With broken supply chains, inadequate infrastructure, difficult cross border bureaucracies ,etc, intra-regional trade within Africa can be a huge challenge. For Bamba Lo, co-founder and CEO of PAPS, this is an opportunity to provide solutions to a problem that many businesses on the continent are familiar with. Founded in 2016, PAPS, a digital logistics company operating in West and Francophone Africa offers warehousing, tracking, transportation and last mile delivery services to small and large businesses. Paps is an alumnus of Google for Startups Accelerator Africa and like fellow startups on the continent they are contributing to economic growth using digital technologies.



African startups raised over $4bn in funding in 2021, a 2.5x more growth than in 2020 and with the rising trend of hundreds of millions in funding, Africa’s digital economy is once again in the spotlight.


Since introducing the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa program in 2018, we've supported 82 startups from 17 African countries, and they have collectively raised $112 million and created 2800 direct jobs.


We are pleased to announce a new cohort starting in March 2022! This cohort represents 7 countries from Africa with Coté d’Ivoire joining the program for the first time. Over the next 3 months, the startups will work with Google mentors and facilitators learning the best practices on a range of topics covering Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, organizational culture, growth strategies and more. The program operates a virtual bootcamp model; workshops, 1:1 mentorship and peer-to-peer learning.


Meet class 7 of Google for Startups Accelerator Africa:

1. Clafiya (Nigeria) : Clafiya connects patients to Health Practitioners to provide fast and affordable on demand primary care services in Africa.
2. Fleet simplify (Kenya) : Fleetsimplify is a fleet management platform for shared mobility.
3. HydroIQ (Kenya): HydroIQ is a virtual water network that gives consumers and utilities a single, transparent platform to manage their water consumption and management.
4. iVerify.ng (Nigeria): iVerify.ng is a digital identity onboarding platform.
5. LaRuche Health (Côte d'Ivoire): LaRuche Health offers inclusive apps that simplify care delivery & improve patient access to preventive healthcare services
6. LyRise (Egypt): LyRise is a platform that provides companies with an easier, faster way to hire and work with vetted AI and Data talents initially from Africa.
7. MDaaS Global (Nigeria): MDaas builds and operates modern, technology-enabled diagnostic services in clinically-underserved communities, starting in Nigeria.
8. Multiplied (South Africa): Multiplied offers data-driven design at scale through infinite personalized content for marketing.
9. Nulitics (South Africa): Nulitics is a specialist Mixed Reality (XR) software development and system integrator with a focus on XR wearable technology
10. Ridelink (Uganda): Ridelink makes cargo mobility affordable and accessible for Small businesses at the tap of a button.
11. SmartClass (Tanzania): SmartClass is a skill-learning network that enables youth to learn from their peers
12. Sukhiba (Kenya): Sukhiba is a decentralized community-based commerce platform.
13. Terawork (Nigeria): Terawork is a pan-African online freelance marketplace plugging Africa talent into the global workforce.
14. The Marking App (South Africa): The Marking App provides a data free application that automatically marks handwritten school assessments while also automating school administration.
15. truQ (Nigeria): truQ is a tech-enabled logistics platform automating and optimizing short haul (or intracity) logistics for automated retail distribution companies in Africa

Posted by Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem, Africa
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