AI First
Africa- hybrid
10 weeks
Seed to Series A
A 10-week equity-free accelerator program designed for Seed to Series A startups that are building products or services using artificial intelligence in a transformative way, based in Africa or developing Africa-centered solutions.
Africa- hybrid
10 weeks
Seed to Series A
Applications are now closed
If you are interested in a different program in the region,
please see this website.
About the program
About the program
Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First is a 10-week equity-free accelerator program for Seed to Series A startups based in Africa or building Africa-centered solutions with technology. The Accelerator program is sector-agnostic but will only accept applications from startups leveraging Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning from any vertical.
The Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First program is designed for startups that are building products or services that use artificial intelligence in a transformative way. We are looking for companies with a strong team and a clear vision for how AI can be used to solve real-world challenges.
Key benefits
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Equity-free support
Equity-free support: For duration of program.
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Mentoring
Dedicated mentoring from Google teams.
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Training
Exclusive invitations to technical bootcamps hosted by Google where offered.
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Access to experts
Access to Google's network of industry experts.
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Google product credits
Eligible startups receive product credits.
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Early access
Access to new Google products and tools as relevant.
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Strategic support
Support on company and product strategy.
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Technical project partnership
Work hand in hand with experts from Google on your biggest tech challenges.
Entry Criteria
Entry Criteria
- Startups demonstrating traction, ideally between Seed and Series A stage
- Building a scalable product or service with a significant total addressable market and defensible growth model
- Deeply technical, preferably leveraging technologies like machine learning and AI
- Commitment from CTO and/or technical roles to participate and engage in required program sessions
- We are committed to building accelerator classes that are diverse and inclusive, and encourage applications from qualified startups with founders of all backgrounds
Key dates
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August 22, 2023
Applications Open
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September 14, 2023
Application Close
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September 2023
Program Kick-off
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November 2023
Graduation
Meet the Cohort
Frequently asked questions
- Startups demonstrating traction, ideally between Seed and Series A stage.
- Building a scalable product or service with a significant total addressable market and defensible growth model.
- Deeply technical, preferably leveraging technologies like Machine Learning and AI.
- Commitment from CTO and/or technical roles to participate and engage in required program sessions.
The Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First program is completely free for all participating startups, and Google does not take any equity.
The program will run in a hybrid format. At the beginning of the program, we work with the selected startups to identify their unique challenges and the support required from the program.
The startups will go through three intensive boot camps, centered on technical and nontechnical topics such as AI, ML Lab, product, design, hiring, fundraising etc., followed by the OKR (Objective Key Results) workshop to define their objectives for the program.
Startups also receive 1:1 mentorships. They will also be paired with a dedicated Technical Startup Success Manager (SSM) to help them work on their projects & get the best of Google - its people, network, thought leadership, and technology.
At the end of the program, startups will be given opportunities to pitch their projects to Google teams, mentors, VCs and stakeholders from the tech ecosystem. Post-program engagement with the graduated startups continues through the Alumni network.
Seed to Series A-stage technology startups based in Africa with an African founder or developing Africa-centered solutions are eligible for the program. The AI First Cohort is designed for startups that are building products or services that use artificial intelligence in a transformative way. We are looking for companies that are at the seed or Series A stage, with a strong team and a clear vision for how AI can be used to solve a real-world problem.
Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First will run from September 2023 to November 2023. Founders can apply up to September 6th.
Selected startups are given:
- Access to Google engineers, technical project partnership, Google product support and advice, custom mentorship,
- Inclusion in the Google for Startups Accelerator Global Community and network of alumni,
- Google Cloud Credits,
- Marketing spotlight opportunities.
*No grants or funding are given to startups on the program.
It is mandatory for the CEO & CTO to attend and appropriate team members to be available to join all elements of the program.
Startups must meet specific criteria to be eligible for Google product credit offerings. To learn more about the Google Cloud credit eligibility requirements, please visit the Google Cloud startup page.
Accelerator Africa accepts applicants from 17 African countries. These are:
- Algeria
- Botswana
- Cameroun
- Côte D'ivoire
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Kenya
- Morocco
- Nigeria
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- South Africa
- Tanzania
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zimbabwe
Google for Startups Accelerator: Africa is also available for startups based in Africa with an African founder or developing Africa-centered solutions. Please review this page for more information.
Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First is also available for startups based in Europe and Israel. Please review this page for more information.