The Embassy of Ireland in South Africa, in partnership with Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct, the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and Dogpatch Labs Ireland have selected seven tech start-ups for the prestigious Irish Tech Challenge South Africa 2024.

Now in its third successive year, the collaboration aims to forge mutually beneficial partnerships between South African entrepreneurs and Irish technology expertise, leveraging Ireland’s global tech hub status. 

“This initiative exemplifies the strength of Irish-South African collaboration in technology and innovation. It underscores Ireland’s commitment to fostering global technological partnerships and supporting young entrepreneurs in realising their potential on the world stage. We look forward to their journeys and the impact they will have in promoting inclusive economic growth in South Africa,” says Ambassador of Ireland to South Africa, H.E. Mr. Austin Gormley.

This year’s Challenge saw more than 350 entries from South African-owned, growth-stage tech start-ups focused on fulfilling the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The seven selected start-ups will undergo an intensive pre-acceleration programme with workshops, masterclasses, and mentorship sessions in South Africa. These will conclude with a showcase at Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct at the end of August. Thereafter, they will head to Ireland in September 2024 for an acceleration programme with Dogpatch Labs, a 500-member strong start-up and innovation hub located in Dublin.

The selected innovators are:

Charnté Marthinus – Smartview Technology

SmartView Technology provides enterprise-grade utility management solutions. Their advanced software and mobile application allows for real-time monitoring and management of consumption, making it easier for businesses to control costs, improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

Ahren Posthumus – Momint

Momint uses blockchain technology to ensure that capital is invested in renewable energy projects in a fast and safe way. They do this by fractionalizing renewable energy projects enabling individuals to co-invest in the financing of the projects, enabling a return on investment and contributing to a just and sustainable transition.

Priaash Ramadeen – The Awareness Company

The Awareness Company is a situational awareness company that uses data to help organizations achieve operational efficiency and sustainability through their software product called Hydra. This integrates with organizations sensors and third party systems, thus enabling automated data storytelling and quality insights.

Jabulani Nyembe – Athena

Athena enables affordable access to healthcare services through a platform that allows patients to pay their medical treatment costs in monthly installments. They use technology to administer this process for both doctors and patients.

Michelle Geere – AdBot

Adbot provides online advertising solutions for small business owners by handling all their digital marketing needs through its AdBot. They make online advertising easy, effective and accessible.

Prudence Simelane – Samanjalo

Samanjalo is a fly ash beneficiation business that uses geo-polymer technology to turn coal waste (fly ash) into green products used in construction and infrastructure environments such as green cement, bricks, pavers and barricades.

Kgololo Lekoma – Credipple

Credipple is a talent marketplace for trusted creative and digital professionals. They reduce friction in the process of hiring remote work professionals by matching clients to trusted professionals and streamlining the admin processes, to make it easier to collaborate and do great work.

The Irish Tech Challenge will award the seven selected entrepreneurs up to €10,000 each in funding, a funded trip to Ireland where they will be part of a curated business networking programme with access to the country’s top business leaders, access to the Irish tech ecosystem with potential opportunities for further funding and acceleration support to position their global scaling strategy in collaboration with Dogpatch Labs.

You can register here to see the startups at the showcase on the 30th of August 2024 at the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct.

The recently concluded 2024 Xbox Game Camp Africa marked a significant milestone in the development of Africa’s gaming industry, highlighting the industry’s potential for growth.

The two-day hybrid event hosted physically in Johannesburg, South Africa, Casablanca, Morocco, and Nairobi, Kenya, brought together industry experts from Xbox, aspiring game developers, and gaming enthusiasts from across the continent to foster innovation and collaboration.

In Nairobi, the event was hosted at the Microsoft Africa Development Centre, offering participants a series of hands-on workshops covering various aspects of game development, including design, storytelling, brand building, and marketing.

