Askya Investment Partners, an African venture capital firm, is committing US$200,000 to support Ghanaian and other African artificial intelligence (AI) startups to scale their businesses across the continent.
The firm, in partnership with Magna Collective, will select 10 AI-focused startups for a six-week accelerator programme, with participating companies receiving support without giving up equity.
Askya said in a statement that the first cohort of the programme would be inaugurated at Moonshot by TechCabal in Lagos on October 28 and 29, 2026.
The initiative, dubbed the Askya AI Growth Platform, will provide funding, coaching and company-building support in areas including technology, product development, business strategy and distribution.
Participants will also gain access to cloud infrastructure, computing resources, corporate customers and talent to support the development and expansion of their businesses.
Programme Targets AI Commercialisation
Askya said African entrepreneurs were already building technology at scale, but limited access to distribution channels, reliable infrastructure and practical experience from successful operators continued to constrain the growth of promising ventures.
The initiative comes amid growing expectations that artificial intelligence could play a significant role in accelerating Africa’s economic development.
The African Development Bank’s Africa AI Productivity Gain report estimates that widespread AI deployment could add up to US$1 trillion to Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2035, equivalent to nearly one-third of the continent’s current economic output.
The Growth Platform was unveiled at the Deep Learning Indaba 2026 at Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos.
Under the six-week hybrid programme, participating founders will commit between three and six hours each week to the accelerator.
They will receive masterclasses, product development assistance and guidance on demonstrating early commercial traction, including securing at least one paying customer or active pilot.
Backing Home-Grown AI Innovation
Mr Babacar Seck, Founder and Managing Partner of Askya Investment Partners, said Africa needed to develop its own AI technologies rather than depend largely on imported solutions.
“Africa can either become a producer of AI technology, capturing the tremendous value it creates, or remain a mere importer, watching its productivity gap with other economies widen even further,” he said.
He said Askya had advocated an ambitious approach to African AI since 2024, adding that the Growth Platform represented the firm’s commitment to backing founders developing AI companies capable of addressing major challenges on the continent.
“We open on Africa’s biggest stage in Lagos, then we get to work. Every week that follows is built around one thing: getting founders closer to a signed contract,” Mr Femi Awoniyi, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Magna Collective, said.
The Growth Platform’s founding partners include the Deep Learning Indaba and Big Cabal Media, with Magna Collective serving as the programme’s design and delivery partner.
