Africa’s innovation scene is buzzing with excitement—and Qualcomm is at the heart of the action. With nearly 435 applications pouring in from 19 countries, the Qualcomm Make in Africa 2025 program has just revealed its third cohort of ten visionary startups, each ready to shape the future of technology across the continent.
Now in its third year, the Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform stands as a pioneering initiative: an equity-free mentorship program dedicated to nurturing deep technology startups. Its mission is to empower early-stage companies that leverage cutting-edge connectivity and processing technologies—like 5G, Edge-AI/ML, Compute, and IoT—to develop solutions for real-world challenges.
But this initiative goes beyond technology. It offers mentorship, technical and business coaching, access to free hardware, engineering consultations, and essential guidance on intellectual property protection. The goal is simple yet ambitious: transform promising ideas into scalable, impactful products that can change lives.
List of shortlisted startups for Qualcomm Make in Africa 2025
This year’s finalists reflect the continent’s creative and problem-solving spirit. Here’s a closer look at the ten startups leading Africa’s tech transformation:
- Aframend (Nigeria): Using AI to discover new drugs from African phytochemicals.
- AmalXR (Tunisia): Delivering AI-powered virtual reality rehabilitation with clinical validation and progress tracking.
- Archeos (Benin): Automating fish farming with solar and IoT solutions for optimal water quality and feeding.
- ClimatrixAI (Nigeria): Providing hyperlocal flood risk prediction and monitoring using artificial intelligence.
- Ecobees (Tunisia): Supporting beekeepers with AI-driven monitoring of hive health, water, and climate.
- Edulytics (Senegal): Enabling mobile AI-based detection of liver fibrosis through ultrasound analysis.
- Farmer Lifeline (Kenya): Deploying solar-powered AI robots to detect crop pests and diseases in real time.
- Pixii Motors (Tunisia): Creating electric scooters with AI/IoT battery optimization and swap stations.
- Pollen Patrollers (Kenya): Using AI and IoT for precise pollination to combat hive collapse and support agriculture.
- Solar Freeze (Kenya): Reducing post-harvest food loss with solar-powered IoT cold storage solutions.
These startups are not just building tech—they’re tackling Africa’s most urgent issues: food security, sustainable agriculture, healthcare, climate resilience, and clean mobility.
Funding for Social Impact
Qualcomm’s commitment extends past mentorship. At the end of the program, all ten startups are eligible for the Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund. One exceptional startup will receive the main award for innovative wireless technology addressing community needs, while the other nine will receive stipends to support their ongoing growth.
Innovation flourishes when ideas are protected. That’s why Qualcomm, together with Africa’s leading IP law firm Adams and Adams, continues to promote the L2Pro Africa IP e-learning platform. This free online training helps startups, SMEs, and researchers understand and navigate patent, industrial design, and trademark filing in 43 African countries.
Already, over 135 African students have enrolled, and several alumni are well on their way to securing patents for their inventions.
Voices from the Innovation Frontier
Wassim Chourbaji, Senior Vice President and President of Qualcomm MEA, expressed pride in this year’s cohort, highlighting how these startups are set to revolutionize agriculture, sustainability, climate change, transportation, and healthcare by leveraging Qualcomm’s advanced technologies.
John Omo, Secretary General of the African Telecommunications Union, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that innovation is the engine of Africa’s future. He called on governments, academia, investors, and industry to support these ventures and champion African ingenuity.
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