Application deadline: February 15th 2026
The Qualcomm Make in Africa Startup Mentorship Program 2026 is open for African early-stage tech startups ready to build and scale with advanced connectivity and processing technologies. This equity-free mentorship programme helps founders access expert coaching, engineering guidance, IP support, and visibility across the innovation ecosystem.
Africa’s deep-tech ecosystem — especially in areas like AI, IoT (Internet of Things), extended reality (XR), and next-generation compute — is growing fast. However, many startups struggle to access specialised engineering support, business mentoring, and intellectual property protection resources that can help them move from prototype to market traction. Qualcomm’s programme is designed to reduce these gaps by bringing global expertise directly to African innovators.
Program Benefits
- Startup cohort: Up to 10 startups will be selected for the 2026 incubation program. QMIA 2026 Rules
- Mentorship: 1:1 mentorship with Qualcomm subject matter experts
- Platforms: Arduino Uno Q based usecase proposals welcome
- Masterclasses: Expert-led technology training in areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) including AI-Hub, Internet of Things (IoT), Extended Reality (XR), Compute (AI-PC), 5G, Intellectual Property Law, and more. Additional access to technology, business, and IP training is available at Qualcomm Academy
- Stipends: One startup will be awarded a Social Impact Fund grant from Qualcomm® Wireless ReachTM. All other participating startups will be eligible for a USD $5,000 stipend upon successful completion of program requirements
- Patent filing incentives:
- Reimbursement of up to USD $5,000 for one full utility patent application filed in the startup’s country, at the USPTO, or via the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)
- Eligibility for a patent filing consultation hours from Adams & Adams, Africa’s leading IP law firm. Learn more
- Free access to online IP education, including filing procedures for several African countries, at L2Pro Africa
- Visibility and Industry connections:Participation in a virtual finale event in December 2026, including the announcement of the Social Impact Fund award winner. This event will showcase the startups and help accelerate their business success
Eligibility (Who Should Apply)
To participate, your startup must:
- Be a registered company operating in Africa.
- Be in the early stage (pre-seed to seed, ideally with a minimum viable product).
- Build solutions that leverage advanced technologies or hardware-enabled systems, such as connectivity, AI, IoT, embedded compute, or similar fields.
There is no purchase or payment required to enter. Participation is equity-free Qualcomm does not take ownership in return for support
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