African AI startups captured barely 1 to 1.5% of global AI spending in 2025, even as AI pulled in close to half of all venture dollars worldwide. At the earliest stages the gap is wider still: in the second quarter of 2025, startups across the continent raised just $14 million in AI deals, about 0.02% of the $47.3 billion invested in AI globally.
The constraint is not talent. It is capital, and the pathways to turn technical skill into a fundable company.
$100,00 Pre-Seed Investments
The AI Startup Program from the Accra-based Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology that has trained African software entrepreneurs since 2008, is open for the 2027 cohort, offering select teams up to $100,000 in pre-seed investment.
Apply if you are:
- West or East African citizens, ages 21 to 35
- Demonstrated software development experience and a basic understanding of AI
- A bachelor’s degree, diploma, or equivalent hands-on experience
The cohort will get seven months of full-time, residential training in Accra, Ghana, followed by a four-month incubation phase for the strongest ventures. Participants form teams, validate an AI business idea, build a working product (an MVP, or minimum viable product), and learn from practitioners at OpenAI, Perplexity, Google, and Meltwater.
Apply Now! Deadline is July 20, 2026
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Let me guess, the $100k is in kind funding , as in credits and training