Telecel Group launched an Africa Startup Initiative program for young entrepreneurs in all areas of Technology related innovation to participate in Telecel Group booth at the most prestigious event for telecom and technology in the World – the MWC in Feb 2019 – Barcelona.
Telecel Group is a telecom firm established in 2007, very well recognized for the quality and effectiveness of the telecom solutions and services that they offer to a multitude of mobile network operators across the globe, in addition to owning networks of their own all across Africa.
ASIP is a program launched by Telecel Group as part of CSR activities. ASIP contributes in a meaningful way to the African community to help the young Startups in Africa whose innovative ideas are creating a difference in their communities.
AGS Tribe, Agrodata and 3 other Nigerian startups are among the 10 African startups selected to participate in 2021 Telecel Group’s Africa Startup Initiative Program (ASIP) accelerator powered by Startupbootcamp AfriTech.
According to the group, the selected startups were shortlisted from a record 2,229 applications from across the continent.
The initial selection process withered down the list to 20 semifinalists. This was followed by an intensive 2-day selection process which produced the top 10. It was carried out with the help of investors, corporate stakeholders, and industry experts.
Speaking on the selection, Telecel Group Executive Deputy and ASIP Director, Eleanor Azar expressed that the top 20 startups are all exceptional, and the selection was a tough choice.
The selected startups will undergo 3-month intensive coaching through expert-led masterclasses starting July 5th. The coaching will cover scaling fundamentals including the business model canvas, lean methodology, and fundraising.
Due to Covid 19 travel restrictions, this year’s program will be fully remote using the Accelerator Squared platform.
During the program, the startups will each have exciting opportunities to run pilot projects with corporate partners to demonstrate the impact of their solutions. Telecel will also provide the participating startups with access to markets through its mobile services across the continent.
Founded by telecoms giant, Telecel Group, and backed by key tech partners including AWS and Google Cloud Platform, ASIP aims to support the next generation of early-stage African tech startups disrupting key industry verticals that include FinTech, InsureTech, AgriTech, eCommerce, Digital Health, and CleanTech.
Here’s a short summary of the Nigerian startups selected
AGS Tribe, is a pan-African community designed to inspire, connect and build the capacity of young entrepreneurs and professionals through capacity building, financial inclusion initiatives, and enterprise challenges.
Agrodata is an Ibadan based Agrotech company that has created a bee-centred cropping model called iSmarthives. The model uses an IoT device that the startup installs for free on farmlands across Nigeria.
NucleusIS is a health insurance value chain that curtails fraud, reduces cost, increases efficiency, and provides distribution channels for sales. It currently has over 100 Plan types provided by 11+ Health Insurance Companies.
Ustacky is an online stack-learning platform founded in 2019. It offers micro degrees and courses in programming and tech.
The startup is teaching industry-relevant technology skills to Africans through quality video content, quizzes and projects which aid in student learning.
Worldbay Technologies is a Lagos-based company taking the principle of crowd-funding and thrift and applying it to food.
The enterprise makes food affordable through a monthly subscription service for staple foods and leveraging economies of scale to drive prices lower for subscribers.
