The Google for Startups Accelerator Africa’s tenth cohort is already accepting applications, as Google declared it opened on Thursday.
The applications for the tenth cohort of Google’s Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa are now officially available. This was declared open on Thursday by Google. This landmark edition, known as the “AI First” initiative, focuses on growth-stage firms that are using machine learning and artificial intelligence to address pressing issues on the continent.
The application period will run until March 18, 2026, according to a statement issued by the business on Thursday.
Google claims that the 12-week AI First Accelerator is a hybrid program intended for Series A companies with headquarters in Africa or developing AI and machine learning-based products with an African focus. Beginning in April 2026, the program will be a combination of in-person and virtual instruction.
Those eligible for this program are startups in the growth stage to Series A that must be headquartered in Africa or be creating solutions with an African emphasis. They must make use of AI or machine learning as a fundamental component of their offering.
From a statement made by Google, in which Google revealed that chosen businesses will have access to its technical resources and AI expertise, be mentored by seasoned AI experts, and have the chance to network with peers and leaders in the global tech community.
The program’s goal, according to the business, is to assist participating startups in improving their products, scaling responsibly, and turning cutting-edge research into practical solutions. The program areas focus on financial inclusion, agribusiness, healthcare, and climate resilience solutions.
The benefits of the program are outlined below:
Equity-Free Support: Businesses are fully owned by their founders.
Access to Google’s AI developers, researchers, and product specialists directly provides technical expertise.
Specialised Resources: Cloud TPUs for machine learning research and Google Cloud credits (up to $350,000 for qualified firms) are available.
Mentoring and networking include one-on-one meetings with professionals in the field as well as relationships with peers and investors worldwide.
Speaking about the new cohort, Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem Africa at Google, stated that the digital scene in the continent is changing significantly in the direction of more sophisticated innovation.
Aiyegbusi stated that “deep tech innovation is experiencing a vibrant shift in Africa’s tech landscape.”
“We are concentrating on the potential of AI to promote health and societal benefits for Class 10, offering the infrastructure and know-how to transform these startups into the continent’s research laboratories,” he continued.
More than 180 firms in 17 African nations have benefited from the Google for Firms Accelerator Africa program since its inception in 2018.
Together, these businesses have raised more than $350 million in capital and directly created over 3,700 jobs, according to Google, highlighting the program’s contribution to bolstering Africa’s startup scene and drawing in investors.
The company claims that this year’s focus reflects the rising interest in using AI in fields with wide-ranging societal effects, including healthcare, agriculture, and the climate.
We need to be aware that six Nigerian companies were chosen for Google for Startups Accelerator program batch 9 last year. And the 15 AI-driven businesses chosen from all throughout Africa included the six startups.
The startups from Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa were included in cohort 9, and they were all utilising artificial intelligence (AI) to address urgent issues in industries such as agritech, fintech, healthtech, and logistics.
The six Nigerian startups are GoNomad, which helps African freelancers and businesses create global businesses and receive international payments like local entities; Middleman, a sourcing and payments platform that makes it easier for African businesses to import from China; and E-doc Online, a compliance and credit intelligence platform that uses real-time banking data to streamline onboarding and lending processes.
Others include Pastel, which offers enterprise-grade AI tools to financial institutions, such as fraud detection and anti-money laundering solutions, and Scandium, which offers software teams AI-powered quality assurance tools that speed up delivery and minimise bugs; and Myltura, a digital health platform that uses AI to provide remote care, testing access, and integrated health data services.
Nigeria’s involvement underscores the nation’s increasing supremacy in Africa’s innovation area, from streamlining cross-border payments to enhancing healthcare access and automating software quality checks.
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