a service for enterprises in underserved markets.
- Tendo (Ghana): Tendo enables anyone in Africa to sell online with zero capital investment.
- Third.Design (Tunisia): A software-as-a-service (SaaS) 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.
