Africa’s first mobile network operator, Telecel Group, has taken another judicious step by hosting ‘The Fast Track Tour’ pitching event for Ghanaian tech startups in Accra.
The Fast Track Your train started early this month from South Africa and has gone through other countries, including Kenya, Nigeria.
It’s stopping in Ghana to scout for early-stage Ghanaian tech startups for its flagship accelerator program, the African Startup Initiative Program (ASIP).
Telecel Group, over the years, has been working assiduously to help develop businesses across the continent by working with startups and early-stage companies to define their business strategy and secure funding.
The Executive Deputy of Telecel Group and ASIP Director, Eleanor Azar, speaking at the event in Accra, noted that Telecel Group is committed to developing the next generation of tech businesses and entrepreneurs for the continent.
This she said, the Africa Startup Initiative Program (ASIP), launched by Telecel Group in 2019 at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, sponsored over 20 African start-ups in its first year in the presence of African ICT Ministers and United Nations officials.
The first Cohort was highly successful and had a total of 2229 entries after which finalists from various African countries went on to pitch in the grand finale in Dakar Senegal. Cohort II was launched during the Africa Arena event in November 2021, in Cape Town, South Africa.
At ASIP we recruit top innovative startups in Africa and offer them support and guidance. We believe that these are the future businesses that will build and lead the economies on the African continent in years to come.
With the right support, these startups will find solutions to their everyday challenges, because they live in the communities, understand the context, and needs of such communities, and are best placed to support such communities with innovative solutions.
“So far, a total of 1857 applications have been received from across the continent – 76 from Ghana. The application will close on January 28, 2022.
Many of the Ghanaian startups who have completed their applications to join Cohort II of the ASIP acceleration program will on January 20, 2022, pitch their innovative solutions at the Impact Hub in Osu, Accra, to an experienced panel of judges and mentors.
Telecel Group ASIP is back by angel investors and program partners including AWS, Google, Microsoft, United Nations, Senegal (DER/FJ), VC4A, and many others who offer the top finalists the opportunity to benefit from approximately USD 750,000 earmarked in both cash and support,” she explained.
The Pan-African tour of Cohort II of the Telecel Group ASIP Accelerator program event has already made stops in South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria.
Telecel Group moves to support Ghanaian tech startups