Speaking in Nairobi, Temi Afolabi, the Xbox Global Expansion Team (GXT) Lead for Africa and Middle East said: “The Xbox Game Camp Africa represents a pivotal moment for us at Xbox. It’s not just about coming to Africa; it’s about immersing ourselves in the incredible talent here and figuring out how we can truly make a difference. Leveraging our extensive industry experience, this initiative is our commitment to paying it forward—empowering individuals and equipping them with the tools and knowledge they need to excel in the gaming industry.”

According to estimates, Africa’s video game industry is expected to reach USD 1 billion in revenue for the first time this year, up from USD 862 million in 2022, demonstrating a robust growth trajectory that will reverse the global trend of declining video game activity. The Xbox Game Camp Africa aimed to capitalise on this growth by supporting talent development, providing support, and inspiring the next generation of African game developers.

On her part, Irene Githinji, Education Engagements Lead at Microsoft ADC, emphasised the importance of skills development and training in the industry, saying: “The Xbox Game Camp offers a great opportunity for us to meet up with the Xbox team as well as game developers and see what we can do together in the space. We get to see the talent that is budding in the gaming industry and begin designing skilling initiatives that will support the growth of the industry. Also, with different countries taking part in the camp, we try to understand their pain points and begin to curate programs and projects that align with the industry needs.”

Speaking at the same event, Melissa Boone, Principal Xbox Research Manager and Chief of Staff at 343 Industries, a part of Xbox Game Studios, said: “Africa’s gaming industry is on the cusp of something truly remarkable. The creativity and passion we’ve witnessed here are impressive. At Xbox, we believe in the power of games to bring people together and inspire change. Our commitment is to support the talented developers and help them turn their innovative ideas into reality.”

While presenting a huge opportunity, African gamers are still faced with significant challenges. Further, according to the Africa Games Developer Survey, around 63 percent of local game developers have five years of development experience or less. Additionally, African gaming professionals struggle to develop financially viable careers, with just 19 percent ever having secured external investment for any of their past projects.

“The growth of Africa’s video game industry is not just an opportunity for local developers but for the global gaming community. By collaborating and sharing resources, we can accelerate this growth and create a vibrant ecosystem that benefits everyone involved,” said Esteban Lora, a gaming technology and music supervision specialist at Xbox Game Studios.

The Nairobi edition of the camp included meetings with various game development studios who pitched their projects to receive support from the Xbox Global Expansion Team.

Some of the projects presented included “Tingish” and “Finke Desert Race” by Arkitech Studios, who won The Fak’ugesi Festival Awards in 2022, an African first awards in video gaming, animation, XR (VR and AR), digital art, and music.

Founded in 2020, the Xbox Game Camp is held in different regions globally and features inspiring keynotes from prominent figures in the gaming industry, including renowned game developers and Xbox executives, who share their insights on the future of the industry.

Cassava Technologies (Cassava) has announced that its AI activities will now operate as a separate business unit, Cassava AI.

Since the advent of Generative AI, Cassava has forged strategic partnerships with industry giants such as Microsoft, Google, AWS, Anthropic, Oracle, Atlas AI, Cerebras and Palo Alto Networks. These partnerships enable it to offer superior systems integration and support to enterprise customers across strategic international markets.

Cassava already provides services such as Data Centres, Cloud, Cyber Security, Fibre Connectivity, and Renewable Energy to large multinational and local companies. The organisation has already trained and deployed more than 200 people of its 5000-strong staff to empower customers to adopt and use Generative AI services from the world’s leading vendors.

Cassava, headquartered in the UK, was founded by African Entrepreneur Strive Masiyiwa and includes many leading global institutional investors. Hardy Pemhiwa, President and Group CEO, said, “Cassava AI is headquartered in London and can already provide services in any of the 40-plus markets in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, where the Cassava Technologies group companies operate. Ahmed El Beheiry, a veteran technology and telecoms executive, will lead this business unit.”

