Qualcomm to launch an equity-free Make in Africa Startup mentorship program
Qualcomm, a telecommunications company, announced that it would start a mentorship program for Make in Africa Startups to find promising early-stage businesses eager to use cutting-edge connectivity and processing technologies to create ground-breaking end-to-end system solutions and to provide advice on intellectual property protection.
This equity-free mentorship program, the first of its kind in Africa, will identify promising early-stage startups eager to apply cutting-edge connectivity and processing technologies to creative end-to-end systems solutions, including hardware. It will also give these companies access to engineering consultation for product development and advice on intellectual property protection.
The platform will give access to Qualcomm’s engineers and its cutting-edge capabilities suite for mobile platforms and technologies, including 4G, 5G, IoT, AI, and machine learning, to local institutions, small-to-medium sized startups, and award participants.
According to Enrico Salvatori, senior vice president and Qualcomm Europe’s president for Europe/Middle East and Africa, the Africa Innovation Platform will stimulate innovation around product development, inspire learning, fuel research, and increase awareness around the value of intellectual property throughout the continent. At its core, Qualcomm is an R&D engine, and we are thrilled that this program will simultaneously motivate the broader technological ecosystem and invigorate the next generation of inventors,” said Qualcomm.
In order to launch the Africa Innovation Platform, Qualcomm personnel will interact and work with governments, trade associations, and other significant stakeholders across the continent, including the African Telecommunications Union (ATU).
As a strong supporter of innovation, the African Telecommunications Union recently launched a young innovation program for Africa with an estimated cost of roughly US$400,000, according to the ATU. “ATU welcomes Qualcomm’s Africa Innovation Initiative and looks forward to realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) together, igniting new business opportunities, and helping to address issues in a variety of industries, including education, health, agriculture, movement, trade, and government services.
The Make in Africa Startup Mentorship Programme is the most important program on Qualcomm’s Africa Innovation Platform from the perspective of startups. It is an equity-free mentorship program designed to identify promising early-stage startups eager to apply cutting-edge connectivity and processing technologies to innovative end-to-end systems solutions, including hardware, and to provide these companies with business coaching, access to engineering consultation, and other resources.
With the help of Qualcomm, the entire globe may be intelligently connected. The linked intelligent edge is powered by Qualcomm’s 5G and AI breakthroughs. In addition to items based on the end-use application of your design, the Qualcomm portfolio also offers products for platforms, RF systems, connectivity, modems, processors, and processors. Qualcomm provides a wide selection of specifically designed, pre-packaged software, hardware, and tools to help you sell your idea more quickly.
