African startups led by young women are invited to apply for the AI Ventures Accelerator, a programme offering selected teams $10,000 in equity-free seed funding. The initiative is a collaboration between Technovation and Generation Unlimited and also provides mentorship support to participants.

The AI Ventures Accelerator is designed to support young female innovators with technology-driven solutions, with a focus on strengthening entrepreneurship and AI skills within developing economies. The program is structured as a 12-week intensive course, equipping participants with the technical and business skills necessary to launch and scale an AI venture.

The $10,000 funding is specifically intended to enable teams to hire developers, acquire customers, build their products, and scale their startups beyond the initial prototype stage. The accelerator is open to young women aged 19 to 24. While teams of two to four are preferred, solo founders are also eligible to apply.

Accelerator programs, like the AI Ventures Accelerator, are designed to accelerate the growth of startups. These short, intensive programs help founders transform early-stage ideas or young businesses into ventures capable of attracting customers, investors, and achieving significant market traction. Typically lasting from a few weeks to a few months, these programs provide hands-on guidance from experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts. Participants refine their products, sharpen their business models, and learn to avoid common pitfalls.

The curriculum covers practical skills, including pitching to investors, understanding customer needs, building scalable systems, and effective marketing strategies. Last year, six Nigerian startups were selected for cohort 9 of the Google for Startups Accelerator programme. These six startups were among the 15 AI-driven ventures chosen from across Africa.