YC startup acceleration

YC's Africa portfolio

Innovators — individuals, organizations, companies, charities, or government bodies — making meaningful contributions to the SDGs within Commonwealth countries. Solutions can be in any sector but must align with one of the five award categories (People, Prosperity, Planet, Peace, Partnerships).

Young African filmmaking talent telling compelling stories across fiction, documentary, and animation. Strong emphasis on cultural heritage, African perspectives, and creative storytelling within a concise 5-minute format.

Women tech leaders in Africa

Early-stage Egyptian tech startups

Organizations and institutions building institutional capacity, strengthening governance, and supporting policy reform in Africa. ACBF favors projects with clear measurable outcomes, strong stakeholder partnerships, and demonstrable sustainability beyond the grant period.

Aspiring and early-stage African entrepreneurs

Digital solutions for hunger and food systems

Harvard-Africa research

Energy access entrepreneurs and projects

Early-stage African entrepreneurs with scalable tech-enabled businesses who want physical community and structured support. Strong preference for South African founders, but pan-African teams welcome for specific programs. Values founder commitment to being present on campus.

Commercially viable innovations that expand access to clean energy, promote circularity in mobile devices, and advance digital inclusion. Current fund (Green Transition for Mobile) focuses on renewable energy solutions, smart metering, refurbishment models, and responsible e-waste management. Previous funds covered mobile internet adoption and digital inclusion more broadly.

Entrepreneurs with bold visions, disruptive business models, or new products/technologies creating meaningful impact for poor and low-income communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Strong emphasis on demonstrated traction (post-revenue) and a clear, scalable growth strategy. Social/environmental impact must be central to the business model, not ancillary.

Passionate young leaders (18-30) running established nonprofits that serve underserved communities. Projects must focus on health equity, climate-health nexus, or health systems resilience. Strong emphasis on measurable outcomes and inclusive approaches. Must be 'funding-ready' with proper organizational documentation.

Ethiopian-registered businesses in technology, manufacturing, agriculture, and renewable energy. New startup law (Regulation 586/2026) creates dedicated incentives for tech startups. Invest in Ethiopia 2026 Forum secured $13B+ in commitments.

Groundbreaking scientific achievements and innovations that break down walls between disciplines, between science and society, and between nations. Strong emphasis on breakthrough character — not incremental research. The Africa Lab locations specifically promote African breakthroughs and give African researchers global visibility.

For-profit companies building digital solutions for clean energy, clean cooking, e-mobility, or digital agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. AECF requires proven business models needing capital to scale, not early-stage ideas. Matching funds mandatory. Current open program: REACT 2.0 DIFEC (deadline April 16, 2026).

Infrastructure projects in private hands that have transformative development impact — renewable energy, telecoms, transport. Projects must demonstrate strong private sector management, potential to reduce poverty, and bankable financials. Early engagement with detailed project information accelerates the process.

Early-stage African entrepreneurs building scalable, tech-enabled businesses. ABAN's network values strong founding teams, clear market opportunity, and potential for meaningful impact. The network is sector-agnostic but has increasing focus on fintech, agritech, healthtech, and the newly launched sports & creative industries vertical.