Google for Startups Black Founders Fund for Africa’s second batch awards $4 M to 60 startups
For the second batch of the Google for Firms Black Founders Fund (BFF) for Africa, sixty qualified black-founded startups from across Africa have been chosen. They will share US $4 million in investment and support to help them grow their operations.
The US $3 million Google for Startups Black Founders Fund Africa, a component of Google’s racial equity commitments announced in June 2020, was the subject of a Disrupt Africa article in July of last year.
For the second edition, Google stated it will raise its involvement with the extra US $1 million in investment and help 10 more founders this year. Fifty entrepreneurs received equity-free capital last October.
Each of the chosen businesses will get support in the form of a six-month training programme, which will provide them access to a network of mentors to help them overcome problems that are particular to them. Additionally, they will participate in specialised courses, support groups, and community-building activities. Along with up to US $200,000 in Google Cloud credit, the 60 winners will also receive non-dilutive prizes of between US $50,000 and US $100,000.
Awabah, Bookings Africa, Clafiya, Eden Life, Estate Intel, Flex Finance, Gamr, Haul 247, Healthtracka, HerVest, Kyshi, LifeBank, Norebase, OneHealth, Pivo, QShop, Scrapays, Shiip, Spleet, Stears TERAWORK, Topset Education, and Wellahealth were among the 23 grantees from Nigeria who were chosen.
Ajua, BuuPass, DohYangu, FlexPay, Keep IT Cool, Leja, Solutech, Synnefa, TIBU Health, TopUp Mama, Zanifu, and Zuri Health are the twelve companies that are from Kenya. Six other companies—Bailport, BAG Innovation, Exuus, Kapsule, PesaChoice, and Pindo—come from Rwanda.
Agrikool, CreditAIs, Mapha, Rekisa, and Technovera are five from South Africa, while ClinicPesa, Easy Matatu, Eversend, and Xente are four from Uganda. Three grantees each come from Cameroon (Bee, COVA, and Healthlane), Ghana (Built, KUDIGO, and Zuberi), Ethiopia (Garri Logistics and ZayRide), Botswana (Brastorne), and Senegal (Cauri Money).
“Africa is a diverse continent with massive opportunity but the continent is faced with the challenge of limited diversity in venture capital funding flow. We hope that the Black Founders Fund programme will be able to bridge the gap of disproportionate funding between expat startups over local and black-led companies,” said Folarin Aiyegbusi, head of the startup ecosystem for Sub-Saharan Africa at Google.
