Qualcomm Unveils Selected Startups for 2026 Make in Africa Mentorship Program
Qualcomm has announced its selection of startups from Nigeria and other African nations for the 2026 Make in Africa Mentorship Program, underscoring the growing competition to foster intellectual property (IP) and advance deep technology innovations across the continent.
The U.S. chipmaker chose ten early-stage companies from over 1,200 applications spanning more than 45 countries. This decision reflects Africa’s increasing participation in technology and a significant move towards more sophisticated hardware-driven innovations.
Nigeria notably contributed to this cohort with two selected startups: Anasor and D-Olivet Research Institute, both focused on research in digital agriculture and data-driven agricultural systems—vital areas aimed at enhancing food security and agricultural productivity.
This year’s cohort also includes several innovative companies from various African nations. Amperra Charging Company from Namibia has developed an AI-driven, grid-adaptive smart EV charging platform aimed at facilitating scalable electric mobility across Africa. In Zimbabwe, Mindora Corporation offers a Braille keyboard solution that enhances digital accessibility for visually impaired users, while MVUTU from the Republic of the Congo presents a solar-powered IoT cold storage solution to minimize post-harvest losses for smallholder farmers.
Additional participants include QualiKeeper Investments Ltd from Zambia, which provides an affordable AIoT livestock monitoring system for rural areas with limited connectivity, and SafeSip from Tanzania, delivering a smart water access and monitoring solution to ensure safe drinking water in urban settings. Other notable startups are Sesi Technologies Ltd from Ghana, offering an AI-powered field device for cocoa quality assessment, TWave Ltd from Uganda, providing a solar-powered automated feeding system for aquaculture, and Zerobionic from Kenya, which has created an assistive robotic solution aimed at enhancing inclusivity and independence for individuals with disabilities.
This initiative, now in its fourth year, forms part of Qualcomm’s broader Africa Innovation Platform, offering equity-free support that includes engineering mentorship, business training, and access to advanced development tools. The program prioritizes both funding and the creation of intellectual property, addressing a critical gap in Africa’s innovation ecosystem, where entrepreneurs often encounter challenges in protecting and commercializing their technology on a global scale.
Participants will benefit from technical support via the Arduino-developed platform, alongside patent advisory services from Adams & Adams and training provided by L2Pro Africa. This comprehensive support aims to aid founders in securing and managing their innovative endeavors. As global competition intensifies in sectors like artificial intelligence and edge computing, observers note a strategic shift highlighting Africa as a burgeoning talent hub and frontier market.
Furthermore, Qualcomm’s senior vice president for the Middle East and Africa, Wasim Chorbaji, indicated that this year’s cohort illustrates how African startups are pushing the boundaries of technologies such as edge AI and 5G. The diversity of selected startups—ranging from electric mobility to smart infrastructure—demonstrates a shift from consumer-focused applications to systems that integrate hardware, software, and connectivity.
Upon successfully completing the program, each selected startup will receive a $5,000 grant, with companies filing for patents eligible for reimbursement of up to $5,000 in associated fees. Moreover, one standout participant may receive additional funding through Qualcomm’s social impact division, Qualcomm for Good.
The African Telecommunications Union (ATU), a longstanding partner of the program, commended the initiative for its alignment with efforts to leverage emerging technologies to tackle Africa’s development challenges. John Omo, an ATU representative, emphasized the significance of the program in empowering African innovators to address local obstacles and expressed enthusiasm for increasing their involvement in future initiatives.
As technology giants globally strive to influence the future of AI and connected systems, Qualcomm’s analysis suggests that Africa is evolving from being mere consumers of technology to becoming creators. However, the continent’s capacity to generate and retain intellectual property will play a crucial role in determining the value it can capture in the global tech landscape.
