11 Startups to Join 2nd Cohort of the Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa
Following a successful inaugural Launchpad Accelerator Africa, with 12 startups graduating earlier this year, Google has announced the eleven startups selected to join the second round.
Over 250 applications were received from 18 countries on the continent for the second cohort of Launchpad accelerator programme. 11 startups representing six African countries have been selected to be a part of the project that aims to assist startups in leveraging Google’s latest technologies to scale their businesses, equity-free support, access to silicon valley experts and top local mentors, PR training and global media opportunities and a close partnership with Google for three months.
Nigeria leads the second cohort with four startups: AppZone (A software-as-a-service fintech company), Formplus (A data solutions provider), Medsaf (A medication market place) and Thank U Cash (An online rewards platform).
Two South African companies also made the cut: Pineapple (A machine learning-powered insurance solution) and Preeva (A tutoring marketplace); while Cloud9xp (An experience marketplace and booking platform) and PayGo Energy (A smart meter and connected software service) from Kenya were also selected.
Ghana’s Chalkboard education which is an m-learning provider, Uganda’s EzyAgric which improves access to finance, production and marketing services for farmers and Egypt’s social video intelligence platform, Mintrics concludes the number of startups selected for the second cohort of the Google Launchpad Accelerator programme to hold in Lagos, Nigeria.
Class 2! We are so excited to meet our new startups! #launchpadforafrica class 2 has started! Eleven new startups are on the Launchpad Accelerator Africa journey! pic.twitter.com/YSUT4bZFHH
— Google in Africa (@googleafrica) August 27, 2018
Head of Startup Success and Services at Launchpad Accelerator Africa, Fola Olatunji-David added that the growth of entrepreneurship in Africa is critical to the survival of our continent. “We’re currently as a region creating about three million jobs per year, while more than 11 million job seekers are entering the market. Google believes that empowering entrepreneurs and startups is essential to drive employment growth, and enable both economic and social development on the continent”, he added.
Also speaking during the launch, Google Regional Manager for the Sub-Saharan Africa Ecosystem, Andy Volk emphasized that the continent is home to incredibly smart people that are using local solutions to address the continent’s problems and expressed belief that the the next wave of innovation for Africa will be from Africa.
Over the next 3 years, Google has earmarked a total sum of $3 million to support 60 African startups for the programme in form of equity-free support, working space, access to expert advisers, travel and PR support.
