First virtual Google for Startups Accelerator Africa graduates announced

The first virtual class of Google for Startups Accelerator Africa has announced its 20 graduates which are from seven different countries across the continent.

20 startups from seven different countries have graduated from the prestigious programme

As a first of its kind, the virtual accelerator programme hosted by Google, the selected startups have undergone a 12-week virtual programme aimed at refining their product offering, providing mentorship, and attending workshops focusing on technology, product development, and business growth. 

Onajte Emerhor, Head of Google for Startups Accelerator Africa points out during the programme, some of the selected graduates have secured funding and used the programme to their advantage, learning and growing (see this story).

“To date, we have celebrated wins with one Nigerian startup playing their part in the fight against COVID-19 and three raising funding – one notable win being Franc raising a seed round of $250,000 after joining the program.”

Google for Startups Accelerator Africa gives early-stage startups access to the best of Google – its people, network, and advanced technologies. The accelerator has trained participating startups on technology (AI/ML, Cloud, Android), product, data, business, design, people, growth, and fundraising, through interactive workshops and labs facilitated by Google experts and mentors.

The Google for Startups Accelerator Africa Programme 

As Class five for Google for Startups Accelerator Africa, the participants took part in three virtual bootcamps which focused on technology, product, people, and growth. 

As part of the technology bootcamp, the workshop focused on assessing the startup’s value offerings and technology. This bootcamp was aimed at informing startups on how they could utilise technology to optimise their business and run efficiently. 

In addition, it had the founders of the participating startups through the Founders Lab, which evaluated their current managerial styles with insight on how to become better leaders in their business. 

The final week of the programme had participating startups meet with potential investors to grow their business. 

Graduating startups 

The selected pool of startups for Google for Startups Accelerator Africa 2020 are from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe. 

The startups cut across an array of industries including logistics, transportation, education, agriculture, e-commerce, media, health, and professional services. 

The 20 graduating startups are: 

• Adi+Bolga (Ghana): Adi+Bolga uses technology to provide virtual skincare consultations and accurate personalised product recommendations to consumers.
• AmiTruck (Kenya): Amitruck is a digital platform that seeks to bring trust, transparency, and efficiency to logistics by using technology to connect cargo owners and transporters.
• Beamm (South Africa): Beamm allows users to make Hollywood style CGI and VFX videos with ease. 
• BuuPass (Kenya): BuuPass works with transport operators to provide digital solutions that seamlessly facilitate the convenient and reliable movement of commuters. 
• Crediation (Kenya): Crediation empowers tech startups to lend to their customers. It provides APIs and a dashboard to allow its partners to access funds for lending and process loans.
• Credpal (Nigeria): CredPal develops consumer credit infrastructure to ease consumer credit purchases, and enable retail businesses to provide on-demand credit for consumers in Africa.
• Crop2Cash (Nigeria): Crop2Cash is an offline accessible platform for farmers, making it possible for them to pay, get paid, and access agricultural credit via USSD while assuring financial institutions of their lending capital.
• Curacel (Nigeria): Curacel is a Claims and Fraud Detection Platform for African insurers.
• Festival Coins (Nigeria): Festival Coins is a suite of tools to help event organisers produce better events, with features including online ticketing, access control, cashless payments, and event reporting.
• Franc (South Africa): Franc.app is an investment app that helps first-time investors realise their dreams by providing access to the best cash and equity funds without minimums or restrictions.
• Ilara Health (Kenya): Ilara Health brings essential diagnostic support and impactful software products to patients and providers across peri-urban sub-Saharan Africa, who currently are unable to access these basic life-saving tools.
• Judy (Nigeria): The smart, comprehensive database of African case law and legislation.
• Kaoun (Tunisia): Kaoun enables unbanked and underbanked individuals and businesses to access financial services through identification, payment, and credit solutions.
• Send (Nigeria): Digital freight forwarder and customs broker for Africa.
• Stears (Nigeria): Stears is a trusted provider of high-quality African information that improves decision-making.
• The Smarthub (Nigeria): A platform to build and develop smart ideas for social impact, scalability, and investment.
• Thumeza (Zimbabwe): A next-generation logistics platform utilising data to optimise the logistics function for enterprises.
• Uzapoint (Kenya): UzaPoint is an enterprise resource planning tool that enhances the efficiency, profitability, and business intelligence of small scale businesses in retail.
• Zayride (Ethiopia): Zayride provides reliable, timely, and safe cab services using technologically enabled dispatch systems and integrated mobile money systems for payment. 
• Zuka Data Science (Kenya): A blended learning platform with engaging data science programs designed by experts to enable individuals and organisations at all levels to become data fluent.

Since its launch in 2018, the Google for Startups Accelerator program has worked with 47 startups from 17 African countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cameroon, Côte D’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. 

The Accelerator has contributed to economic prosperity and empowerment by collectively raising millions of dollars in investment, and creating hundreds of jobs.

Read more: SA Fintech startup secures $300 000 in seed funding
Read more: 20 startups selected for Class 5 of Google for Startups Accelerator Africa

Featured image: Morning Brew via Unsplash