Microsoft’s FAST Accelerator Announces 2nd Cohort of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Program to Support African Startups

The second FAST Accelerator program has begun, according to Flapmax, an artificial intelligence (AI) company that seeks to improve everyone’s lives through innovation.

The program is intended to support and finance the next wave of innovative businesses and entrepreneurs across the African continent.

FAST Accelerator 2023 offers a transformative experience for startup entrepreneurs looking to develop quickly and sustainably, building on the success of the inaugural program. For the first program, more than 800 entrepreneurs from more than 25 countries applied.

“FAST Accelerator represents our commitment to supporting ambitious entrepreneurs who are driving sustainable innovation across the continent of Africa and emerging markets,” stated Dr. Dave Ojika, CEO of Flapmax.We are committed to establishing connections between company founders and a worldwide community, leading technology, and the crucial startup capital required to pave the way for future local, sustainable, and AI-powered technological solutions through this comprehensive program. We join together to create a better future for Africa and the rest of the globe, propelled by the transformational force of innovation and technology.

The FAST Accelerator initiative, in collaboration with Microsoft, combines company growth, technology integration, finance opportunities, and community building to enable new businesses in Africa and emerging markets to provide sustainable solutions. The accelerator also provides dedicated venture funding and invaluable mentorship opportunities.

The top 10 startups accepted into the FAST Accelerator 2023 program will be chosen to attend a five-week program in Silicon Valley, California, where they will network with business leaders, possible investors, and international partners using Flapmax’s thriving ecosystem of over 600 corporate partners.

This July, startup executives are urged to submit applications to FAST Accelerator. Startups must be situated in Africa, be willing to scale or expand throughout the continent, and have a track record of generating money and establishing product-market fit.

For this cohort, the program is giving priority to business-to-business entrepreneurs, with a focus on the industries of healthcare, fintech, Edutech, and industrials/agtech. Startups in deep tech and sustainability are also welcome to apply.

Participants in the program, which consists of a five-week accelerator program in California in October after a two-week virtual bootcamp in August 2023, must be available and committed for the whole course of the program.

An intense virtual bootcamp will be held at the outset to help founders prepare for the next phase of growth while validating startup concepts and business models.

The best startups are then chosen to participate in a five-week accelerator program in Silicon Valley, where they will have access to unmatched acceleration, networking, and financing possibilities while immersing themselves in the region’s vibrant startup environment.

“As a HR technology company dedicated to building world-class software solutions for businesses, we are delighted to have participated in the transformative FAST Accelerator program in 2022,” stated Lekan Omotosho, co-founder and CTO of Pade. “The technology and business masterclasses offered through Flapmax Learn were truly exceptional, and the invaluable network of mentors and advisors has played a significant role in our growth. With the successful raise of $500,000, we are poised to scale our cutting-edge HCM solutions across the continent, catering to both SMEs and large corporations.”

“At Snark Health, we are pioneering a novel approach to healthcare payment solutions, and our collaboration with FAST Accelerator has been instrumental in driving our growth,” said Edwin Lubanga, co-founder and CTO of Snark Health. “Through FAST’s support, we have gained access to critical infrastructure, enabling us to deploy our services at scale. Working in conjunction with Microsoft and Azure services and partnering with hospitals in Kenya, we are determined to deliver equitable and affordable healthcare to tens of thousands of SMEs and health centers across Africa, creating a lasting impact on the healthcare landscape.”

“Our collaboration with FAST Accelerator has opened doors to an extraordinary opportunity, one that I fully endorse,” said Innocent Orikiiriza, founder and CEO of KaCyber Technologies. Guided by FAST Accelerator, we have developed a comprehensive sustainability framework that now underpins our business operations, emphasizing the vital importance of sustainability in the public transport sector. Additionally, we have achieved a major milestone of processing 11 million travel tickets to date, amounting to a transaction value of 200 billion Ugandan shillings, immensely bolstering our revenue pipeline. With major corporate partnerships underway, we eagerly anticipate unlocking even greater possibilities with FAST as we work towards realizing a seamless and sustainable mobility experience throughout Africa.”