Kenyan startups were among the standout participants as 15 AI-focused ventures from across Africa graduated from the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa.
The 2026 cohort drew startups from Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Angola. 60% of the participating companies are already profitable, with an average monthly revenue of $60,000 and a combined $1.1 million raised.
The programme culminated in a Demo Day held in Nairobi.
Four Kenyan startups in the cohort highlighted how AI is being deployed to solve critical but often overlooked infrastructure challenges:
- Coamana is digitising informal food supply chains by using AI to interpret real-time data, making these markets more visible to governments and businesses.
- Duck is tackling retail stockouts by giving consumer brands real-time visibility into shop floor activity.
- ReportsAI converts unstructured data into actionable insights and compliance-ready reports for impact-driven organisations.
- VunaPay is addressing delayed payments for smallholder farmers through specialised financial infrastructure tailored to agricultural cooperatives.
Beyond Kenya, the cohort included startups such as Bani, Emaisha Pay and Vambo AI, among others. These companies are applying AI across sectors including fintech, mobility, healthtech, agritech, and SaaS.
A notable East African addition is Safiri, which is building digital infrastructure to improve the reliability of transportation across the region.
Speaking at the Demo day event, Alex Okosi, Managing Director, Africa, said, “We are proud to see how these startups are innovatively using AI to tackle real world challenges across the continent. Through our equity-free support and connection to Google services, we are providing founders with a blended model that offers the much needed support and mentorship that founders need to thrive.”
Folarin Aiyegbusi, Head of Startup Ecosystem, for Africa at Google emphasised the focus of this year’s Accelerator programme on empowering startups through the use of AI and Machine learning to address societal issues. This year’s cohort has featured startups that are using AI to drive social change in the Fintech, Mobility, Healthtech, Agritech, and SaaS sectors. Through our @@2programme, we provide tailored support to help founders use advanced technologies to scale impact in their communities while unlocking new opportunities for economic growth.
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