Qualcomm Incorporated today announced the shortlisted startups for Qualcomm Make in Africa 2025. Now in its third year, the Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform supports the development of Africa’s deep-tech ecosystem by offering mentorship and technical, business, and intellectual property (IP) training programs, with a focus on 5G, Edge-AI/ML, compute, and IoT. This year, Qualcomm received approximately 435 applications from 19 countries—an overwhelming response that highlights the continent’s growing innovation momentum.Highlights:2025 cohort of 10 startups announced for the third year of the Qualcomm Make in Africa startup incubation programEligibility for stipends and the 2025 Wireless Reach™ Social Impact Fund, supporting startups in scaling their societal and market impactThe L2Pro Africa website offers free online training on intellectual property protectionAs the first initiative of its kind in Africa, Qualcomm Make in Africa is an equity-free mentorship program that identifies promising early-stage deep-tech startups aiming to use advanced connectivity and processing technologies—such as 5G, on-device Edge-AI/ML, compute, and IoT—in innovative end-to-end solutions. The selected startups will receive free hardware platforms, expert mentorship, business coaching, access to engineering consultations, and guidance on IP protection.The 2025 cohort includes the following startups (listed alphabetically):Aframend, Nigeria: AI-driven drug discovery leveraging African phytochemicalsAmalXR, Tunisia: AI-powered VR rehabilitation with clinical validation and simulated progress trackingArcheos, Benin: Solar/IoT-based pisciculture automation for optimal water quality and feedingClimatrixAI, Nigeria: AI-driven hyperlocal flood risk prediction and monitoringEcobees, Tunisia: AI-based beekeeping solutions for hive health, water levels, and climate monitoringEdulytics, Senegal: AI-based mobile liver fibrosis detection using ultrasound imagesFarmer Lifeline, Kenya: Solar-powered AI robots for crop pest and disease detectionPixii Motors, Tunisia: Electric scooters with AI/IoT-enabled battery optimization and swap stationsPollen Patrollers, Kenya: AI/IoT-enabled precision pollination to combat hive collapseSolar Freeze, Kenya: Solar-powered IoT cold storage to reduce post-harvest food lossAt the end of the mentorship cycle, the startups will be eligible for the Social Impact Fund, provided through the Qualcomm® Wireless Reach™ Initiative. One startup will be awarded the fund for its innovative use of wireless technology to address community needs. The remaining nine startups will receive stipends to support their continued growth and development.Qualcomm also celebrates the ongoing success of the L2Pro Africa IP e-learning platform—offering free online training to empower African startups, SMEs, and researchers to protect, secure, and commercialize their innovations. Developed in collaboration with Adams & Adams, Africa’s leading intellectual property law firm, the platform now includes updated country-specific filing procedures for patents, industrial designs, and trademarks in Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, Rwanda, and across ARIPO and OAPI, covering 43 African nations. These detailed step-by-step guides enable inventors to engage effectively with IP professionals and national IP offices. To date, over 135 African learners have enrolled, and several Make in Africa alumni have initiated the patenting process for their inventions.“This year’s cohort of deep-tech startups is a testament to Africa’s burgeoning innovation landscape,” said Wassim Chourbaji, SVP and President, Qualcomm MEA & SVP, Government Affairs EMEA. “By leveraging Qualcomm’s cellular, IoT, and edge-AI technologies, these startups are poised to revolutionize sectors such as agriculture, sustainability, climate resilience, transportation, and healthcare. We are honored to support their journey toward creating transformative solutions for a better future.”“The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) is proud to partner with Qualcomm on the 2025 Make in Africa program,” said John Omo, Secretary-General, African Telecommunications Union (ATU). “Innovation is the engine of Africa’s future, and the ten startups in this year’s cohort exemplify its power. While ATU continues to align spectrum policy, regional standards, and open-data practices to bring new technologies from lab to market faster, we call on governments, academia, investors, and industry to rally behind these ventures—and every initiative that champions African ingenuity.”
