Google’s Black Founders Fund is an initiative that is helping Black founders in Africa to overcome the unique challenges that they face when it comes to securing funding and resources for their startups. Through this program, Google is providing these entrepreneurs with access to the capital they need to scale their solutions and make a significant impact in their communities.
The Black Founders Fund was introduced in 2020, with the initial recipients being Black founders in the US. The success of this program was overwhelming, with many startups attributing their success to their partnership with Google. In 2021, Google announced the second cohort of recipients for the Black Founders Fund, which focused on Black founders in Africa.
Since the launch of the Black Founders Fund in Africa, over 110 startups have benefited from the program, raising over $107 million in follow-on funding. These startups have also hired 824 staff members and expanded their revenue growth, showcasing the significant impact that this initiative is having on the African startup ecosystem.
One of the many success stories of the Black Founders Fund in Africa is Garri Logistics, a Digital Freight Brokerage and Transport company in Ethiopia. With the support of Google’s AI tools and services, Garri Logistics was able to optimize an offline and fragmented industry, making it more efficient. As a participant in the Black Founders Fund, Garri Logistics had access to Google Cloud credits, which they used to train multiple large machine-learning models and receive guidance from Google mentors to prepare for fundraising.
Another inspiring story is that of Naledi Magowe Brastorne, who created a platform that allows underserved communities across Africa to access the digital world without requiring smartphones or data bundles. With Google’s support, Brastorne invested in new analytics and business intelligence systems to track user behavior metrics more effectively. Since successfully launching in Cameroon, Brastorne has reached 100,000 users in the first month alone, proving the effectiveness of the Black Founders Fund in transforming communities and empowering entrepreneurs in Africa.
These success stories highlight the immense potential of Black founders in Africa to bring about positive change in their communities. With the right support and resources, these entrepreneurs are developing solutions that could transform industries and contribute towards a better future. Google’s Black Founders Fund is playing a crucial role in providing these entrepreneurs with access to the capital and resources they need to achieve their goals and create a lasting impact.
Applications
Google for Startups Black Founders Fund is now open to accepting applications from eligible Black founders in Africa with a technology-based product or service in the early or growth phase that demonstrates potential to scale. The founder must play an active leadership role in the company and be based in one of the eligible countries. The program page at https://goo.gle/ApplyforBFFAfrica has detailed information on eligibility criteria and the application process. Applications opened on a rolling basis and will close on March 26.
