Since 2018, the Google for Start-ups Accelerator Africa has supported more than 100 start-ups, raised $263 million and created thousands of jobs.
South African technology start-ups Loop and Vambo Aye One of 15 African start-ups selected to join the 10th cohort of Google for Start-up Accelerator Africa.
Selected from a competitive pool of approximately 2,600 applications, both companies are part of the final pan-African group of start-ups who will receive up to $350,000 at Google. Cloud credit, and access to a global network of investors, partners and associates.
The initiative supports early-stage start-ups using artificial intelligence (AI) to tackle Africa's most pressing challenges.
Horoscope The focus is on digitalizing mobility and payments, enabling individuals, businesses and communities to access more seamless and connected transportation and financial services.
Vambo AI is developing multilingual AI infrastructure to support translation, speech and generative AI capabilities in African languages – an area widely considered underdeveloped in global AI systems.
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According to Google Africa, African tech founders are increasingly creating solutions to address structural challenges in areas such as financial inclusion, healthcare and supply chain.
Despite a resilient enterprise ecosystem that raised $3.9 billion by 2025, there remains a need for access to advanced cloud infrastructure, specialized technical support, and strategic advice to drive deep technology innovation.
Google Africa says accelerator programs play a vital role in bridging this gap, equipping start-ups with the tools they need to sustainably grow and contribute meaningfully to the continent's digital economy.
Chido Dzinotiwei, CEO of Vambo AI, says: “African languages are vastly under-represented in today's AI systems, limiting access to digital tools and opportunities for millions of people. At Vambo AI, we are building multilingual AI infrastructure to change this – enabling developers, enterprises and institutions to build in daily spoken local languages for African markets. Becoming part of the Google for Start-Up Accelerator is a great opportunity for our team. This is a powerful milestone.”
Running from April 13 to June 19, the hybrid accelerator program will provide 15 selected start-ups with dedicated mentorship from experienced industry experts, as well as practical technical workshops focused on AI and machine learning.
“We are thrilled to welcome these founders to Class 10,” says Folarin Ayegbushi, Head of Start-up Ecosystem, Google Africa. “African start-ups are driving essential economic growth and social development. Our role is to serve as a supportive partner, providing these developers and founders with the technical infrastructure, mentorship and global network they need to scale their solutions and increase their impact in the real world.”
Since launching in 2018, the Google for Start-ups Accelerator Africa program has supported 106 start-ups in 17 countries. Collectively, these companies have raised more than $263 million and created more than 2,800 jobs, highlighting the growing impact of this initiative on Africa’s start-up landscape.
Full list of African start-ups selected for 10th The Google for Start-up Accelerator Africa 2026 edition can be found Here.