Growing with Spark Accelerator
Hear from startups on how Spark Accelerator is fuelling their growth.
Funding Tech Start-ups | ENEZA EDUCATION
With a vision to become Africa’s largest classroom, Eneza Education is making quality revision and learning materials available to millions through mobile. Through the spark accelerator programme, they’ve gained funding, access to Safaricom’s customer base, and the support to scale even further. For start-ups looking to grow, CEO, Wambura Kimunyu, shares this advice: Find where your impact aligns with Safaricom’s mission to transform lives, because when purpose aligns, growth follows.
Funding Agribusiness Start-ups | SokoFresh
Through Spark Accelerator, SokoFresh unlocked game-changing support that included funding, access to products like Digifarm, and innovative tech solutions, helping smallholder farmers cut post-harvest losses, store produce in solar-powered cold rooms, and connect to better markets. This is how we’re empowering agribusinesses to scale and farmers to thrive.
From Vision to Reality
The Spark Accelerator program has been a journey of growth and innovation. Over the past year, startups have refined their structures, optimized processes, and positioned for scale. At Safaricom, we celebrate their progress—but the real journey is just beginning. Investors are taking notice, and the future holds bold decisions and limitless possibilities. We’re here to take you to the next level!
Spark Accelerator Trustees Pitch Session
Spark Accelerator is all about equipping startups with the tools they need to grow. During the Trustees Pitch Session, founders pitched their businesses to investors and Safaricom leaders, sharing how the program will help them scale, innovate, and create impact across the ecosystem. It was a space for bold ideas, strategic conversations, and the beginning of exciting possibilities.
Safaricom, Spark Accelerator Program First Cohort
At Safaricom, our vision is to become Africa’s leading purpose-led technology company. Achieving this means being an active part of the ecosystem—helping nurture the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders who will shape the future of tech in Africa. Through our Spark Accelerator program, we’re connecting startups to Safaricom’s vast network of customers and investors, offering them the opportunity to scale and make an impact. Together, we’re creating a space where growth and opportunity meet.
Testimonials
We received an investment from Spark Fund II, which gave us access to essential Safaricom products that supported our scale-up. We also formed a strategic collaboration with DigiFarm, both of which have enabled us to reach and support even more farmers.
- Denis Karema, CEO Soko Fresh
One of the biggest hurdles startups face is identifying who their customers are and acquiring them. Corporations like Safaricom have deep knowledge of their customer base—and by sharing this insight with startups, they create mutually beneficial partnerships that fuel growth and innovation.
- Wambura Kimunyu CEO, Eneza Education
Denis Karema
CEO Soko Fresh
We received an investment from Spark Fund II, which gave us access to essential Safaricom products that supported our scale-up. We also formed a strategic collaboration with DigiFarm, both of which have enabled us to reach and support even more farmers.
Wambura Kimunyu CEO
Eneza Education
One of the biggest hurdles startups face is identifying who their customers are and acquiring them. Corporations like Safaricom have deep knowledge of their customer base—and by sharing this insight with startups, they create mutually beneficial partnerships that fuel growth and innovation.
Frequently asked questions
The Spark Accelerator focuses on startups in highlighted sectors, including:
a. Embedded Finance
i. Open Finance
ii. Agency as a Service
b. SME Productivity Tools:
i. Merchant loyalty and rewards
ii. E-Commerce enablement
iii. Intelligent supply chain and inventory management
iv. AI business automation
a. Tax compliance
b. Fraud detection
c. Future Fintech:
i. Proximity payments
ii. Personal Finance Management
iii. Blockchain and Decentralized Finance
iv. AI/ML for Credit, Wealth Management and Insurance
d. Creative Economy:
i. Gaming
ii. Advertising as a Service
iii. Digital Content and Media Tech
iv. Creator Economy Tools
v. Live and Immersive experiences
To apply for the program go to https://safaricom.co.ke/sparkaccelerator , click on apply now and follow the requisite steps
Participants in the Spark Accelerator Program will gain access to a range of benefits, including Safaricom and M-PESA Africa product and technology support, mentorship, access to capital, and go-to-market support. The program is anchored around Safaricom's goal of transforming lives. Participants can expect to get various benefits including, but not limited to:
i. Expert advisory from experts across Product development, talent management, marketing and sales.
ii. Access to a community to test out your products.
iii. Coaching and mentoring by successful founders and experts.
iv. Networking with other founders to build amazing solutions in Fintech.
v. Exposure to a vibrant network of investors.
The program will focus on deepening the capacity of Fintech and Content startups through carefully curated dedicated business support activities across four key verticals:
i. Product: Access to fintech & product development experts and a community to test your solutions.
ii. Talent: Establishing quality and accessible talent you can leverage while building internal capacity.
iii. Distribution: Developing and executing a go-to-market strategy to acquire additional users. We will work with stakeholders to facilitate market access support.
iv. Funding: Support the startups to be investment-ready and position them to raise additional funding.
Have more questions?
Contact us or apply now to kickstart your startup journey!