I was selected to represent Africa at the AIM Congress Global Pitch Competition to represent Africa for the Global pitch in Abu Dhabi in April 2025. But what really made the difference was the practical guidance and mentorship I received from Accelerate Africa’s Continental Coordinator, Mr. Gilbert Ewehmeh, He was very practical and it helped me understand my market better.

Asafor NdiforCo-founder & CEO, Kwik Nkap Technologies Inc.

As a proud alumnus of the program, it was an honour to return; not as a participant this time, but as a speaker; to share the lessons I have gathered along my entrepreneurship journey. The successes. The failures. And the quiet, in-between seasons where resilience is built. My sincere appreciation to Accelerate Africa for continuously creating platforms that empower African entrepreneurs to build boldly and think expansively. Your commitment to ecosystem building does not go unnoticed. The intentionality behind the program, the quality of conversations, and the community it fosters are truly impactful.

Agnes WambuiFounder & COO, Wekraft Ltd

On behalf of Ecliptix Reality, AASAP reshaped how we think and execute; Ideation, business model design, and pitch training sharpened our problem definition and strengthened how we position our XR education solution. Go-to-market, validation, and investment modules improved our traction strategy and financial discipline. The networking with fellow participants-built relationships beyond the programme. These connections have already opened collaboration pathways and new opportunities across markets. The Kigali bootcamp and demo week marked execution. We move forward with clearer strategy, stronger structure, and a defined path to scale XR for education across Africa.

Simbarashe MapwezaCEO, Ecliptix Reality, Zimbabwe

Participation in the Accelerate Africa Startup Acceleration Programme (AASAP) Kigali Bootcamp significantly strengthened our strategic, financial, and operational frameworks at Vichew Legacy Clothing. The programme enhanced our investor readiness, valuation clarity, unit economics analysis, and structured growth planning aligned with scalable manufacturing principles.

Emerging as a Top 3 Innovator reinforced the competitiveness of Zambia’s creative manufacturing sector within the continental startup ecosystem. Post-AASAP, we have implemented stronger financial controls, refined our go-to-market strategy, improved KPI tracking, and aligned expansion plans with AfCFTA opportunities. The programme transitioned our growth approach from ambition-driven to data-driven execution.

Victoria Chewe MwanzaCEO, Vichew Legacy Clothing