NEC Corporation has launched a new initiative to deepen collaboration with African startups, targeting agriculture and food security challenges through technology-driven innovation.
The program, dubbed the Africa Corporate Innovation Program, will be implemented in partnership with Shell Foundation and venture capital firm Double Feather Partners, expanding NEC’s global startup engagement efforts beyond its existing accelerator, the NEC Innovation Challenge.
The initiative will identify African startups tackling key development challenges and pair them with NEC and its partners to run proof-of-concept (PoC) projects, with a focus on scalable, commercially viable solutions.
At the core of the program is NEC’s digital agriculture platform, CropScope, which will be used to support data-driven farming and farm-to-market logistics systems across selected African markets.
The program officially launched in April 2026, with PoC trials expected to run through December across agricultural sites in Africa. Results will be evaluated in March 2027, with the potential for long-term partnerships and business expansion based on performance.
NEC has been ramping up its presence in Africa’s innovation ecosystem. Since 2022, it has run the NEC Innovation Challenge to co-develop solutions with startups globally, and has also participated in Project NINJA, led by Japan International Cooperation Agency, aimed at strengthening startup ecosystems in developing markets.
Masayuki Furukawa of JICA said the initiative builds on lessons from Project NINJA and reflects growing collaboration between Japanese firms and African innovators.
“Private companies taking the lead in addressing social challenges while building mutually beneficial partnerships is key to Africa’s economic development,” he said.
Jonathan Berman, CEO of Shell Foundation, said the program is designed to de-risk collaboration between corporates and startups, helping unlock capital into inclusive, climate-smart markets.
“Raising incomes while supporting a low-carbon pathway requires partnerships that combine capital, technology and local expertise,” he said.
Kohei Muto, CEO of Double Feather Partners, described Africa as “one of the world’s fastest-evolving innovation markets,” adding that the program aims to connect pilot projects with investment and scaling opportunities.
NEC is expected to showcase the initiative at SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, where it will highlight Japan–Africa co-creation and investment models alongside partners including the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa and Absa Bank.
The program forms part of NEC’s broader “Open Innovation” strategy, as the company seeks to expand its role in solving global social challenges through cross-sector partnerships.