Startup accelerators and incubators are designed to help startups grow, by providing funding, resources and mentorship. Founders who are looking to transform their ideas or even startups into a successful business oftentimes don’t have the required capital or experience to single handedly make that happen, this is where accelerators and incubators come in.
Note: Accelerators and incubators aren’t exactly the same thing. You might want to check our article here to understand their differences, and which one is best for your startup.
Kenya is oftentime referred to as Africa silicon valley. Kenya’s startup ecosystem is growing at a first pace, making it an attractive funding destination. The 2023 Global Startup Ecosystem Index report published by StartupBlink, placed Kenya as the 137th most preferred market for startup investment globally. Up from 163rd in 2022.
In this article, we have collected a comprehensive list of startup accelerators and incubators in Kenya, the industries they invest in, and their investment portfolio.
1. iHub
iHub is an innovation centre with a mission to nurture and propel innovative ventures. Founded in 2010, by Erik Hersmann, iHub is one of the notable innovation hubs playing a pivotal role in fostering the growth of the Kenyan tech ecosystem. In 2019, iHub became a part of Co-creation Hub Africa (CcHub).
- Investment industry: Industry agnostic
- Investment Portfolio: Ushahidi, Biashara Africa, Majik Water, The Afrijob Network, Secvate Solutions, Pink Sapphire Technologies,GloboFuse, Giftpesa,Kladika
2. Nailab
Founded in 2010, Nailab incubator provides funding, mentorship and workspace for founders to develop and scale their businesses.
- Investment industry: Industry agnostic
- Notable investments: Kopo Kopo, Kejahunt, Tusqee, MumsVillage, DoLessons, INTECO, Silmak Agencies, CladLight.
- Incubator duration: Six months.
3. 88mph
Founded in 2011 by Kresten Buch, 88mph invests in mobile-web companies that are just starting out.
- Investment industry: Industry agnostic
- Investment Portfolio: Byte Money, Peach Payments, Mdundo, Yum, Gamsole, Hivsasa, Pet Heaven, Touristlink, pawaPay, Ekaya, Ghafla, Manyatta Rent, MoVAS Group, Ahoy, BookNow, Weaver, Futaa.com, Mbet, Catch, pestalk.com, Zapacad, Near a builder, MyDoorHandle, Closet49, Manyatta Rent, Quicklysign, The Phonebook, Drugs.co.ke, M-pepea Credit
4. MBM Africa
Founded by Ms. Eunice Nyandat, MBM Africa Is a business development agency that helps African founders in navigating the foundations of entrepreneurship and commercialising their ideas. They offer incubation and acceleration program.The MBM Africa accelerator program is geared towards growing and scaling ideas and existing business.
- Investment Industry: Industry agnostic
- Notable Investments:
5. The Baobab Network
The Baobab Network is an accelerator that helps new technology businesses get off the ground in Africa. It does this by giving entrepreneurs money, help, and a global platform that they can use to grow their businesses.
Investment Industry: FinTech, ConsumerTech, HealthTech, MobilityTech
Investment Portfolio: Alerzo, Mighty Finance Solutions, FXKUDI, Lendha, Messenger, Goodtalent, Mangwee, PocketDoc, Sidebrief, Shago Payment, BeBlocky, Afrigility, Pennysmart, Kawu, Usalama Technology, DohYangu, Medikea, Kakbima, Thola, Dr CADx, Bounce, Unified Learn, Swahili, Terminal, Twende, ConDigital, OPUS, GladFinance, Lemon, Oval Interactive, Shemach, Pavilion, Starlight, M-Funding, Chanjo Plus,ICodeAI, Vutia, Primed E-Health, MuduPay, Colis.ma, Adafri, ePoultry, VoveID, Triply, Sidebrief, Messenger, Alerzo, Terminal, Mudupay, Adafri, Afrigility, Alal, Alerzo, AnalyticaBI, BeBlocky, BrandDrive, Bunce, DohYangu, Kakbima…
6. Catalyst Fund
Catalyst Fund is a pre-seed fund and accelerator that supports technology firms working to increase the resilience of underprivileged, climate-vulnerable populations. They run various accelerator programs with partner collaborations, as well as their own accelerator programs focused on FinTech and Digital Commerce.
