Edtech startups, Afrilearn and Utiva are among 6 Nigerian startups selected to participate in the 2021 Future of Work Africa Accelerator Programme.
The programme is a startup accelerator that supports and scales for-profit, market-based solutions in education, jobs, and benefits that can help young people in Africa better plan for and navigate the future of work.
For this year’s accelerator, Village Capital has selected 23 early-stage startups from across Africa. Nigeria has the highest number of representatives 6, Kenya follows with four while Ghana, Tanzania and South Africa have 2 each.
$20,000 up for Grabs
The selected startups will participate in the program from May to August 2021. Every cohort’s top two peer-selected companies will receive $20,000 in capital to help them scale their businesses.
This year’s Future of Work Africa 2021 is funded by Moody’s Foundation and IFC, a member of the World Bank Group.
Each startup accepted into the accelerator will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with industry experts, investors, and ecosystem partners in order to build the networks necessary to scale their effects.
Abaca, Village Capital’s global online network that helps entrepreneurs evaluate and organize their businesses for investment, will also be open to all startups in the program.
Meet the startups
Here’s a brief summary about some of the startups selected from Africa;
Afrilearn
Afrilearn is an education streaming service that provides Nigerian and West African Secondary School Students (JSS1-SS3) freedom to learn a complete curriculum of relevant subjects anytime and anywhere.
The startup was among three Nigerian startups that recently emerged winners of the U.S.-Africa Business Centre’s Digital Entrepreneurship Competition. Recently, it was part of the 10 startups that have survived the intense 3 month’s UK-Nigeria Tech Hub iNOVO Accelerator Programme.
Drivers Nigeria
Drivers Nigeria is a digital recruitment solution for employers (private vehicle owners and enterprises) to easily and quickly hire verified, vetted, reliable and well trained professional drivers on-demand and in real-time.
The company has vetted and onboarded over 9,000 vetted registered drivers within the space of 2 years. It has also served over 3,000 employers in partnership with Uber. It is currently helping over 50 companies with their driver’s recruitment challenges.
Gradely
Gradely is an educational technology company that helps schools and parents deliver a personalized learning experience for K-12 students in Nigeria.
The company recently received funding from Nigerian VC firm, Microtraction and also won the MEST Africa Nigeria Challenge last year.
Terawork.com Limited
Terawork is an online freelance marketplace that provides businesses and entrepreneurs on-demand access to hiring competent and proven freelancers, independent professionals and agencies.
Last year, the company participated in Nigeria’s First Resilience Digital Startup Accelerator program organized by Forbes and Global Startup Ecosystem.
Utiva
Founded in 2017 by Edtech Entrepreneur, Eyitayo Ogunmola, Utiva is a tech talent developer digitalizing technology education across Africa.
With expert instructors, Utiva trains tech talents through live virtual classes in courses including Data Analysis, Product Management, Digital Marketing, Artificial Intelligence and UI/UX Design.
The startup was Selected among Winners of Facebook’s $3m Community Accelerator.
Wootlab Foundation
Wootlab Foundation is a software development and talent management platform focused on creating employment opportunities for the unemployed and underemployed youth through technical upskilling.
The company recently partnered with Google and the Kwara State Government to train over 30, 000 youths in the states.
Summary
Last year’s pandemic has propelled a new way of working. Future of Work believes that promoting creative startups that use technology to widen access to digital skills could help African youths find new opportunities.