The African Impact Initiative (AII) has launched Cohort 6 of the African Impact Challenge (AIC), its flagship venture accelerator, selecting 20 startups from across Africa to take part in a programme designed to help high-potential businesses grow, enter new markets and attract investment. The latest cohort reflects AII’s continued commitment to supporting founders developing practical solutions across fintech, health technology, agritech, e-commerce, proptech, gaming and artificial intelligence.
The initiative is expected to strengthen the continent’s innovation ecosystem by equipping startups with business development support, market access opportunities, investor connections and product-market expertise. Rather than following a single approach for every business, the redesigned programme introduces different tracks that match founders to the stage of growth they are currently in, allowing startups to receive support that is relevant to their specific needs.
The launch builds on the success of previous cohorts, where companies have gone on to raise funding and expand their impact. One example is VAS Medtech from Cohort 2, which developed FlexiGyn, a portable screening device addressing gaps in gynaecological healthcare in South Africa and is now approaching FDA and SAHPRA submissions. Another success story is Powerstove from Cohort 4, whose smart cookstoves reduce fuel consumption by 70 percent while generating electricity for households in Nigeria. The company has received backing from GSMA’s Innovation Fund and secured a ₦1.8 billion catalytic funding round from Cascador in June 2026.
These examples demonstrate how the accelerator has helped founders move beyond the early stages of building a business to raising capital and delivering measurable social and economic impact.
Supporting African founders to build scalable businesses
According to AIC, the 20 startups were selected after completing a demanding multi-stage process that required them to refine their business models, strengthen their go-to-market strategies and improve their investor pitches before final selections were made. The startups were chosen based on the strength of their founding teams, the problems they are solving, the scale of their ambitions and their potential to grow across African markets and beyond.
During the implementation phase of the programme, founders will receive business development support, participate in market immersion activities across different African countries and complete an accelerator programme designed to improve execution while connecting them with local and international investors and strategic partners.
The startups are divided into two innovation streams, Country Innovation and Health Entrepreneurship, with businesses placed in Builder, Momentum and Scale tracks according to their level of growth.
CompCrafter is developing an AI-powered platform that helps organisations communicate employee compensation through personalised and interactive total rewards experiences that improve transparency, employee engagement and retention.
Feest has created a mobile-first operating system for African food vendors, combining digital storefronts, an AI kitchen assistant and logistics aggregation into one platform that helps food businesses operate more efficiently.
Retailstack is modernising independent supermarkets and pharmacies with an offline-first operating system that manages checkout, inventory and restocking through a single digital platform.
B12Give is addressing food waste by helping retailers redistribute surplus food to community organisations while measuring the environmental and social impact of every donation.
Gamepride is building a unified esports platform that connects African gamers through competitive tournaments while creating new revenue opportunities for players and content creators.
Gamr is developing an esports ecosystem that creates structured career pathways for young Africans through tournaments, skills development and professional gaming opportunities.
Giddaa is making property ownership and investment more accessible through a digital platform that supports buying, selling, financing and investing in real estate using secure online services.
Growwr provides AI-powered hiring infrastructure that enables international companies to recruit, manage and pay skilled African professionals with greater confidence.
Regxta uses machine learning and data analytics to improve credit scoring, helping underserved individuals and small businesses gain access to financial services.
Resiliocs Intelligence has developed an AI-powered climate risk platform that helps asset owners, insurers, infrastructure operators and property managers understand physical climate risks and make informed investment decisions.
Twish Cart connects shoppers with local retailers through an e-commerce platform that combines online shopping, digital payments and efficient last-mile delivery.
Health innovators tackling Africa’s healthcare challenges
Elais Biosciences is advancing biotechnology research to develop new therapies and healthcare solutions aimed at improving disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Manje Health enables people living abroad to pay verified healthcare providers directly for the medical treatment of family members, improving transparency and access to healthcare.
MariTest has developed a non-invasive AI-powered malaria screening device that delivers results in less than three minutes without requiring blood samples or laboratory infrastructure.
AR Botanical Labs is strengthening regenerative botanical supply chains by training women and young people in sustainable cultivation while linking local producers to nutraceutical and wellness markets.
Mariam Grey Pharmacy focuses on improving children’s medicine safety through pharmacist-led dose verification, shared pharmacy inventory systems and caregiver education.
Rubi Pharma is digitising pharmaceutical distribution by providing healthcare facilities with real-time access to essential medicines through a business-to-business platform.
Drugstore is helping traditional pharmacies digitise inventory and order management through its Drugstore.ng platform, improving medicine availability and operational efficiency.
Indigenius AI has developed no-code AI health agents that provide chronic disease risk assessments, healthcare guidance and care navigation in local African languages, making digital healthcare more accessible in low-resource communities.
Rapharm Uganda Ltd. operates an AI-powered digital pharmacy platform that improves medicine access, prescription management and treatment adherence through technology-enabled pharmacy services.
With Cohort 6 now underway, the African Impact Challenge is continuing its investment in African entrepreneurs by providing founders with the tools, networks and expertise needed to turn innovative ideas into sustainable businesses. By supporting startups across multiple industries and stages of growth, the programme is expected to contribute to stronger businesses, increased investment, job creation and solutions that address critical challenges across the continent.
