Africa-Press – Uganda. Qualcomm Incorporated has announced the selection of 10 startups for the fourth year of its “Make in Africa” Mentorship Program, an initiative under the Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform designed to strengthen Africa’s deep-technology ecosystem.
The program supports early-stage innovators working in advanced technologies such as Edge AI/ML, IoT, compute systems, and connectivity solutions, offering mentorship, training, and business development support to help them scale their innovations.
This year’s cohort was selected from more than 1,200 applications received across over 45 African countries, reflecting growing momentum in technology-driven solutions across sectors including agriculture, education, smart cities, transport, assistive technology, and infrastructure.
Uganda is represented by TWave Ltd, a startup developing an automated, solar-powered fish feeding system aimed at improving efficiency and productivity in aquaculture.
The innovation is expected to support fish farming operations, particularly smallholder farmers adopting modern, climate-smart agricultural practices.
Other selected startups include Amperra Charging Company (Namibia), Anatsor Ltd (Nigeria), D-Olivette Labs (Nigeria), Mindora Corporation (Zimbabwe), MVUTU (Republic of the Congo), QualiKeeper Investments Ltd (Zambia), SafeSip (Tanzania), Sesi Technologies Ltd (Ghana), and Zerobionic (Kenya).
“This year’s startups’ achievements are a powerful testament to Africa’s flourishing innovation ecosystem. 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,” said Qualcomm’s Vice President and President for Middle East and Africa, Wassim Chourbaji
“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 technical mentorship and business coaching.
Fabio Violante, Vice President and General Manager of Arduino, Qualcomm Technologies Inc., said: “Arduino® UNOTM Q and the upcoming Arduino® VENTUNOTM Q give the 2026 Qualcomm Make in Africa cohort a fast path from idea to intelligent machine. 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.”
Startups will also receive engineering consultations on product development and intellectual property protection, including support from Adams & Adams and access to free IP training through L2Pro Africa, an e-learning platform focused on helping African innovators protect and commercialize their ideas.
At the end of the program, startups will be eligible for a Social Impact Fund grant through Qualcomm for Good. All participants will also receive a $5,000 stipend upon successful completion of program requirements. In addition, startups that file patents during the program may claim up to $5,000 in reimbursement for filing fees.
Reflecting on the program’s impact, the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) Secretary General John Omo said, “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.”
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