By Peter Nalika

Generation Z [GenZ] in Kenya uniquely incorporated AI into their activism as the world advances in this technology. During #RejectFinanceBill2024, they used generative AI [GenAI] to create posters, songs, and videos to protest against the finance bill.

While GenAI is a vital technology, understanding its integration with core business functions is crucial for efficiency. The Kenyan Gen Zs first understood the value of their activities, which was to communicate effectively. Then they used GenAI to enhance these communication elements and elaborately voiced their grievances.

We can clearly see that GenAI requires the human power to be super transformative.

Linda Gichohi, a legal expert in Legal Tech and AI, views AI as a transformative force reshaping industries and revolutionizing human interaction. She notes that Africa is increasingly adopting AI technology, envisioning it as a catalyst for a brighter future.

“Although Africa’s AI journey is filled with hope and potential, it also faces challenges and concerns”, writes Gichohi.

In tandem with Gichohi sentiments, AI offers great opportunities for productivity gains however achieving them is challenging. Even with the right technology, a significant breakthrough in human capability is necessary. For example, it’s important to change workflows, free up time, and learn new skills to fully utilize AI’s capabilities.

From a governance perspective, Lynda Ouma and her colleagues argue that Kenya is not yet ready to pass laws that effectively regulate, create awareness, and build capacity in the robotics and AI fields. Ouma, and her research team recommend that regulation should follow strategy, ensuring that the AI ecosystem in Kenya is nurtured to its full potential.

In conclusion, organizations must train their workforce to use AI responsibly, focusing on enhancing critical thinking skills. This workforce also needs cognitive skills and governance support to operate in hybrid intelligent settings.

Peter Nalika is a Technologist and Communication Consultant

Chowdeck, the on-demand delivery service in Nigeria, has announced an exclusive partnership with Chicken Republic, a quick-service restaurant chain and franchise, that will enable enhanced quality, more affordable, delivery meals for its users in Lagos and Ibadan.

Chowdeck already provides logistics services for Chicken Republic in eight Nigerian cities, and this new agreement cements its position as the preferred delivery partner. 

According Femi Aluko, CEO and co-founder of Chowdeck, “This collaboration underscores our commitment to delivering high-quality, efficient, and convenient services. Combining our fast-growing delivery network with Chicken Republic’s exceptional offerings, we aim to enhance the customer experience and bring happiness to more individuals across Lagos and Ibadan.”

Leveraging Chowdeck’s advanced logistics and technology, customers in Lagos and Ibadan will benefit from lower delivery fees and enjoy some of the fairest prices online. Additionally, the partnership will include periodic in-app special discount offerings and the opportunity to earn Chowscore points through Chowdeck’s loyalty program, further enhancing value and satisfaction for loyal customers. To kick off the partnership, Chowdeck users are being offered an exclusive N1000 meal deal.

Chicken Republic will now be able to serve a larger customer base, ensuring that more people can enjoy their delicious offerings. This collaboration will drive increased daily sales and customer engagement while addressing the growing demand for online food delivery, projected to reach 52.0 million users by 2029. Customers can look forward to more efficient and reliable delivery, ensuring their meals arrive hot and fresh.

Kofi Abunu, CEO of Food Concepts Plc, also said, “We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with Chowdeck. Their remarkable growth over the past year, combined with the forward-thinking approach of their team and their unwavering commitment to investing in partner development, leave us with no doubt that they are here for the long term and will successfully address the last-mile delivery challenge. Our loyal customers around the country, especially in Lagos and Ibadan, can look forward to an enhanced delivery experience with Chicken Republic on Chowdeck.”

The economic landscape of Kenya and the broader region has taken a significant leap forward with the formation of the Association of Special Economic Zones (ASEZ).

This newly established independent association aims to unify SEZ developers, operators, enterprises, investors, and service providers, promoting best practices and enhancing national and regional SEZ governance.

David Langat, the Board Chairman of DL Group of Companies and founding Chairperson of ASEZ, highlighted the significance of this new initiative.

