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Qualcomm Unveils Startup Selection for Qualcomm Make in Africa 2026
Qualcomm Incorporated has announced the selection of 10 startups for its fourth year of the Qualcomm® Make in Africa Mentorship Program. This initiative is part of the Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform, which supports the development of Africa’s deep-technology ecosystem.
It provides mentorship and training programs, with a focus on advanced connectivity and processing technologies such as Edge AI/ML, compute, IoT, and Qualcomm’s AI development platform from Arduino.
Highlights:
- At the program’s Finale, one startup will be awarded a Social Impact Fund grant from Qualcomm for Good.
- All participating startups will be eligible for a $5,000 stipend upon successful completion of program requirements.
- Qualcomm provides the startups with a variety of resources such as product design guidance on Arduino AI platforms, business coaching, access to engineering consultation, and free IP education such as L2Pro Africa.
For this year’s edition of the one-of-a-kind equity-free African mentorship program, 10 early-stage startups were chosen from a record number of over 1,200 applications from over 45 African countries, based on their ability to apply advanced connectivity and processing technologies to innovative end-to-end systems solutions. The industries represented by the startups include agriculture, assistive technology, smart cities and utilities, smart infrastructure, EV transportation, and education.
The 2026 cohort includes the following startups (listed in alphabetical order):
- Amperra Charging Company (Namibia): AI‑driven, grid‑adaptive smart EV charging platform designed to enable scalable electric mobility across Africa
- Anatsor Ltd (Nigeria): Integrated digital poultry management system that improves productivity, health tracking, and farm efficiency
- D-Olivette Labs (Nigeria): Bio‑intelligence platform delivering data‑driven insights for sustainable and efficient agricultural production
- Mindora Corporation (Zimbabwe): Braille keyboard solution that improves digital accessibility for visually impaired users
- MVUTU (Republic of the Congo): Solar‑powered IoT cold storage solution that reduces post‑harvest losses for smallholder farmers
- QualiKeeper Investments Ltd (Zambia): Affordable AIoT livestock monitoring system designed for low‑connectivity rural environments
- SafeSip (Tanzania): Smart water access and monitoring solution that ensures safe, reliable drinking water in urban and peri‑urban areas
- Sesi Technologies Ltd (Ghana): AI‑powered field device that enables early cocoa quality assessment and transparent supply chains
- TWave Ltd (Uganda): Automated, solar‑powered fish feeding system that optimizes aquaculture productivity
- Zerobionic (Kenya): Assistive robotics solutions designed to enhance inclusion and independence for persons with disabilities
“This year’s startups’ achievements are a powerful testament to Africa’s flourishing innovation ecosystem,” said Wassim Chourbaji, President, Middle East and Africa, and Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Europe, Middle East and Africa at Qualcomm. “Four years into Qualcomm Make in Africa, what stands out is not only the growing number of applications we receive, but the increasing sophistication of the solutions being built.
These startups are pushing the boundaries of what technologies such as Edge AI and 5G can enable, and how they can be deployed at scale across the continent. Qualcomm is proud to support and help guide this next wave of African high-tech innovation, from early design and product development to real-world commercialization, and I look forward to seeing where these startups go next.”
Participants will receive free edge-AI capable platforms from Arduino, alongside 1:1 technical mentorship and business coaching. “Arduino® UNO™ Q and the upcoming Arduino® VENTUNO™ Q give the 2026 Qualcomm Make in Africa cohort a fast path from idea to intelligent machine,” said Fabio Violante, Vice President and General Manager of Arduino, Qualcomm Technologies Inc. “By bringing perception, decision-making, and actuation onto a single, affordable board, founders can prototype and deploy edge‑AI solutions directly where challenges exist — in farms, clinics, factories, and cities.”
They will also access engineering consultations for product development and guidance on protecting intellectual property. This includes patent filing consultation from Adams & Adams, Africa’s leading IP law firm, and free IP courses through L2Pro Africa– an IP e-learning platform designed to empower startups, SMEs, and researchers in Africa to protect, secure, and maximize their innovations.
At the end of the mentorship cycle, startups will be eligible for the Social Impact Fund through Qualcomm for Good, supporting societal and market impact through wireless technology. All participants will also receive a $5,000 stipend upon successful program completion. Finally, those who file patents during the program can claim up to $5,000 in filing fee reimbursements.
Reflecting the program’s relevance across the continent, the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) returns as a partner for the fourth consecutive year. “The ATU’s key mandate is to ensure that Africa’s telecommunications ecosystem serves Africa’s people. Qualcomm Make in Africa embodies that same principle by putting cutting-edge technology directly in the hands of African innovators to solve African challenges.
Having seen firsthand the quality of the startups this program produces, returning as a partner in 2026 was not a question of if, but of how we could deepen our contribution. We look forward to seeing this cohort carry that work forward,” said Secretary General John Omo.
The need for Nigeria to think outside the box in its need to drive towards global relevance with innovations and scientific developments will be on the front burner at the NITRA Innovative & Scientific Conference scheduled to hold on Thursday July 23, 2026 in Ikeja, Lagos.
NITRA
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will lead other delegates to discuss and take far-reaching decisions at the event, which has its theme as “Bridging Nigeria’s Digital Divide With Scientific Innovation”.
Other companies that have indicated interest in partnering with NITRA include mobile communications company, Tecno; Africa’s premier end-to-end AI solutions company, Hyperspace; and telecommunications data infrastructure company, Digital Realty.
Speaking on the proposed event, the Chairman, Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), Chike Onwuegbuchi noted that the event will seek to create a platform for government and private organisations to deliberate on policies around scientific innovations in Nigeria, challenges, place of indigenous and foreign collaboration, roles of each stakeholder, and grassroots development in that regard, among others.