- Investment Industry: Food and AgriTech, Retail, Environment Tech, Energy, others
- Investment Portfolio: ChipperCash, Wasoko, FarMart, Destacame, Asaak, Turaco, CowryWWise, KarmaLife, Lami, Zippi, Kwara, Jetstream, Paymenow, Leaf Global Fintech, Oze, PayAgri, Indicina Technologies, PayGo Energy, Kandua, Ohm Mobility, Harvesting, Aquarech, KudiGo, Power Financial Wellness, WorldCover, Verqor, Swoove, HealthDart, Octavia Carbon, Boost, Wella Health, Mujer Financiera, Flex Finance, Raino, Eight Medical, Farm to Seed, Bekia, Graviti, Tendo, TopUp Mama, PesaKit, ESCALA, Shop, Koltin, Zebra CropBank, Tulix, Paddy Cover, Farmz2U, Atikus Investments, Scrapays, Ziada, ABALOBI, EarthBond, Medikea, Tolbi, Madikea, Tolbi. Mango Life, Kao, Spoon Money, Agrosupply, Mazao Hub, NoorNation, Thola, Assuraf, Crop2Cash, VAIS, Mobilife, ToGarantido, Meerkat, Rukula
7. Sinapis
Sinapis was founded in Kenya in 2010 with the primary mission to empower entrepreneurs with seed fund and mentorship. They offer training programs for startups at various stages.
- Investment Industry: HealthTech, Consumer, Retail, etc
- Investment Portfolio: Turaco,, Ilara Health, Zuri Health, Maisha Meds, Neopenda, ClinicPesa, Flare, Dawa Mkononi, Matibabu, Health E-Net, Medixus, Wekebere, KEMRI, Simbona Africa Healthcare, Kijenzi, Dawapay, The Pathology Network, Daa Health, Maisha Technologies, Photokabada.
8. GrowthAfrica
GrowthAfrica was founded in Nairobi in 2002. GrowthAfrica is committed to assisting entrepreneurs in scaling their organisation’s profitability, making it investment-ready, and enhancing business and leadership skills.
Through business acceleration, strategic assistance, and access to capital, they help African startups to expand in and throughout Africa.
- Investment Industry: Sector agnostic
- Investment Portfolio: Strikingly, MarketForce360, iProcure, SOKO, Raino, Access Afya, Sainvation, Deliver Addis, Wande Organic, YenePay, Health E-Net, Solarkiosk, Kidogo, Collabmed, Totohealth, UzaPoint, Continental Renewable Energy, Patasente, ZanaAfrica, M-Shamba, Kytabu, Jooist, Kwangu Kwako, Famunera, Zege Technologies, Kijani Baby, Lipamobile, FarmBizAfrica, Peleza, Partechs, Smartwatch Solutions, Umande, Champesa, Jumpstart Africa, Keyara, Response-Med, Takamoto Biogas, Skynptch Energy Africa, DUAL, Hoji, ViaminBit, Dirkosh Crunch, TalentBoard, KweNu, Africa Aqua, Meklit, Ubuntu Meal Delivery, Mama Rocks, Ren Engineering Solutions, Tebita Ambulance.
9. Transformational Business Network Africa
Transformational Business Network (TBN) was founded in 2003 by Kim Tan and Stuart McGreevy, seasoned entrepreneurs.
- Investment Industry: Sector agnostic
- Investment Portfolio: Kasha, Flare, MumsVillage, Continental Renewable Energy, ZanaAfrica, Exotic EPZ, Imara Mediplus Hospital, Eco2librium, AkiraChix, Kega Fashions.
