Ghana Tech Lab Launches Africa AI Accelerator Program

Ghana Tech Lab in partnership with GIZ’s AI and technology entrepreneurship initiatives and  Make-IT in Africa and IBM has announced the launch of the Africa AI Accelerator Program 2020 to support the scaling of the next generation of Africa’s AI start-ups.

The first cohort will support 10 AI startups from Ghana, South Africa, Rwanda, and Uganda with program partners being GIZ and IBM.

The Africa AI Accelerator has been designed by Ghana Tech Lab (GTL) to promote local innovations in the field of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data usage.

The Program has been structured to provide startups with technical product development and business development support through a blended accelerator program with a virtual and physical interface. Customized to boost collaboration between startups and corporates, commercial partners, and investors, participating startups will receive support to meet clear growth aspirations through measurable targets setting.

The 6 months long program, will be anchored on tailored support and one-on-one coaching aimed at strengthening the business and technical capacity of participating entrepreneurs.

The Africa AI Accelerator program is geared to be a turning point for AI startups in Africa, building innovative AI solutions for the development of the continent.

Why sign up?

The Africa AI Accelerator program offers:

• 6 months of tailored and interactive virtual and physical sessions
• A fully-funded bootcamp training experience
• Connections to global networks and mentors
• Coaching and mentorship from AI experts from IBM
• Access to IBM’s Digital Nation Africa (DNA) platform and other digital tools
• Investment opportunities
• Strengthening technical capacity
• Strengthening business capacity
• Support to refine your AI solution
• Matching to cooperates as potential clients or partners

Focus areas

We especially look for startups that

1. Have female founders: Ghana Tech Lab, GIZ, and IBM are committed to encourage and support female founders in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
2. Work on AI and health: Artificial intelligence provides many opportunities to support and improve health services and the current COVID-19 pandemic reinforced efforts to use this potential to support strained health systems.
3. Work on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and data collection for NLP applications: African languages are currently under-resourced in the area of NLP while NLP applications offer many opportunities for inclusion, access to digital services and sustainable development.
4. Have an open-source and open data-oriented business models: Open source and open data provides the opportunity for ecosystems to evolve and collective efforts to solve problems.

Who should apply?

To be eligible to apply, startups must meet the following requirements:

• Be a for-profit startup, operating in Ghana, South Africa, Rwanda, or Uganda, with a team of at least two people.
• Operational for at least one year
• Already have any of the following:
  • An Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Learning (ML) product or service.
  • Have the prerequisites to include AI or ML into existing products or services including a detailed concept.
  • Products or services which are needed to develop AI or ML products or services including training data collection.
• Have traction with early revenue and early customers, with a clearly demonstrated potential to scale.
• Have a business model with a social impact, i.e. with a solution to a problem as described in the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Have an up to date Venture Profile on VC4A with appropriate information for business and financing partners.

Apply here as entries close on June 25th.