Google has officially opened applications for the 2025 edition of the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa Programme, a flagship initiative aimed at empowering early-stage African startups leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to tackle critical local and continental challenges.

Announcing the call for applications, Folarin Aiyegbusi, Google’s Head of Startup Ecosystem for Africa, highlighted the programme’s commitment to fostering bold, grassroots innovation across the continent. He emphasized that African startups are at the forefront of solving deeply-rooted issues with transformative tech, especially through the responsible use of AI.

“AI holds immense potential to catalyze Africa’s socio-economic growth,” said Aiyegbusi. “With projections from McKinsey indicating that AI could contribute up to $1.3 trillion to Africa’s economy by 2030, we believe it’s crucial to support the innovators building AI-first solutions from the ground up.”

The three-month accelerator is open to Seed to Series A startups headquartered in Africa. Eligibility criteria include having a live product, at least one founder of African descent, and a clear commitment to building responsible AI solutions. Selected startups will benefit from:

Dedicated technical mentorship from Google experts and industry professionals
Up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits
Workshops focused on product strategy, AI implementation, leadership, and scalability
Access to a global network of investors, partners, and innovation collaborators

Highlighting the programme’s impact, Aiyegbusi pointed to Crop2Cash, an agritech startup and alumni of the accelerator. The company is using AI to digitally onboard smallholder farmers, enabling them to establish financial identities, access credit, and improve productivity. This has led to increased financial inclusion and economic empowerment within underserved agricultural communities.

“Crop2Cash represents the transformative power of AI when applied with deep contextual understanding,” Aiyegbusi noted. “This is the kind of impact we aim to scale through this programme.”

Since its inception in 2018, the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa has supported 140 startups across 17 African countries. These alumni have collectively raised over $300 million in funding and generated more than 3,000 jobs, with many now recognized as regional and global leaders in their sectors.

The 2025 accelerator cohort represents an opportunity for innovative African startups to gain critical resources, guidance, and global exposure to advance their missions.

Applications are now open, with AI-driven startups encouraged to apply and join a growing network of tech entrepreneurs shaping the future of Africa’s innovation ecosystem.