According to him: “The Federal government, with series of programmes and partnerships, has established the urgent need to create an ecosystem that thrives on scientific innovation, breeding institutions and individuals with a target of placing the country at the fore-front of Next-Gen development.
It is a known fact that digital and scientific innovations are crucial, not only to the survivability of a nation, but also to the sustainability of its growth and development, with significant effect on economic strength, global image, defense and security, government capabilities to function, and public health and safety, communication and digital footprint, among others.
The federal government is actively driving scientific innovation to foster economic diversification and build a $1 trillion economy by 2030. Efforts are heavily focused on commercializing research, establishing massive research funds, and funding strategic infrastructure, particularly in technology, biotechnology, and healthcare. Core government initiatives and policies include the newly instituted National Research and Innovation Development Fund (NRIDF), which aims to mobilize about $500 million annually to support research and the commercialization of scientific outputs; and the Nigeria Genomic City, a multi-ministerial initiative aimed at transforming Nigeria into a leading hub for genomics, precision medicine, and biotechnology. It is designed to protect indigenous data, stimulate artificial intelligence in health, and develop a highly skilled scientific workforce.
According to the General Secretary of NITRA, Mr. Chidiebere Nwankwo, the forum will also be a vehicle to propagating the views of decision makers to the public, thereby furthering the cause of public awareness and information dissemination on the topic.
The focus, he said will be on how Nigeria can sustain digital innovative growth and scientific development in Nigeria
The board of global payments company, PayPal, says a 53 billion dollars takeover offer from financial technology firm, Stripe, and private equity company, Advent International, does not adequately reflect the company’s long-term value.
PayPal
According to reports, the proposed acquisition, valued at 60.50 dollars per share, remains under consideration, with the board yet to formally respond to the offer.
The directors are said to be evaluating not only the financial value of the proposal but also the structure of the financing, the timeline for completing the transaction and the likelihood of obtaining regulatory approvals.
They are also considering the possibility of competing bids emerging.
Although the offer represents a premium of about 28 per cent above PayPal’s recent share price, the board believes the company could deliver greater value to shareholders if its ongoing turnaround strategy succeeds.
Following reports of the bid, PayPal shares gained about two per cent to close at 56.73 dollars.
Sources familiar with the discussions said Stripe and Advent have secured approximately 50 billion dollars in debt financing from JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley, while both firms would jointly contribute 17 billion dollars in equity.
Under the proposal, the two companies would jointly own PayPal instead of dividing its operations.
PayPal, Stripe, Advent International, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley have all declined to comment on the proposed transaction.
The discussions come as PayPal seeks to strengthen its business after years of increasing competition from rivals including Apple Pay, Google Pay and emerging financial technology firms.
The company, which was valued at about 360 billion dollars in 2021, now has a market capitalisation of approximately 36 billion dollars.
Since assuming office as Chief Executive Officer in March 2026, Enrique Lores has embarked on a restructuring programme aimed at improving operational efficiency and restoring growth.
The restructuring includes the creation of three business divisions comprising Checkout, Venmo and Consumer Financial Services, and Payments and Crypto.
The company is also targeting 1.5 billion dollars in cost savings through the deployment of artificial intelligence technologies.
PayPal’s latest financial results indicated signs of recovery, with first-quarter revenue rising seven per cent year-on-year to 8.35 billion dollars, while total payment volume increased by eight per cent to 464 billion dollars.
If approved, the transaction would combine two of the world’s largest digital payments companies.
The combined business would process an estimated 3.7 trillion dollars in annual payment volume, significantly strengthening its position in the global online payments market.
However, analysts expect the proposed acquisition to face intense regulatory scrutiny because of the companies’ combined market share in merchant payment services.
To address possible antitrust concerns, the bidders have reportedly considered options, including separating PayPal’s Braintree business or other assets if required by regulators.
Sources said Stripe and Advent remain interested in pursuing the acquisition despite the board’s reservations, although negotiations are expected to continue.
Market observers are also awaiting PayPal’s earnings report scheduled for July 28 for further indications of the company’s financial recovery and future growth prospects.
Concerns over network reliability and its impact on Nigeria’s growing creator economy took centre stage at MTN Nigeria’s Data on Trial event, where content creator and streamer, Jarvis, challenged telecommunications operators to improve connectivity for digital creators.
Speaking during the event, Jarvis asked whether there were locations in Nigeria where uninterrupted internet connectivity could support real-life (IRL) streaming without network disruptions.
“Are there places where there is no breakage when streaming IRL?” she asked.
Her question highlighted the challenges faced by content creators who depend on stable internet services for live streaming, content uploads and real-time engagement with audiences.
Responding, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Technical Officer, Mr Yahaya Ibrahim, said network performance depends on several factors, including location, network coverage, device capability and the number of users connected to a particular base station.
He noted that operators continue to invest in expanding network capacity to meet the growing demand for data services.
Earlier, MTN’s General Manager, Network Performance and Quality Assurance, Mr Michael Ndukwe, explained the evolution of mobile network technology in Nigeria, from first-generation (1G) services to the current fifth-generation (5G) technology.
According to him, each phase of technological advancement has significantly increased network capacity and enabled new digital services.
Ndukwe cited Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) data showing that Nigerians consumed about 13.2 million terabytes of data in 2025.
He added that data usage reached approximately 4.06 million terabytes in the first quarter of 2026, reflecting the country’s increasing reliance on digital platforms and online services.
According to him, the growth is being driven by wider adoption of 4G and 5G networks, increased smartphone penetration, the proliferation of smart devices and expanding use of social media platforms.
Participants at the event noted that as more Nigerians build businesses and careers around digital content, access to reliable and high-speed internet has become critical to sustaining the country’s digital economy and creator ecosystem.
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