AFRICA—Qualcomm Incorporated, an American multinational corporation, has announced the shortlisted startups for Qualcomm Make in Africa 2024 and the winner of the 2023 Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund.

Qualcomm designs and develops wireless communication technologies and services and runs its Make in Africa equity-free mentorship program as part of its Africa Innovation Platform.

The Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform, now in its second year, aims to work with and support the development of Africa’s emerging technology ecosystem by providing mentorship, education, and training programs focusing on 5G, Edge-AI/ML, Compute, and IoT.

Qualcomm received around 250 submissions from 30 countries this year, whittled down to a shortlist of 10 start-ups.

The 2024 cohort includes the following startups;

  • Aurora Health from Kenya, which provides AI-based cardiovascular health care tools; 
  • CropScan from Kenya, which works with solar-powered smart farming IoT devices; 
  • Cure Bionics from Tunisia, which makes smart 3D-printed prosthetic arms; 
  • DevisionX from Egypt, which provides AI-based low-code computer vision tools; 
  • Kalio from Cameroon, which is building AI tools for agricultural IoT solutions;
  • Kitovu from Nigeria, which provides tools and software for smart agricultural warehouse management; 
  • NextAI Studios from Kenya, which builds AI-based emotion detection into toys for children’s mental healthcare;
  • RIM Nextgen from Kenya, which uses smart tools for monitoring propane consumption; 
  • Sparcx from South Africa, which uses AI for enhancing radar signal processing; and
  • Vizmerald from Tunisia, which is working on AI-based textile industry inspection solutions.

The selected firms will receive mentorship, business coaching, engineering assistance for product development, and advice on intellectual property protection.

The president of Qualcomm Technological Licencing and Global Affairs, Alex Rogers, said, “The quality and diversity of the applications received reflect the immense talent and potential within Africa’s technology ecosystem. 

“We are excited to work with the shortlisted startups and provide them with the necessary resources and support to drive innovation and create a positive impact in their communities.” 

Qualcomm also revealed Ecorich Solutions as the 2023 Wireless Reach Social Impact Fund winner. The fund is mandated to help start-ups increase their societal and market impact.

Ecorich Solutions, a female-founded organization from Kenya, will receive funds to expand the impact of its smart organic food composter.

The start-up’s focus is addressing the combined challenge of organic waste management and the need for sustainable farming practices to lower environmental pollution, increase crop yields for farmers, and mitigate waste-related health hazards for communities.

The remaining nine start-ups from the 2023 cohort will also get stipends to help them expand.

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