Google Opens Applications for Startup Accelerator Africa Cohort 10

Google has announced the opening of applications for the 10th cohort of the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa.

The company, in a statement released on Thursday said the applications will be opened until March 18, 2026.

According to Google, the 12-week AI first accelerator is a hybrid programme designed for Series A startups that are based in Africa or building Africa-focused solutions using AI and machine learning.

What Google is saying 

Google disclosed that selected startups will gain access to its AI expertise and technical resources, receive mentorship from experienced AI professionals, and benefit from networking opportunities with peers and industry leaders across the global tech ecosystem.

The company said the program is aimed at helping participating startups strengthen their products, scale responsibly, and translate advanced research into real world solutions.

Speaking on the new cohort, Head of Startup Ecosystem Africa at Google, Folarin Aiyegbusi, said the continent’s tech landscape is undergoing a significant shift toward more advanced innovation.

• “Africa’s tech landscape is seeing a vibrant shift toward deep tech innovation,” Aiyegbusi said.
• “For Class 10, we are focusing on the potential of AI to drive health and societal benefits, providing the infrastructure and expertise to turn these startups into the research labs of the continent,” he added.

More insights 

Since launching the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa in 2018, the programme has supported more than 180 startups across 17 African countries.

Google said these startups have collectively raised over $350 million in funding and created more than 3,700 direct jobs, underscoring the programme’s role in strengthening Africa’s startup ecosystem and attracting investor interest.

According to the company the focus for this year reflects growing interest in applying AI to sectors such as healthcare, climate, agriculture, and other areas with broad societal impact.

What you should know 

Last year, six Nigerian startups were selected for cohort 9 of the Google for Startups Accelerator programme.

The six startups were among the 15 AI-driven ventures selected from across Africa

• The cohort 9 featured startups from Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa, all using artificial intelligence (AI) to tackle pressing challenges across sectors like fintech, healthtech, logistics, and agritech.
• The six Nigerian startups include E-doc Online, compliance and credit intelligence platform that uses real-time banking data to streamline onboarding and lending processes; GoNomad, which helps African businesses and freelancers build global companies and receive international payments like local entities, and Midddleman, a sourcing and payments platform simplifying imports from China for African businesses.

Others are Myltura, a digital health platform using AI to offer remote care, testing access, and integrated health data services;  Pastel, which delivers enterprise-grade AI tools to financial institutions, including fraud detection and anti-money laundering solutions; and Scandium, which provides AI-powered quality assurance tools for software teams, speeding up delivery and reducing bugs.

From simplifying cross-border payments to improving access to healthcare and automating software quality checks, Nigeria’s representation reflects the country’s growing dominance in Africa’s innovation space.