Askya AI Growth Platform · Cohort 2026
Grow your AI startup into a continental leader.
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Six weeks with the founders who built Africa’s largest technology companies. Chaired by the founder of Moniepoint. Zero equity, and up to $200,000 in investment at the end.
Applications close September 30, 2026 · 23:59 WAT
Chair, inaugural cohort
“Africans can build solutions for people of the world, and AI is the greatest opportunity yet to prove it. What this new generation of founders needs is execution support and access to real customers. That is what this platform delivers.”
Tosin Eniolorunda
Founder and Group CEO, Moniepoint
Chair, inaugural cohort
Africa has tremendous potential as a tech-forward economy. Mobile money and fintech proved it. AI is next, and the winners will be decided by market execution, not technology or funding. The platform gets you there: strengthen your technology and governance foundations, reach product-market fit, and build a scalable growth engine.
What you get
Everything you need to build, sell and grow.
Two weeks to strengthen fundamentals, four weeks to position, price, sell and close. Every startup is coached 1-on-1, from kickoff to the final deal. By week 6: signed customers or partners, a refined product, and a stronger organization.
Coached by $100M+ builders
Weekly 1-on-1 coaching, workshops and masterclasses led by founders who have built and scaled $100M+ companies across Africa and the diaspora.
Corporate pilots & deals
Direct access to corporates ready to test and deploy AI, through structured meetups running from week 3 of the platform.
Compute & cloud access
Cloud and AI infrastructure through ecosystem partners, with GPUs and enterprise-grade capacity to build, train and scale your models.
Tools & partner perks
API access, plus legal, design and talent partner discounts, so you move faster on everything that surrounds the product itself.
Public reveal at Moonshot
Your cohort is revealed on stage at Moonshot by TechCabal in Lagos, in front of 6,000+ startup founders and corporate decision-makers.
Investment up to $200,000
We take zero equity to join. Cohort startups may then receive an equity investment of up to $200,000 from Askya, with its full support.
Lagos · October 28–29, 2026
Your cohort is revealed on Africa’s biggest startup stage.
Moonshot by TechCabal brings together more than 6,000 founders, operators, investors and corporate decision-makers. The inaugural cohort is announced on stage, two days after the platform kicks off.
In partnership with Big Cabal Media.
Who should apply
For founders out to change outcomes in their industry.
We select 10 startups per cohort. The bar is real, and so is the support.
- AI-native product. AI is the core of your value proposition, not a feature on top.
- First commercial traction. A live product with a paying customer or a pilot underway.
- Africa-focused. Startups from anywhere on the continent.
- MVP to Series A. From a working product in market through to your Series A.
- Ready to commit. 3 to 6 hours per week, in English, from October 26 to December 4.
From application to industry leader
Key dates
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Applying early works in your favor.
Applications open
Rolling review starts
Deadline
Applications close
Kickoff
Six weeks begin
Public reveal
Moonshot by TechCabal, Lagos
Platform ends
Final deals closed
Our ecosystem
Built with the ecosystem.
Further partners across compute, infrastructure and enterprise will be announced ahead of the cohort reveal.
Questions
Questions founders ask.
Do you take equity?
No. Zero equity, zero warrants, zero fees. You keep your cap table intact, and the platform is completely free for selected startups.
Is there investment at the end?
Yes. Askya may invest up to $200,000 in the cohort’s most promising startup. Participation creates no obligation on either side, and taking part is not conditional on raising from us.
What makes this different from other accelerators?
Most platforms start with the product. We start with the buyers. Six weeks, measurable outcomes: stronger technology and governance foundations, real progress towards product-market fit, and a growth engine that scales.
When will I hear back?
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and every applicant gets an answer within four weeks of applying.
What happens after the six weeks?
The platform does not stop on December 4. We follow up on your corporate contracts through to signature until the end of 2026.
More questions? Read the full questions and answers.
Contact
Questions about the platform?
Write to us and the team will get back to you within 48 hours.
Ten seats. Zero equity.
Applications close September 30.
The application takes about an hour. You will need your product overview, traction numbers and team details.
Start your application