Techstars Impact Accelerator 2019 welcomes Nigerian, Ghanaian startups

Two African startups from Ghana and Nigeria are part of the 10 companies that have been selected to join the Techstars Impact Accelerator 2019 Class.

The two are Ghanaian agritech Cowtribe and Nigerian insurtech Wella Health.

The Techstars Impact Accelerator backs for-profit, mission-driven founders building tech solutions to solve social and environmental problems.

The programme is based in Austin, Texas in the US and is backed by investors that include Morgan Stanley Investment Management’s AIP Private Markets Team and Impact America Fund.

Cowtribe and Wella Health join eight American companies — namely AgHelp, Creation Crate, Don’t Get Mad Get Paid, Drugviu, MR Presta, Omaiven Health, R3 Score and VitalFlo Health — in the cohort.

Techstars Impact Accelerator normally invests $120 000 in startups selected for the programme

The three-month accelerator programme kicked off yesterday (8 July). It will conclude with a demo day on 3 October.

In a statement yesterday, Techstars Impact Accelerator managing director Zoe Schlag said over the next three months, the 10 startups will work intensively with a deep bench of Techstars mentors to “pressure-test” test their business models, while designing for market-driven impact at scale.

Techstars Impact Accelerator usually invests $120 000 in startups selected for the programme.

Wella Health was founded in 2017 by Ikpeme Neto. The Abuja-based insurtech provides malaria insurance to cover malaria tests and medication from 425 Naira per month.

Tamale-based Cowtribe provides an on-demand mobile (USSD-based) subscription service which connects livestock farmers with veterinarians and helps deliver animal vaccines and other livestock healthcare services to farmers.

The agritech startup was founded in 2015 by CEO Awin Peter (pictured above, second from right) and COO Alima Bawah (pictured above, second from left).

Last year in November, Cowtribe raised a $300 000 investment from the US-based Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation (see this story).

Read more: Techstars Startup Week events heading for Lagos, Kampala
Read more: Ghana’s CowTribe nets $300k from US foundation – it’s biggest investment yet
Read more: Ghanaian agritech startup CowTribe crowned winner at Seedstars Accra
Read more: MEST Africa announces four regional winners that will pitch in $50k challenge
Read more: Five agritech startups that aim to take Africa into greener pastures 

Featured image: Featured image: Cowtribe COO Alima Bawah (second from left), Cowtribe CEO Awin Peter (second from right) (Cowtribe via Facebook)