The final of the third edition of the "Make in Africa" program was held on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. From a pool of 400 applications, ten startups from five countries were distinguished for their technological solutions with a strong social and economic impact.

The African digital ecosystem has just reached a new milestone. This Wednesday marks the closing of the third cohort of the "Make in Africa" (QMIA) startup mentorship program. Led by Qualcomm's innovation platform, this initiative supported ten startups from Benin, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and Tunisia.

Farmer Lifeline: The Grand Prize Winner 2025

The highlight of this edition is the recognition of the Kenyan startup Farmer Lifeline, named winner of the Wireless Reach 2025 Social Impact Fund. Thanks to small solar-powered devices capable of scanning crops to detect pests and diseases, the startup allows farmers to protect their harvests via mobile alerts.

In addition to this grand prize, all ten finalists will receive a $5,000 grant each to accelerate their growth and secure their intellectual property.

The projects selected this year address critical needs of the continent through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Health and Well-being

Senegal stands out with Edulytics, which is democratizing liver disease screening. Tunisia shines with AmalXR (virtual rehabilitation), while Nigeria innovates with Aframend, which uses AI to transform medicinal plants into affordable treatments.

Climate Resilience and Agrotech

Besides the winner, solutions like Archeos (Benin) automate fish farming, while ClimatrixAI (Nigeria) offers early warnings against floods.

Sustainable mobility

The Tunisian startup Pixii Motors is proposing an urban revolution with electric scooters featuring interchangeable smart batteries.

The success of this program relies on high-level mentorship. Qualcomm Technologies Inc. offers entrepreneurs business support, expert engineering advice, and free access to the "L2Pro Africa" intellectual property training program.

“This year’s cohort has demonstrated incredible ingenuity, transforming complex challenges into scalable technological solutions,” said Elizabeth Migwalla, Vice President at Qualcomm. A sentiment echoed by John Omo, Secretary General of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), who called on governments to provide substantial support for these initiatives.

Innovation never rests: applications for the Qualcomm Make in Africa 2026 edition are now open. The next cohort will focus on rapid prototyping and enhanced integration of artificial intelligence to continue placing African ingenuity at the forefront of global innovation.