Qualcomm introduces the 2026 class of African start-ups

Qualcomm Incorporated has revealed the 10 start-ups selected for the fourth year of its Qualcomm Make in Africa mentorship program, part of an ongoing effort to strengthen the continent's deep-tech ecosystem.

These early-stage firms, selected from over 1,200 applicants from 45 countries, will be given rigorous training in edge AI, IoT and 5G to develop solutions in sectors ranging from agritech to EV infrastructure.

The innovators in the Class of 2026 are:

• Ampera Charging Company (Namibia): Grid-adaptive smart EV charging.

• Anatsor Limited (Nigeria): digital Poultry Management System.

• De-Olivet Labs (Nigeria): Bio-intelligence for agricultural production.

• Mindora Corporation (Zimbabwe): Braille keyboard for digital accessibility.

• MVUTU (Congo): Solar powered IoT cold storage.

• Qualikeeper Investments (Zambia): AIoT livestock monitoring.

• SafeSip (Tanzania): Smart water access and monitoring.

• Cesi Technologies (Ghana): AI-powered cocoa quality assessment.

• Teawave Limited (Uganda): automatic Solar Fish-Feeding System

• Gyrobionics (Kenya): Assistive robotics for persons with disabilities.

“These startups are pushing the boundaries of technologies like edge AI and 5G,” says Waseem Chourbaji, president of MEA at Qualcomm. “We are seeing increasing sophistication in how these solutions are deployed at scale.”

Financial and legal support is considered vital for the initiative. Each firm is eligible for a $5,000 stipend as well as up to $5,000 in patent filing expense reimbursement.

To protect African innovations, the program provides IP education through L2Pro Africa as well as consultation with law firm Adams & Adams.

The event will conclude with a culmination in which one notable start-up will receive a Social Impact Fund grant.

The African Telecommunications Union supports the programme, which aims to bridge the gap between early-stage design and commercial feasibility for African high-tech talent.