The Head of Startup Success and Services at Google Launchpad Accelerator Class 3, Fola Olatunji-David, has disclosed that 12 startups under the programme have raised $9 million which is approximately N3.24 billion.
Speaking during the graduation in Lagos, Olatunji-David said the startups have also created over 120 jobs, adding that their products and services have over 270,000 users.
The 12 startups who graduated, according to Olatunji-David, have increased the number of startups that had featured in the Google Accelerator programme to 35.
“The growth of entrepreneurship in Africa is critical to the survival of our continent. We know that Africa is awash with entrepreneurial potential and if that potential is to be transformed into job creation, startups founded by those entrepreneurs need to grow.
“This programme, which is part of Google’s effort to support entrepreneurship on the continent, is about giving them the best possible chance of achieving that growth.”
[READ MORE: Nigerian start-ups lead $334.5 million fund race in Africa]
Olatunji-David added that the graduating startups are now part of Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa’s alumni, along with the 23 startups from Classes 1 and 2. Altogether, the first and second classes created 385 direct jobs and raised over 9 million dollars before, during, and after they participated in the programme.
About the startups: According to Olatunji-David, Class-3 comprises 12 startups from 6 African countries namely Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, and Uganda. More so, 58 percent of the selected startups have female co-founders. The 12 startups are
- 54Gene (Nigeria)
- Data Integrated Limited (Kenya)
- Instadiet.me (Egypt), Kwara (Kenya)
- OkHi (Kenya), PAPS (Senegal)
- ScholarX (Nigeria)
- Swipe2pay (Uganda)
- Tambua Health Inc. (Kenya)
- Voyc.ai (South Africa)
- WellaHealth (Nigeria), and
- Zomila (formerly Zelda Learning) (South Africa).
[READ ALSO: Three African Startups win $75,000 from Microsoft and MEST Africa]
How the startups were selected: The selected startups represent those using technology to create positive impacts on key industries in their region.
Meanwhile, the Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa Class 4 will kick off later this year, and see another 10 to 12 African startups complete a three-month acceleration programme. Applications for Class 4 opened on Friday, June 21, 2019, and will close on Friday, July 26, 2019.