“The establishment of ASEZ marks a pivotal moment for Kenya’s economic future. With the support of global and regional associations, we are dedicated to bridging policy and regulatory gaps, ensuring that our SEZs are competitive on the world stage. This is not just about economic zones; it’s about creating a prosperous future for Kenya and Africa.”

ASEZ will complement government efforts to foster a favorable business environment and attract foreign direct investments (FDIs).

By collaborating with government agencies, participating in initiatives, and supporting policy enhancements, ASEZ aims to advocate for global best practices aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The association will promote modern SEZ practices to boost job creation and skill development, conduct research to inform policies, and highlight SEZs as prime investment hubs.

The objectives of ASEZ include enhancing the ease of doing business, attracting FDIs, generating employment, increasing tax revenue, and driving economic growth.

The association’s efforts are expected to significantly contribute to the economic development of Kenya and the broader region, making it a key player in the global economic landscape.

Kenya’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are strategic areas designed to attract investment and promote industrialization.

These zones provide tax incentives, streamlined regulations, and modern infrastructure to create a business-friendly environment, aiming to drive economic growth, job creation, and technology transfer.

Key SEZ Locations in Kenya

• Mombasa: Includes the Dongo Kundu Free Port, serving as a major maritime and logistics hub.
• Lamu: Positioned on the Indian Ocean, aiming to be a regional trade and tourism center.
• Kisumu: An inland port city targeted for trade and industrial development.

Benefits of Investing in Kenya’s SEZs

• Tax Incentives: Reduced corporate tax rates and import duty exemptions.
• Simplified Customs Procedures: Efficient goods clearance and streamlined paperwork.
• World-Class Infrastructure: Modern facilities, utilities, and transport networks.
• Skilled Workforce: Availability of talented labor.
• Government Support: Strong governmental backing to facilitate business operations.

While SEZs in Kenya offer significant potential, challenges like infrastructure development, skilled labor shortages, and bureaucratic hurdles remain. However, the government’s commitment and investor interest present substantial growth opportunities.

Google has expanded its wildfire boundary tracker to Kenya, Rwanda and several other countries across Europe and Africa to curb the spread of wildfires. By leveraging advanced AI technology, the wildfire tracking model analyses satellite imagery and other data sources to deliver precise and reliable information on the spread of wildfires.

This expansion includes: Andorra, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Kenya, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Portugal, Rwanda, Slovenia, Spain, and Turkey.

“We are committed to using technology to help people stay safe during natural disasters,” said Yossi Matias, Vice President & Head of Google Research. “By expanding our wildfire boundary tracker, we hope to empower communities with the information they need to protect themselves and their loved ones.”

According to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), wildfires will become more frequent, more intense, and more enduring as global temperatures continue to rise in response to human combustion of fossil fuels. And although catastrophic fires in Australia, Europe, and the North American west have commanded the global headlines, 67 percent of the area of this annual global toll, from all causes, has been in Africa.

In Kenya alone, fires have contributed to 0.60 percent of tree cover loss between 2001 and 2023. According to Global Forest Watch, there have been 341 high-confidence fire alerts reported so far in Kenya in 2024.

Google’s wildfire boundary tracker sends informative alerts to people in affected areas, offering essential safety tips and guidance. To cater to diverse populations, the tool supports multiple languages. It is designed to complement existing emergency response efforts, providing an additional layer of protection for at-risk communities.

Main Takeaways 

• Just a few months after its launch, Binance has taken the world by storm as the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world, growing at lightning speed. 
• When people think of Binance, they think of cryptocurrency trading and transactions, its flagship products, from Binance Earn to Web3 wallet, and perhaps its memorable campaigns and collaborations.
• However, Binance is much more than all of that. Here are seven interesting facts about Binance that may not be always obvious to the public.
• Over the past seven years, Binance has grown from a fledgling startup into a global powerhouse, revolutionizing the way we think about finance, trading, and the future of money. Beyond the headlines and market charts, there are stories and facts that define our uniquely Binancian journey and identity. 

