Kenya’s Farmer Lifeline, Pollen Patrollers and Solar Freeze are among 10 startups shortlisted for Qualcomm Make in Africa 2025, an equity-free mentorship program that identifies promising early-stage and deep-technology startups using advanced technologies such as 5G, on-device Edge-AI/ML, Compute, and IoT.
Farmer Lifeline is a Solar-powered AI robots for crop pests and disease detection while Pollen Patrollers is an AI/IoT based precise and healthy pollination to combat hive collapse. Solar Freeze is a Solar-powered IoT cold storage to reduce post-harvest food loss.
The three and the rest will receive free hardware platforms, mentorship, business coaching, access to engineering consultations for product development, and guidance on protecting intellectual property.
The 2025 cohort includes:
- Aframend, Nigeria: AI-driven drug discovery with African phytochemicals
- AmalXR, Tunisia: AI-powered VR rehabilitation with clinical validation and progress simulations
- Archeos, Benin: Solar/IoT pisciculture automation for optimal water quality and feeding
- ClimatrixAI, Nigeria: AI-driven hyperlocal flood risk prediction and monitoring
- Ecobees, Tunisia: AI-based beekeeping for hive health, water levels, and climate conditions
- Edulytics, Senegal: AI-based mobile liver fibrosis detection using ultrasound images
- Pixii Motors, Tunisia: Electric scooter with AI/IoT battery optimization and swap stations.
The Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform, now in its third year, supports the development of Africa’s deep technology ecosystem by providing mentorship, and technical, business and IP training programs with a focus on 5G, Edge-AI/ML, Compute, and IoT. This year, Qualcomm received an overwhelming response, with approximately 435 applications from 19 countries.
At the of the mentorship cycle, startups will be eligible for the Social Impact Fund, provided through the Qualcomm® Wireless Reach™ Initiative. This fund supports startups in scaling their societal and market impact. One startup will be awarded the fund for its innovative use of wireless technology to address community needs, while the other nine will receive stipends to support their growth and continued development
Startups will also have access to the L2Pro Africa IP e-learning Platform, a free online training program designed to empower startups, SMEs, and researchers in Africa to protect, secure, and maximize their innovations. Created in collaboration with Adams and Adams, the platform has individual filing procedures for patents, industrial designs, and trademarks in Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, Rwanda, and within the two African patent organizations, ARIPO and OAPI, covering 43 of Africa’s countries.
“The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) is proud to partner with Qualcomm on the 2025 Make in Africa program.” said John Omo, Secretary General of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU). “Innovation is the engine of Africa’s future, and it is clear the ten startups in this year’s cohort exemplify its power. While ATU works to align spectrum policy, regional standards, and open-data practices so that new technologies move quickly from lab to market, we also recognize that real progress demands a broad coalition. We therefore call on governments, academia, investors, and industry to back these ventures—and every initiative that puts African ingenuity first.”
