Applications for the African Impact Challenge (AIC) Cohort 6 are officially open, with the AIC aiming to help founders tackle critical early-stage challenges with a layered approach.
- •For Cohort 6, AIC is offering four distinct tracks for founders at different stages, and so in need of different types of support in the five critical areas where founders typically struggle: storytelling, People & Ops, Go-to-Market, Product, and Fundraising.
- •Built specifically for African founders tackling African challenges with global ambitions, it's backed by real numbers: $6M+ in direct support to African innovation, 105 companies funded, 7,000+ founders trained across 46 countries, and $20M+ in follow-on capital raised by portfolio companies.
- •AIC's portfolio of 105 companies generating $25M+ in revenue includes Neosave Technologies in Uganda, solving newborn hypothermia through innovative wearables; Vas Medtech in South Africa, transforming gynecological care; Panacare in Kenya, bringing digital solutions to rural healthcare; Ultrateb in Egypt, digitizing logistics and enabling financing across the supply chain.
Founders benefit from capacity building through virtual and self-paced content, stage-specific programs designed to help you reach your next milestone, venture funding via investments or grants, and perhaps uniquely—funded global trips. The program has covered travel for portfolio companies expanding into Canada, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Botswana, and Nigeria, creating strategic market access for portfolio startups.
AIC partners have strong roots and deep relationships in North America and Europe, opening pathways for portfolio companies to scale globally and access follow-on fundraising. They're also creating innovative exit pathways through M&A, market expansions, and strategic buyouts; a refreshing focus for an accelerator operating across Africa.
Beyond the four tracks, AIC operates two streams. The Pan-African Health Entrepreneurship (HENT) stream supports health tech ventures from anywhere in Africa, and The Country Innovation (CI) stream, currently focused on Nigeria for this cohort, supports ventures across any industries, fostering ecosystem depth.
