Google for Africa 2021 Virtual Event – The Google for Startups Accelerator Programme

Google for Africa Virtual Event. Good news as Google announces a virtual event for Africa. Global tech giant, Google has recently announced an opening of applications for its Startups Accelerator programme.

Google for Africa Virtual Event

Not only that, the launch of a fresh developer initiative in partnership with Pluralsight and Andela will offer scholarships to 40,000 developers across the continent.

According to Google, this goes in line with its commitment to support the growth of the startup ecosystem in Africa.

The announcements were made during a virtual event at which Google hosted key industry players, policy leads, startup executives, and investors driving the growth of Africa’s tech ecosystem.

They studied opportunities unfolding throughout the internet economy, paying special attention to the support of developers and startups in the region.

Google for Africa Virtual Event

The Google for Africa virtual is a good opportunity and advancement for the African future. “Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first virtual class of Google for Startups Accelerator Africa was launched.

It was the first all-online iteration of Google’s accelerator program for Africa and saw 20 startups from seven countries undergo a 12-week virtual journey to redefine their offering while receiving mentoring and attending workshops.

This year, with the 6th cohort, Google still want to continue to play their part by supporting developers and startups within the Africa tech ecosystem, ensuring they get all the access and support necessary to see them continue to grow.”

The Google for Startups Accelerator Programme

The Google Launchpad Accelerator programme in Africa was launched in 2017 to support top seed startups on the continent. The launchpad accelerator has a target to provide over $3 million in equity-free support to more than 60 African tech startups.

The three-month program serves as an opportunity for selected African startups to leverage Google’s vast resources and support to grow their products and companies into bigger brands. The aim is to support the growth of the startups through their crucial growth phases.

The accelerator trains participating startups on technology (AI/ML, Cloud, Android, Firebase), product, data, business, design, people, growth and fundraising, through interactive workshops and labs facilitated by Google experts and mentors.

Speaking on Google’s commitment to continuing the program in spite of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Onajite Emerhor, Head of Google for Startups Accelerator Africa said:

Why the Virtual Event Now

The African startup ecosystem is a key driver of economic growth on the continent, with Africa’s tech space experiencing a significant up-swing in startup success stories.

According to the Africa Internet Economy 2020 report sponsored by Google and IFC, Africa’s Internet economy is poised to boost the continent’s economy by 5.25% in the next five years.

The report states that the headwinds caused by COVID-19 will not deter the growth of Africa’s internet economy, which is projected to contribute nearly $189 billion to Africa’s GDP by 2025, increasing to $712 billion by 2050. You can get more details by clicking this link.

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