10. Pangea Trust
Pangea is a Kenyan-Norwegian accelerator, venture builder, and investment platform that connects African businesses with investors. Pangea Accelerator realised that the needs of African startups go beyond funding and as a result developed an investment program and a competence development platform that connects talented and impact driven start-ups with international angel investors and African diaspora investors.
- Investment Industry:
- Investment Portfolio: HelpMum, Yusudi, Usalama Technology, Continental Renewable Energy, ManPro, Onesha, Skolera, Gjenge, Malikodi,
11. Cubd Ventures
Founded in 2021, Cubd Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Nairobi, Kenya. The firm seeks to invest in education technology and mental health sectors in Africa
- Investment Industry:
- Investment Portfolio: Fingo Africa, SeamlessHR, Boundless, Craydel, Craydel, Zeraki, Roga, Mindist, Money254.
12. iBizAfrica
Hosted by Strathmore University, iBizAfrica carries out the entrepreneurship and incubation theme of iLab Africa, a research and innovation center at the university.
- Investment Industry:
- Investment Portfolio: Health-E-Net, UNISCO, Tatu Creatives, Eighteen-O-Nine, Technosol
- frica, Jaynaz Media, Eliteways Travel, Purpink, Magazines Reel, Henga, SooTano, Valuraha, Ujirani, Cheki Nywele, Chochote, The Kuza Institute.
13. Adanian Labs
Adanian Lab is an AI, Blockchain, and Smart Technologies Venture Studio that builds, nurtures and scales impact-driven tech startups across Africa.
Adanian Labs build smart technologies startups by nurturing them into successful and scalable data driven commercial businesses.
- Investment Industry: EdTech, Blockchain, FinTech
- Investment Portfolio: AfyaRekod, Paylend, Bizzyn, Africa Blockchain Centre, Chapa, Ada Animation, Phema Agri, Smart Dasars, Twaa, eCoBba, Mamlaka Foods, Bloow Global, RewardAdz, AICE Africa.
14. Chandaria Capital
Founded in 2017, Chandria Capital mission is to back passionate and dedicated entrepreneurs and help turn their exciting ideas into profitable businesses that can transform Africa.
- Investment Industry: MobilityTech, FinTech, Food and AgriTech, ConsumerTech, HealthTech
- Investment Portfolio: Carry1st, Wasoko, Helium Health, Kobo360, Bamboo, TradeDepot, KOKO Networks, Dastgyr, Appetito, Ilara Health, Fingo Africa, Stack, Ominibiz, Guidewheel, Tushop, ImaliPay, Jumba, Leta, UTU, Lynk, ZUMI, ContaLink, GET IT, Craydel, Sukhiba, African Originals, Safi Analytics, Doorsteps
15. Viligro Africa
Viligro Africa incubates and invest early stage business in the healthcare sector. They offer a tailored incubation to assist health and life science startups in effectively growing and scaling their solutions and navigating the African startup ecosystem.
- Investment Industry: HealthTech
- Investment Portfolio: Turaco, Ilara Health, Medixus, afyaPoa, clinicPesa, Neopenda, Kijenzi, Health-E-Net, Matibabu.
16. The Land Accelerator
To support the AFR100 Initiative’s objective of restoring 100 million hectares of land by 2030, the World Resources Institute launched the Land Accelerator Africa initiative. The program offers mentorship, training, and networking opportunities for enterprises that rehabilitate degraded forests, farms, and pastures.
17. Antler Kenya
Founded in 2019 Antler Kenya works with exceptional founders and early-stage startups leveraging tech to tackle deep, and relevant problems in Africa.
- Investment Industry: Sector Agnostic
- Investment Portfolio: Aifluence, Digiduka, Uncover, Anyi Health
18. Pyramidia
Pyramidia is a purpose-led venture builder of climate-positive agrifood businesses serving the African consumer.
- Investment Industry: AgriTech
- Investment Portfolio: Stable Foods
