Safaricom’s Spark Accelerator Programme has unveiled its second cohort of startups, selecting ten ventures from more than 200 applicants to join a three-month programme aimed at helping them scale.
- •The initiative is run in partnership with M-PESA Africa, Sumitomo Corporation and iHub, with support from AWS, PwC and Vodacom.
- •More than 200 companies applied for the accelerator, with only ten selected.
- •The lineup spans sectors from fintech to logistics and creative economy, including Mediakits.io, FlexPay, QuePay, Leta.AI, Oye, Incourage Insurance, StockApp, WePlay Arcade, GoPay, and DigiTax.
The program is structured around training workshops, mentorship, and direct corporate engagement. Participants gain exposure to Safaricom and M-PESA platforms, raising the prospect of integration opportunities and distribution support. This approach is meant to reduce one of the biggest hurdles for startups- limited market access.
DigiTax’s inclusion highlights the growing importance of compliance and financial technology tools for small and medium enterprises. The startup focuses on simplifying tax processes, a major challenge for many businesses in Kenya. With Spark’s support, DigiTax could explore ways to connect its solutions with Safaricom’s digital ecosystem, potentially scaling tax services to a much wider customer base.
By tying startups to corporate infrastructure, Spark seeks to bridge the gap between early innovation and mass adoption. However, the model also raises challenges. Ventures must adapt their products to align with Safaricom’s technical and commercial priorities, and those in regulated sectors such as taxation face additional compliance risks. The long-term impact will depend on whether the post-acceleration phase delivers sustained growth beyond Demo Day.
The Spark Accelerator was first launched in 2023. The process will culminate in a Demo Day in February 2026, followed by up to a year of post-acceleration support.
