Qualcomm® Make in Africa Startup Mentorship Program 2026

Applications are now open for the Qualcomm® Make in Africa Startup Mentorship Program 2026. This program is the first of its kind in Africa, offering equity-free mentorship to promising early-stage startups. The initiative focuses on startups applying advanced connectivity and processing technologies to develop innovative end-to-end system solutions, including hardware.

📖 About the Program

This mentorship program aims to:

• Identify and support early-stage startups in Africa.
• Provide business coaching, engineering consultation for product development, and guidance on intellectual property protection.

🎁 Benefits of the Program

Selected startups will enjoy the following benefits:

1. Startup Cohort

   • Up to 10 startups will be selected for the 2026 incubation program.

2. Mentorship

   • One-on-one mentorship with Qualcomm subject matter experts.

3. Platforms

   • Arduino Uno Q-based use case proposals are welcome.

4. 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.
   • Additional access to technology, business, and IP training at Qualcomm Academy.

5. Stipends

   • One startup will receive a Social Impact Fund grant from Qualcomm® Wireless Reach™.
   • All other participating startups will be eligible for a USD $5,000 stipend upon successful completion of program requirements.

6. 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 patent filing consultation hours from Adams & Adams, Africa’s leading IP law firm.
   • Free access to online IP education, including filing procedures for several African countries, at L2Pro Africa.

7. Visibility and Industry Connections

   • Participation in a virtual finale event in December 2026, showcasing startups and announcing the Social Impact Fund award winner.
   • This event will help accelerate business success by providing visibility and industry connections.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the program, startups must:

• Be based in the African continent.
• Focus on AI, Edge Compute, IoT, XR, or other advanced cutting-edge technologies.

📅 Application Date and Process

• Application Deadline: 15 February 2026.
• To apply, visit the application portal.

🌐 Additional Information

For more details, visit the official Qualcomm® Make in Africa Startup Mentorship Program page.

1. Startup cohort: Up to 10 startups will be selected for the 2026 incubation program.
2. Mentorship: 1:1 mentorship with Qualcomm subject matter experts.
3. Platforms: Arduino Uno Q based usecase proposals welcome.
4. Masterclasses: Expert-led technology training in areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Extended Reality (XR), Compute (AI-PC), 5G, Intellectual Property Law, and more.
5. 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.
6. 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.
   • Free access to online IP education, including filing procedures for several African countries, at L2Pro Africa.
7. Visibility and Industry connections: Participation in a virtual finale event in December 2026, including the announcement of the Social Impact Fund award winner.