Start-up & Accelerator

Build Africa's Next AI Unicorn

• Program Duration: 6 Months Intensive + Post Program Support

• Our investment: $5,000 - $25,000 per startup

• Cohort Size: 12-18 startups (highly selective)

• Next Cohort: February 2026

WHAT IS THE CATALYST AI HUB ACCELERATOR?

More Than an Accelerator—We're Your Co-Building Partner

Most accelerators give you mentorship and connections. We give you that PLUS:

• Direct capital investment ($5K-25K)

• Technical co-building (our engineers work with yours)

• Customer introductions (to the big verticals and African enterprises)

• Follow-on funding coordination

• Go-to-market execution support

• Talent recruitment assistance

• 24/7 access to our ecosystem

Two Pathways to Scale:

• Accelerator Track (For funded early-stage startups)
  You have product, early traction, and raised $5K-25K. Ready to scale aggressively

• Venture Studio Track (For pre-seed, idea stage)
  You have a validated idea but need help building product, finding product-market fit, and raising initial capital.

Both tracks receive investment, support, and access to our full ecosystem.

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

• AI-First Builders: Your solution uses AI/ML as a core technology differentiator—not a feature add-on.

• Africa-Focused, Globally Minded, Solving African problems with solutions that can scale to emerging markets worldwide.

• Technical Depth, At least one technical co-founder who can actually build the product.

• Ambitious Vision: Thinking beyond features—building platforms and ecosystems.

• Coachable & Resilient: Ready to pivot, iterate, and push through inevitable challenges.

• AgriTech & Food Systems

• HealthTech

• FinTech

• Cybersecurity and Threat Intelligence

• Enterprise AI: Manufacturing automation

• EdTech: Personalized learning

• Logistics & Supply Chain

• B2B SaaS with AI

• Climate & Sustainability

• Government & Public Security

• Smart City Projects

Industries We Focus On:

Q: Do all founders need to be based in Africa?
A: At least one founder must be African or deeply committed to the African market.

Q: Can I apply if I've been rejected before?
A: Yes! If you've made significant progress on the feedback we gave, reapply. We love seeing founders who iterate and improve.

Q: What if I'm not technical?
A: You need at least one technical co-founder on the team who can build the product. Non-technical solo founders are not accepted.

Q: What happens if my co-founder and I have a falling out?
A: We provide conflict resolution support and mediation. If separation is unavoidable, we work with remaining founders to determine the best path forward (continuing vs. returning investment).

Q: Can I raise money during the program?
A: Yes. In fact, we encourage and support parallel fundraising. Our investment doesn't preclude other investors.

GET TO KNOW

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What if I don't want to raise VC money after this?
A: Totally fine! We support bootstrapped paths too. Some of our most successful companies are profitable and self-sustaining.

Q: What happens after 6 months?
A: You continue building your company with ongoing support from us (18 months of active support, lifetime access to network and resources)

Q: Can I apply if I've been rejected before?
A: Yes! If you've made significant progress on the feedback we gave, reapply. We love seeing founders who iterate and improve.

Q: We're pre-product, just an idea. Should we apply?
A: Apply to Venture Studio track if you've done customer validation (50+ interviews) and have a clear thesis. We'll help you build the product.

Q: What happens if my co-founder and I have a falling out?
A: We provide conflict resolution support and mediation. If separation is unavoidable, we work with remaining founders to determine the best path forward (continuing vs. returning investment).

Have any questions?

If you have any questions about our start-up and accelerator program, feel free to contact us.