The Reality of Africa’s Makeshift Startup Accelerators

When Nigeria’s PiggyVest joined Google Launchpad Accelerator Africa in 2018, few could have guessed it would become one of West Africa’s most influential fintech success stories. But as with many of Africa’s most recognisable startups — Chipper Cash, Paystack, SWVL, 54gene — the common thread is not local support systems. It’s global accelerators with deep pockets and clear playbooks.

A recent analysis of 74 Africa-focused accelerators by Launch Base Africa shows an ecosystem long on intent but short on stability. Over 50% of the accelerators reviewed are now inactive, and many of the most famous African startups skipped local programmes altogether.

Global Playbooks, Local Potholes

Accelerators like Y Combinator, 500 Startups, Google Launchpad, and Flat6Labs have left a lasting footprint on the continent, launching everything from Helium Health to Shezlong. Yet many of these powerhouses are either not headquartered in Africa or have wound down their Africa-specific initiatives — Y Combinator being the most notable example, which quietly halted its active sourcing of African startups.

Despite a flurry of programs popping up from Nairobi to Lagos to Cairo, the bulk of these initiatives still originate from North America and Europe. Of the 74 accelerators examined, a staggering 70% are headquartered outside Africa, mostly in the US, UK, Germany, and Switzerland.

And while direct funding remains a key driver for early-stage startups, not all programs deliver. Over 70% of the accelerators provide capital, while others promise mentorship, pitch days, and industry access — a currency often overvalued when rent is due.

The Inactivity Epidemic

Out of the 74 accelerators reviewed, over 30 are now inactive. Some quietly sunset their operations; others evolved into venture funds (like Norrsken, now a VC). Programs such as Greenhouse Lab, Impulse Accelerator, and Facebook’s Africa-focused incubator faded despite high-profile alumni and donor support.

A common pattern: highly focused, donor-backed accelerators — especially in agritech, blockchain, or cleantech — struggled to maintain relevance or secure follow-on funding for themselves, let alone their startups.

“Accelerators in Africa are often donor-dependent and struggle with sustainability beyond their initial funding cycle,” says one Lagos-based accelerator operator who asked not to be named. “When the grant ends, the programme does too.”

Where the Graduates Are

Some African accelerators have succeeded in graduating real businesses. Flat6Labs in Egypt, The Baobab Network, MEST Africa, and Catalyst Fund (though now paused) have produced alumni such as Instabug, Pezecha, Tendo, and Chipper Cash.

Yet the most prolific graduates still hail from foreign programs:

• Y Combinator: Paystack, 54gene (now defunct), Helium Health
• 500 Startups: Shezlong, Source Beauty
• Village Capital: ReelFruit, Complete Farmer
• Google Launchpad: PiggyVest, Thrive Agric, Curacel

And while South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, and Kenya remain the main breeding grounds for accelerator-backed startups, there’s increasing traction in Ghana, Uganda, and Francophone West Africa — the latter largely supported by programs like I&P Accelerate and Afrikhaliss-Suguba.

Funding is Not the Same as Follow-On Capital

It’s one thing to cut a $20k cheque for a pitch-ready team. It’s another to support them post-demo day.

“Too many African accelerators mistake seed funding for a full-service pipeline,” notes a Nairobi-based founder who passed through three programs before finally raising a pre-seed round. “You get $15k, a few webinars, and then you’re back to square one.”

That gap — between funding and follow-on — is where many accelerators fall short. Without connections to VCs or tangible customer acquisition pipelines, startups often leave with a slide deck and little else.

The Gender and Geographic Gap

Some accelerators have made genuine efforts to support underrepresented founders. Programs like She Leads Africa, Greenhouse Lab, and F-Lane targeted female founders, while AFD’s I&P Accelerate focused on Francophone West Africa. Yet these remain the exceptions.

The ecosystem remains heavily Anglophone, heavily urban, and heavily male.

There’s also a chronic geographic imbalance. Cities like Lusaka, Douala, and Bamako appear only sporadically on the accelerator map, despite emerging tech scenes. And of the few programs based in Somalia, Cameroon, or Tanzania, nearly all are inactive.

What Comes Next?

If Africa’s accelerator ecosystem is to mature, it must grapple with three fundamental questions:

1. Can locally-run accelerators survive without donor dependence?
2. Will global accelerators resume focus on Africa amid global capital shifts?
3. How can accelerators better prepare startups for Series A and beyond — not just pitch days?

Without clear answers, the makeshift nature of the ecosystem may persist. For now, founders continue to treat accelerators as stepping stones, not lifelines — a wise choice, considering how many have quietly disappeared.