Here are short descriptions of seven of them. Whether you’re a seasoned trader, a crypto enthusiast, or just curious about the buzz, these seven facts will give you a fresh perspective on the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange. 

 1. Zero to Hero in 165 Days

Binance was launched on 14th of July 2017, and within merely 165 days, Binance became the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world by trading volume.  What has contributed to such explosive growth within a short period of time? 

According to one of Binance’s co-founders, there were a number of internal and external factors that launched Binance to stardom. Yes, timing and luck were among them, yet more important was Binance’s ability to fill some gaping needs in the crypto market of the day, which was a testament to its visionary founders’ user focus, sharp instinct, and judgment. 

At that time, the crypto industry had seen several bull and bear markets already, yet there was barely any cryptocurrency exchange that dedicated itself fully to the user experience. Systems were slow and customer service teams were often not responsive enough. Binance decided to do better. From early on, Binance launched an institutional-grade trading engine and a dedicated customer service team, and offered an innovative suite of cryptocurrency products geared to match users’ most immediate needs. 

During Binance’s first crypto winter, several of its Initial Coin Offering (ICO) projects dropped sharply in prices, and investors asked for the return of their money. The founding team quickly decided to use the company’s treasury to return all investors’ funds and buy back the tokens at market prices, even though it dealt a serious blow to the firm’s treasury. 

This was a commendable move that had never been done by any other crypto exchange before. It showed Binance’s commitment to serve its valued users. This episode became one of the most positive PR narratives in the history of Binance. Along with this positive buzz and the issues that other exchanges faced, users in Asia and elsewhere started migrating to Binance en masse. 

2. From 2 to 200 Million Users in 7 Years

Binance attracted over two million users within its first six months of operation. Today, it serves more than 200 million registered users. This continuous growth is proof that Binance had gotten several things right from the get-go. Since day one, Binance has focused on user-centric approach, offering low fees and high liquidity, supporting a wide range of cryptocurrencies, strong security measures, large-scale marketing campaigns (Binance’s affiliate marketing program awards up to 50% commission fees, referral bonuses and promotion), and proactive community engagement by Binance’s leadership on social media. 

Binance is nimble and adaptive enough to evolve quickly along the ever-changing regulatory landscape of cryptocurrency for the past seven years, as well as continuously innovating with its products and services. 

3. Binance Pay Is the Number One Off-Chain Crypto Payment Service

Binance Pay is a revolutionary payment feature that allows users to send money globally within seconds. With fees starting from zero, Binance Pay is both cost-effective and efficient. This service underscores Binance’s commitment to making financial transactions as seamless and accessible as possible. 

Binance Pay is an off-chain wallet, but it is now among the top crypto payment methods, along with the Bitcoin and Ethereum networks. Since 2021, Binance Pay’s total volume has crossed $120 billion. 

4. SAFU: It Started with Binance

SAFU is an acronym for Secure Asset Fund for Users, the term has become part of the crypto lexicon. Did you know how it came about?In 2018, a creator named Bizonacci uploaded a tongue-in-cheek YouTube music video entitled Funds Are Safu, referencing the ex-Binance CEO, Changpeng Zhao, or CZ’s, now-iconic tweet during unscheduled maintenance at Binance – “Funds are safe” – to come up with the term SAFU.

The video became viral, and “SAFU” caught on, echoed by projects large and small following a security incident or any type of uncertainty. 

To safeguard user funds from security breaches that plagued the cryptocurrency industry at the time, Binance established the Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU) in July 2018.

Currently, SAFU holds more than $1 billion in reserve to cover any potential losses in case of a security breach. This initiative not only provides a safety net for users but also instills confidence in the security measures implemented by Binance.

Source: Bizonacci’s video.

