Ayodeji Ayenuwa
Qualcomm Incorporated has successfully concluded the first year of its Africa Innovation Platform, an initiative aimed at nurturing the growth of the technology sector in Africa.
The program, comprising mentorship, education, and training, has left a substantial impact on local universities, ten startups, and grant recipients.
“As the first initiative of its kind in Africa, this equity-free mentorship program identified promising early-stage startups keen on applying advanced connectivity and processing technologies to innovative end-to-end systems solutions, including hardware,” said the official statement from Qualcomm.
The Qualcomm Make in Africa Startup Mentorship Program played a crucial role in supporting startups from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Uganda.
These startups underwent coaching, received engineering consultation for product development, and were guided on protecting intellectual property. The program’s positive outcomes were observed as it significantly contributed to the growth of these startups.
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“Through initiatives like the Qualcomm Innovation Platform, Qualcomm is enabling companies around the world to build on our foundational technologies and join us in finding solutions to the world’s biggest challenges,” emphasized Alex Rogers, President of Qualcomm Technology Licensing and Global Affairs.
The program extended beyond its initial offerings by introducing impactful enhancements. Social Impact Funds were introduced to aid startups in scaling their societal and market impact.
This addition has proven crucial in fostering sustainable growth among the startups, providing them with additional resources to make a broader positive influence.
The Qualcomm Wireless Reach Initiative is providing funding to propel the startups, with a primary grant awarded to one recipient, while others receive stipends to fuel their growth.
“We are seeing a new era of invention with emerging technologies in 5G, AI, robotics, IoT, and multimedia,” Rogers continued. “This strategic investment will not only protect the startups’ intellectual property rights but also propel their market reach, positioning them as leaders in the African innovation landscape.”
Qualcomm’s Africa University Relations Program and Qualcomm Academy played a vital role in bolstering research and educational capabilities.
These initiatives focused on technologies such as Extended Reality, Robotics, and AI/ML, providing students with training and certification from industry-leading engineers.
The significance of Qualcomm’s commitment to fostering innovation in Africa is highlighted by the launch of the Qualcomm Make in Africa startup mentorship program for 2024, which is currently open for applications.
To apply, Click Here
Techrectory with Agency Report.
