Ten promising startups have been selected as finalists for the second cohort of the Safaricom Spark Accelerator Program, emerging from a highly competitive pool of more than 200 applicants.
The selected ventures – Mediakits.Io, WePlay Arcade, GoPay, FlexPay, QuePay, Leta.AI, Oye, DigiTax, Incourage Insurance Agency Limited and StockApp – will participate in an intensive three-month program designed to accelerate their growth and position them for long-term success.
The accelerator combines training, mentorship, and go-to-market support through two core tracks:
- iHUB-led Track: A structured curriculum offering expert-led workshops, advisory sessions, and one-on-one mentorship.
- Corporate Engagement Track: Hands-on engagement with Safaricom and M-PESA Africa’s commercial and technical teams, alongside access to extensive distribution networks to fast-track scale and integration.
Speaking during the announcement, Dr. Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom, said:
“As part of our commitment to transforming lives, we aim to nurture, grow, and scale commercially viable tech startups that drive positive societal impact. This year, we have broadened our support beyond access to capital to include technology development, market access, and integration opportunities that help startups thrive in dynamic markets.
The finalists operate in high-growth sectors such as embedded finance, the creative economy, future fintech, and SME productivity tools – areas that align with Safaricom’s broader innovation and impact agenda.
The three-month program will culminate in a high-impact Demo Day in February 2026, where startups will pitch to leading venture capital funds and potential investors. Thereafter, they will benefit from nine to twelve months of post-acceleration support to strengthen operations and drive expansion.
The Spark Accelerator is powered by a strategic partnership between Safaricom, M-PESA Africa, and Sumitomo Corporation, and implemented by iHUB, with support from Vodacom, PwC, and AWS.
Ojoma Ochai, Managing Director of iHUB and Co-Creation Hub, emphasized the significance of corporate accelerators in Africa’s innovation landscape:
“Africa’s innovation and creative ecosystems need financing models that extend beyond traditional sources. By combining startups with the resources and infrastructure of established corporates, we unlock new pathways for scale, resilience, and sustainable growth. This collaboration with Safaricom, M-PESA Africa, Sumitomo, AWS, and PwC brings that vision to life.”
The first cohort of the Spark Accelerator demonstrated strong impact, with startups gaining traction across markets:
- Twiva partnered with Safaricom Hook to onboard over 11,000 influencers.
- Chpter expanded its AI-powered platform into South Africa and Nigeria.
- HealthX Africa grew its subscriber base by 40% in six months and launched on the M-PESA miniApps platform.
- Chumz scaled to 300,000+ users, expanded into Rwanda, and leveraged gamification to influence positive savings behavior.
- BlackRhino partnered with Safaricom’s brand team, winning Best Emerging Technology in Marketing at the 2024 Marketing Society of Kenya Awards.
These success stories underscore the program’s growing role as a launchpad for African startups with global relevance.
In addition to mentorship and funding, startups in the second cohort will gain access to Safaricom’s Daraja platform and M-PESA Africa Open APIs, enabling faster product development, testing, and scaling across markets. iHUB’s Pan-African network will provide opportunities for cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange, while AWS will offer critical cloud credits and infrastructure to enable efficient scaling.
