By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
TOWARDS BOOSTING Artificial Intelligence (AI) frontlines, Africa’s startups are now set to building solutions that scale hurdles. Google has opened applications for the 2025 edition of its Startups Accelerator Africa programme, targeting tech startups using artificial intelligence to solve complex continental challenges.
The three-month hybrid accelerator programme, now in its latest cycle, is tailored for early-stage startups—ranging from Seed to Series A—that are leveraging AI as a core part of their solutions.
To qualify, startups must be headquartered in Africa, have at least one founder of African descent, and possess a live product already in the market.
Participants will receive up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits, equity-free support, access to top-tier mentorship from Google engineers and industry experts, and tailored workshops focused on AI integration, product development, and leadership.
Google’s Head of Startups Ecosystem, Africa, Folarin Aiyegbusi, said the initiative reflected a belief that home-grown innovation—when properly resourced—could redefine Africa’s development trajectory.
“Startups are Africa’s problem solvers,” Aiyegbusi said. “With the right resources, they can scale their impact far beyond local communities. This programme reflects our belief that AI can be transformative when shaped by those who understand the context deeply.”
One standout graduate of the accelerator is Nigerian agritech startup Crop2Cash, which uses AI to onboard smallholder farmers digitally, helping them build financial identities, access credit, and receive traceable payments.
The startup has helped improve agricultural productivity and connect thousands of farmers to formal economic systems, offering a glimpse into the transformational potential of AI when applied locally.
Agriculture remains the backbone of many African economies, yet millions of farmers face limited access to digital tools, financial services, and credit.
Crop2Cash exemplifies how AI-powered platforms can tackle these gaps by merging local knowledge with global technology.
Since its launch in 2018, Google’s accelerator has supported 140 startups from 17 African countries. Collectively, these companies have raised more than $300 million in funding and created over 3,000 jobs.
Several alumni have grown into regional and global leaders within their industries.
The upcoming 2025 cohort will again convene a carefully selected group of 10 to 15 startups, bringing them together in a mix of virtual and in-person sessions.
Each startup outlines its key technical challenges and is matched with dedicated experts to help solve them—an approach designed to directly boost scalability and long-term impact.
The programme also includes specialist deep dives into customer acquisition, product design, leadership, and AI best practices.
Participants will gain exclusive access to investor networks, industry events, and Google’s ecosystem of products and services.
Applications are now open, with Google encouraging founders who are building AI-first solutions to apply via the official programme site: //startup.google.com/programs/accelerator/africa/
