Nigerian, Kenyan, Rwandan Startups Dominate Google’s Africa AI Accelerator Class 9

Google has unveiled the 15 startups selected for the ninth cohort of its Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa program, with a strong showing from Nigeria, Kenya and Rwanda.

These three countries account for the majority of the cohort, showcasing the vibrancy and innovative potential of East and West Africa in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) space.

The startups, carefully chosen from nearly 1,500 applicants across the continent, are tackling a broad range of critical challenges through AI, from smart agriculture and healthcare to compliance, logistics, and financial technology.

Head of startup ecosystem, Africa at Google, Folarin Aiyegbusi, in a press statement, said African startups are at the forefront of solving critical challenges across the continent, and their work with AI is truly transformative.

“This program reflects our belief that AI can be transformative when shaped by those who understand the context deeply. We are incredibly excited to support these founders who are building for impact and helping to shape an inclusive AI ecosystem across Africa,” Aiyegbusi said.

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Nigeria dominates the list with six startups, reflecting its status as Africa’s leading tech hub. These include, E-doc Online, which simplifies compliance and credit checks through real-time banking data analysis; GoNomad, helping solopreneurs and businesses receive payments and operate globally; Middleman, a smart sourcing and payment platform for African importers and Myltura, an AI-powered digital health platform enhancing remote care and data access.

Others are Pastel, offering enterprise-grade AI tools for financial institutions, including fraud detection and Scandium, an AI-powered Quality Assurance tool that accelerates software testing and deployment;

Kenya’s representation includes three startups leveraging AI to boost logistics and agricultural productivity, including Apexloads, a logistics SaaS platform that connects freight brokers and transporters efficiently; Shamba Records, empowering over 50,000 farmers with AI-driven credit and market access tools and Smartel Agri Tech, which provides AI-powered pest detection via solar devices and SMS alerts to farmers in remote areas.

Rwanda also made a strong showing with two impactful startups, which are AFRIKABAL, a blockchain and AI-powered trading platform that connects farmers, buyers, and logistics providers securely and Smartel Agri Tech, which is working to improve early crop disease detection for smallholder farmers.

The cohort is rounded out by startups from South Africa, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Senegal, contributing solutions in healthtech, data analytics, regulatory tech, and sustainable agriculture.

Over the next three months (June 23–August 22, 2025), the selected startups will participate in a hybrid accelerator programme offering up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits; Technical mentorship from Google engineers and AI specialists; Strategic support in product development and business growth and access to a global network of investors and industry leaders.

Since its inception in 2018, the Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa has supported 153 startups across 17 African countries, with alumni raising over $300 million and creating more than 3,500 jobs. Google itself has contributed $5 million in equity-free funding and product credits.

As AI continues to shape the future of economies and industries, the dominance of Kenyan, Nigerian, and Rwandan startups in this year’s accelerator class underscores a broader trend: African innovation is no longer on the sidelines, it is leading the way.