Qualcomm invites African deep-tech startups to join 2026 ‘Make in Africa’ mentorship cohort

Global wireless technology leader Qualcomm has opened applications for the latest edition of its Make in Africa Startup Mentorship Programme, an equity-free initiative designed to support early-stage African startups building hardware and end-to-end solutions powered by advanced connectivity and processing technologies.

Qualcomm, a NASDAQ-listed US multinational known for its semiconductors, software, and services that underpin much of today’s wireless communication, launched the broader Africa Innovation Platform in 2022 to back tech entrepreneurship across the continent.

As part of this platform, the Make in Africa programme provides selected startups with business coaching, access to Qualcomm engineers for product development support, and guidance on protecting and managing intellectual property.

The mentorship is aimed at founders leveraging cutting-edge wireless and processing technologies in sectors such as IoT, devices, and other connected systems, helping them move from concept to scalable, investor-ready products. The programme is equity-free, allowing participating ventures to benefit from technical and strategic support without giving up ownership.

The most recent cohort, comprising 10 startups from across Africa, was announced in June last year, reflecting growing demand for deep-tech support and specialised hardware-focused mentorship on the continent. Applications for the new cohort are now open until 15 February, with interested startups able to submit online via the official programme portal.