Google’s Support for South African Tech Start-ups
Google recently announced the 2024 cohort of its Google for Startups Accelerator Africa: Black Founders programme at the Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town. This initiative will provide six South African tech start-ups with up to R1 million in non-dilutive funding and up to R3.6 million in Google Cloud credits.
According to Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem for Africa at Google, this programme is part of Google’s commitment to supporting the start-up ecosystem in South Africa. In addition to financial support, the selected start-ups will receive one-on-one training and mentorship to address their unique challenges.
The selected start-ups represent a diverse range of businesses, including an online marketplace, an on-demand delivery platform, and innovative digital tools for streamlining business operations. One notable start-up is a video-based fashion platform that revolutionizes the buying and selling of pre-loved fashion items.
The Impact on African Businesses
Aiyegbusi emphasized that these start-ups are part of a growing number of African businesses that are actively addressing socio-economic needs in their communities. By supporting these initiatives, Google aims to foster digital transformation and promote inclusion and accessibility across South Africa and the continent as a whole.
Google’s Investment in Black-Owned Start-ups
Previous Accelerator and Google Black Founders Fund recipients from Africa, Europe, Brazil, and the United States have collectively received over $30 million in funding. This demonstrates Google’s ongoing commitment to supporting black-owned businesses and driving systemic change, job creation, and wealth generation.
The Africa Tech Festival, which attracted over 15,000 delegates and industry professionals, provided a platform to showcase Google’s investments in South Africa’s start-up ecosystem. By empowering black-owned businesses, Google is playing a crucial role in advancing technology, innovation, and economic development in the region.
