Google and Akuna Group have launched a $1 million initiative to support underrepresented creators in Africa by providing education in artificial intelligence and access to advanced digital tools. This partnership was announced during Google Cloud’s first Summit in Africa, held in Johannesburg, and is part of Google’s broader mission, "Building for Africa," aimed at enhancing opportunities for African talent.

Google has selected 15 AI-focused startups from various African countries including Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Angola for its Google for Startups Accelerator Africa program. This initiative emphasizes a transition towards scalable and revenue-generating innovations within the continent's tech ecosystem. The startups, which span sectors such as fintech, mobility, healthtech, agritech, and SaaS, completed a three-month hybrid program.

At the first Cloud Summit for Africa, Google announced its plan to invest R3 million in establishing a digital innovation centre in Soweto. This initiative aims to foster digital skills and innovation in the region.

Google has announced plans to deploy engineers in the African region to support local customers, as part of its vision for the agentic enterprise, revealed during the first Cloud Summit event on the continent.

On June 18, 15 AI-focused startups from various African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Angola, graduated from the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme, which is a three-month hybrid initiative.

Google has announced its commitment to enhancing Ghana's digital transformation by investing in digital skills development and local-language artificial intelligence initiatives. This move is part of a broader strategy to support the country's technological growth and improve access to digital resources.