The Spark Accelerator is a powerful launchpad for bold and visionary startup founders seeking to transform their ideas into scalable, impactful businesses. Backed by Safaricom and its partners, the Spark Accelerator is anchored in a clear and compelling mission—to transform lives by empowering African startups with the access, tools, mentorship, and resources they need to thrive.
This program is designed for high-potential startups ready to solve Africa’s most pressing challenges using technology, innovation, and business acumen. Whether you’re building in fintech, SME enablement, or the creative economy, Spark Accelerator offers an unmatched opportunity to accelerate your growth.
🔥 Why Join the Spark Accelerator?
The Spark Accelerator offers a comprehensive suite of benefits tailored to help startups grow across three key pillars:
1. Access to Product and Technology Support
Spark Accelerator participants receive deep technical support and access to infrastructure that enables rapid development and scaling of their products.
- Access to Safaricom’s Daraja and M-PESA Open APIs to build and integrate innovative payment and service solutions
- AWS Activate credits of up to $25,000, helping you scale infrastructure cost-effectively
- Technical mentorship and advisory support from experienced engineers and product leaders
- Business development guidance to help refine your go-to-market strategy and product roadmap
2. Access to Market Opportunities
Gain exclusive access to over 30 million customers in Safaricom’s and M-PESA’s ecosystem. This unparalleled market access helps you build traction, grow your user base, and establish trust in the market.
- Go-to-market (GTM) support to refine positioning and accelerate adoption
- Access to Safaricom and M-PESA’s vast customer base of 30M+ users
- Integration into Safaricom’s partner network, unlocking co-branding, distribution, and growth partnerships
- Networking events and ecosystem engagements with industry experts, policymakers, and potential partners
3. Access to Capital and Investor Readiness
The Spark Accelerator connects startups with strategic investors and funding opportunities, while also helping founders become more investor-ready.
- Investor readiness training covering pitch development, financial modeling, and fundraising strategy
- Access to funding from Safaricom and leading African and global venture capital (VC) funds
- Exposure to an extensive network of angel investors, impact investors, and ecosystem enablers.
🎯 Sector Focus: Who Should Apply?
Startups building solutions in the following priority sectors are encouraged to apply to Spark Accelerator. These sectors represent high-impact opportunities where technology can rapidly transform lives and industries.
🔐 Embedded and Open Finance
- Open Finance APIs for seamless financial integration
- Agency as a Service to expand digital financial services
- Next-generation Fintech tools, including:
- Proximity payments
- Personal finance management
- Blockchain and decentralized finance (DeFi)
- AI and machine learning for credit scoring, wealth management, and insurance innovation
🧰 SME Productivity and Business Tools
- Merchant loyalty and rewards platforms
- E-commerce enablement solutions for African SMEs
- Smart supply chain and inventory tools
- AI-driven business automation for operational efficiency
- Digital tax compliance tools
- Fraud detection and security analytics
🎨 Creative and Digital Economy
- Gaming platforms and interactive entertainment
- AdTech solutions (Advertising as a Service)
- Digital content creation and media tech
- Tools for the creator economy including monetization and fan engagement
- Live and immersive experience platforms leveraging AR/VR and real-time interaction
Who Should Apply to Spark Accelerator?
The Spark Accelerator is open to startups that meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Geographic Location: Startups based in or operating in Kenya (initially), with a vision to expand across Africa
- Stage of Business: Early- to growth-stage startups with a working product, customer traction, and clear market fit
- Strategic Alignment: Solutions must align with the sector focus areas listed above, demonstrating strong potential for impact, innovation, and scalability
Ready to Scale with Spark Accelerator?
If you’re a startup founder building for the future of finance, SME innovation, or the digital creative economy, Spark Accelerator is your gateway to growth. This is more than just an accelerator—it’s a community, a support system, and a springboard for sustainable success.
Apply now to join a network of forward-thinking entrepreneurs, access unparalleled resources, and take your startup to the next level.
