With the global spotlight increasingly on inclusive innovation, Innovate Now continues to carve out a vital space for African startups working at the intersection of technology and disability. As the continent’s first assistive technology accelerator, Innovate Now is more than a program — it’s a catalyst for change.
The accelerator recently kicked off its eighth cohort, ushering in a fresh wave of visionary entrepreneurs committed to building solutions that empower people with disabilities to live more independent, connected, and dignified lives.
Redefining Innovation Through Accessibility
The Innovate Now model breaks from the conventional startup accelerator mold. Instead of focusing solely on growth metrics and investment readiness, the program centers inclusive design principles, clinical validation, and community testing — ensuring every solution is not just marketable, but truly useful and transformative for people with lived experience of disability.
This cycle emphasizes digital assistive technologies, including:
- AI-powered tools for communication
- Mobile health monitoring for people with limited mobility
- Smart devices tailored for visually or hearing-impaired users
- EdTech platforms for learners with cognitive and developmental differences
Startups receive intensive support through mentorship, user feedback loops, business development workshops, and access to investors and global disability innovation leaders.
Growing an Inclusive Innovation Ecosystem
Since its establishment in 2019, Innovate Now has evolved into a full-fledged innovation ecosystem. More than 45 startups have passed through its doors — with many alumni going on to win global awards, raise funding, or secure partnerships with governments, NGOs, and corporations.
By creating a space where assistive tech is not an afterthought but the starting point, Innovate Now is giving a platform to founders who are often overlooked — including those with disabilities themselves.
Each cohort is diverse, not just in demographics but in ideas: from rural mobility projects to urban accessibility mapping, the innovation on display reflects the continent’s depth, needs, and resilience.
Impact That Goes Beyond Technology
What makes Innovate Now’s model stand out is its ability to turn innovation into real-world change. Rather than building products in isolation, every startup is embedded in community environments where they co-create with users, therapists, caregivers, and educators.
This user-centered approach has led to several breakthrough solutions that have been piloted in schools, clinics, and refugee camps — helping those most often excluded from mainstream tech narratives.
Moreover, the program’s training modules don’t just teach product development. They also offer leadership, ethical design, and impact measurement, empowering founders to scale sustainably and responsibly.
Preparing for the Future of Assistive Innovation
Looking ahead, Innovate Now plans to expand into new verticals, including climate-resilient assistive tech, accessible fintech, and cross-border distribution strategies to bring African-born AT products into global markets.
The accelerator is also investing in youth-led innovation, disability entrepreneurship bootcamps, and cross-sector partnerships to widen the pipeline of talent and ideas. Long-term, Innovate Now seeks to influence public policy and procurement to ensure accessible technologies are prioritized in national health and education systems.
Conclusion
Innovate Now represents the future of innovation — one that is inclusive, participatory, and deeply rooted in social justice. By bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and lived experience, it is showing the world what true accessibility looks like.
As the latest cohort begins their journey, the message is clear: Africa is not just consuming assistive technology — it is designing it, leading it, and scaling it. And Innovate Now is lighting the way.