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Six South African tech start-ups are set to receive up to R1 million (over $50 000) each in non-dilutive funding as well as up to R3.6 million ($200 000) in Google Cloud credits.
Google this week unveiled the 2024 cohort of its Google for Startups Accelerator Africa: Black Founders programme at an event in Cape Town.
The announcement coincided with the Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town.
Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem for Africa at Google, said the programme is part of Google’s commitment to supporting and enabling the start-up ecosystem within South Africa.
“Aside from the funding and credits they will receive, Google will also be providing one-on-one training and networking with mentors to address the unique challenges faced by each business.”
The start-ups include an online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers, an on-demand delivery platform, innovative digital tools to streamline their business operations and a video-based resell fashion platform, revolutionising the way people buy and sell pre-loved fashion, among others.
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Aiyegbusi said the start-ups are among a growing number of African businesses which are actively working to address the socio-economic needs of communities.
“It’s encouraging to see the positive move toward enabling more start-ups within the tech ecosystem, all of which will ultimately foster digital transformation and drive inclusion and accessibility for communities across South Africa and the continent at large,” said Aiyegbusi.
The new cohort joins previous Accelerator and Google Black Founders Fund start-ups from Africa, Europe, Brazil, and the United States have collectively received more than $30 million in funding to develop their businesses.
The Africa Tech Festival brought together more than 15 000 delegates, businesses, and industry professionals, provided the perfect platform to highlight Google’s investments in the country’s black-owned start-ups and its drive toward systemic change, job creation, and wealth generation.
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