5. Binance Is a Key Player in Protecting the Crypto Ecosystem

Perhaps it is not always evident to the public, but Binance is continuously aiding regulators and law enforcement agencies in the fight against crypto-related crime.

Many times, Binance stood at the side of justice in order to bring the greater good to the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Binance regularly collaborates with law enforcement agencies worldwide, processing over 62,000 in 2023 alone. This equates to about 170 requests per day or 7 per hour. Also in 2023, in addition to operational assistance, Binance’s Law Enforcement Training Program delivered over 120 onsite and online training sessions to law enforcers globally. Meanwhile, by the year’s end, the security team recovered about 55 million USD total in user funds after coordinated efforts. Whenever there is any security breach in the cryptocurrency world, Binance would always be ready to lend a helping hand. For example, recently, on June 22 2024, the Turkish crypto exchange BTC Turk was compromised. Binance’s security team acted swiftly and froze over 5.3 million of funds from that attack. 

6. Binance Is Really Fast

In an industry where timely support can make a significant difference, Binance leads the market with one of the fastest customer support response times, clocking in at less than one minute. Today, most user requests are picked up within 1 minute and resolved within the first CS chat, representing a dramatic improvement from waiting for hours in the early days of the industry.

The Customer Service (CS) team is Binance’s largest department, handling a range of responsibilities from immediate user inquiries, training, quality assurance, real-time user feedback analysis to token recovery. The CS department supports 17 languages and covers dozens of business sectors, ensuring global reach.

Binance has developed an advanced AI bot, integrated into the Binance Customer Support Chat, which intelligently provides suggested solutions based on user-provided information. This front-line application of AI significantly expedites issue resolution, resulting in a faster and more efficient response on the first contact. 

If you look at the speed of Binance’s system, it is also quite impressive: the platform handles up to a whopping 2.58 million user queries per second. 

User queries are automated signals sent from user browsers or apps to the Binance platform to perform various actions, such as placing an order, posting on Square, or withdrawing funds. These queries operate behind the scenes and are not visible to users. For instance, when you select the option to sell a certain amount of BTC on your interface, your app sends an automated query to Binance’s servers. 

As user activity on the platform increases, Binance continues to upgrade its systems to ensure smooth and efficient operations. This ability to manage a high volume of queries positions Binance at the forefront of the cryptocurrency industry as it rides the global wave of adoption toward the one-billion users mark.

7. Binance Pioneered Remote-First Culture

Yes, believe it or not, in seven years of existence, Binance has supported tens of trillions in trading volume over group chats and online documents! 

The term “work from home” and “remote-first” became truly popular in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, but even before it began, Binance had pioneered a remote-first culture. Binance sees remote working as one of the manifestations of its core value of freedom. 

What is impressive to note is that despite growing from 30 members to over 5 000 of employees spread across the globe, Binance keeps its remote mode of operation intact. Today, Binance has a team of thousands of talented employees that collaborate daily across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.

Hence, Binance is one of the biggest companies in the world that successfully practices a fully remote work culture. It has now become a model for any company that wants to follow in these footsteps. 

Safaricom PLC recently held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) virtually, where shareholders approved a final dividend of KES 0.65 per share, amounting to KES26.04 billion for the financial year ended 31 March 2024.

Following an interim dividend of KES 0.55 per share, totaling KES 22.04 billion, that was paid in March 2024, this brings the total dividend payout for the year to KES 1.20 per share, representing a total of KES 48.08 billion.

“In the financial year under review, the business displayed significant resilience in producing outstanding growth in both our top and bottom lines. This enabled us to achieve a major milestone, attaining, in our Kenyan business alone, earnings of more than USD1 billion before tax and interest (EBIT),” said Peter Ndegwa, Safaricom PLC Group CEO.

“Safaricom is the first company in the Eastern Africa region to attain this landmark number,” he added.

The dividend will be payable on or about 31 August 2024 to the Shareholders on the Register of Members as at the close of business on 31 July 2024.

Mr. Adil Khawaja, Chairman of the Board, stated: “I am encouraged by the resilience demonstrated to deliver a very strong set of financial results, which enabled us to pay a similar dividend to last year’s despite the startup losses in Ethiopia. This success is attributable to strong strategy execution which has once again guided our decisions to deliver for our shareholders while giving more value to our customers.”

While the company delivered a strong financial performance, the year was marked by a challenging economic environment in both Kenya and Ethiopia.

High interest rates, inflation, and currency fluctuations impacted disposable income and business operations.

“Despite these headwinds, Safaricom demonstrated its commitment to delivering value for shareholders through strategic investments and strong strategy execution.”

Safaricom Group noted it is well-positioned for continued growth in the short, medium, and long term.

The company stated it anticipates breaking even in Ethiopia by the end of its fourth year of operations.

In Kenya, Safaricom’s new vision and strategy will drive growth as it works towards becoming Africa’s leading technology company by 2030.

Google today announced the 8th cohort of its Google for Startups Accelerator Africa program. This year’s cohort features ten innovative startups from Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa, selected from nearly 1,000 applications, highlighting the remarkable talent and creativity within the African tech ecosystem.  

Startups are the backbone of economic development and technological innovation in Africa. By tackling local challenges with tailored solutions, these startups are not only creating jobs but also improving the quality of life across the continent.

Despite the current “funding winter” in Sub-Saharan Africa, where investment has slowed, African entrepreneurs continue to demonstrate resilience and ingenuity.

Since its launch in 2018, the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa program has supported 106 startups across 17 African countries.

Collectively, these startups have raised over $263 million and created more than 2,800 direct jobs, underscoring the program’s significant impact on the African tech landscape.

This year’s cohort places a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence, reflecting the growing importance of advanced technologies in addressing Africa’s most pressing challenges.

“We are thrilled to welcome the 8th cohort of the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa program,” said Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startups Programs for Google in Africa. “These startups represent the future of African innovation, leveraging technology to solve real-world problems and uplift their communities. We are committed to supporting these founders with the resources and mentorship needed to succeed and scale their solutions.”

From July 29th to September 20th, 2024, these ten startups will participate in a structured program designed to drive their growth.

They will gain direct access to Google’s expertise and seasoned entrepreneurs, participate in technical workshops to refine their products and business strategies, and strengthen their leadership skills.

The program will also prepare them to secure follow-on funding from Google’s global investor network.  

The participation of these startups in the accelerator program marks a significant milestone in their journey to scale their solutions and create a greater impact

Meet the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa: Class 8:

CDIAL AI (Nigeria): Transforming multilingual communication across Africa with the power of artificial and collective intelligence.

Earthbond (Nigeria): Lighting up homes and businesses across Africa with affordable, reliable energy solutions, bolstered by carbon accounting and development finance.
Fixxr (South Africa): Putting car owners and businesses in the driver’s seat with transparent and convenient on-location vehicle maintenance and repair services.
Lifesten Health (Rwanda): Innovating health and wellness through cutting-edge screening and incentive-based programs focused on physical, mental, and nutritional health.
MyAIFactchecker (Nigeria): Equipping users with an AI-powered tool to combat misinformation and promote informed decision-making through fact-checking.
Nakili (Kenya): Bringing salons, barbershops, and spas into the digital age with a mobile-based app for streamlined management and enhanced customer experiences.
NextCounsel (Nigeria): Supercharging lawyer productivity with an AI-powered tool for contract management, solicitor engagement, compliance, and more.
Nobuk Africa (Kenya): Simplifying financial management for groups and collectives across Africa with a seamless platform for collecting funds, reconciling payments, and generating reports.
Rana Energy (Nigeria): Providing clean, reliable energy solutions to SMEs and communities through a data-driven ecosystem.
Triply (Kenya): Building Africa’s travel operating system, connecting travellers with seamless booking experiences and travel businesses with powerful management tools.