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Applications are open for the MediaTech Hub (MTH) Accelerator 2026, a startup programme supporting early-stage companies developing technology that is changing how media is produced, distributed or experienced.
The accelerator connects media tech startups with the media industry in Babelsberg, along with mentors, technology partners, investors, research institutions and other resources to help founders develop market-ready business models.
Two Programme Paths
Designed for founders who want to grow their businesses independently and sustainably without the immediate pressure of external financing.
Designed for startups preparing for a funding round. Participants can work on their pitch, financial planning and investor connections.
Who Can Apply?
- Early-stage media technology startups.
- Startups developing technology that changes how media is produced, distributed or experienced.
- Companies that are based and operating in Germany.
Benefits
Selected startups will receive access to:
- Personalised mentoring and counselling on business models, strategy and growth.
- Media industry connections with companies, studios and technology partners in Babelsberg.
- Office and coworking space within the MediaTech Hub ecosystem.
- Investor and partner networks for potential capital, clients and partnerships.
- Visibility opportunities through MTH events, international trade shows and startup spotlights.
- Research connections with local universities and research institutions.
Application Process
The application process involves:
- Submit an application: Complete the online application form and upload your pitch deck.
- Interview: Shortlisted applicants meet with the accelerator team.
- Decision: Applicants will receive feedback within four weeks of the application deadline.
- Programme launch: Selected startups complete onboarding and begin the accelerator.
How to Apply
Interested startups can submit their applications through the official MTH application portal:
Call For Applications: UNECA Continental Call for African AI Innovations 2026 For African Startups and Innovators
Call for Applications: Mandela Washington Fellowship 2027 For Africans(Fully Funded to the U.S.)
Health
MTN, Gates Foundation Commit $25m to Maternal Health in Nigeria
MTN Group Foundation and the Gates Foundation have committed $25 million to reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria through 2030 under a new maternal health partnership.
The four-year initiative, described by the organisations as the Maternal Health Multiplier platform, aims to expand access to AI-enabled maternal healthcare by providing affordable smartphones, mobile data and improved connectivity to pregnant women and healthcare facilities.
The initiative targets 500,000 women, 5,000 frontline health workers and 500 health facilities across Nigeria.
Through phone-based AI decision-support tools, the programme will provide mothers and frontline health workers with access to trusted, locally relevant health information and support the early identification of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
The partnership will also complement existing healthcare services by improving access to smartphones and mobile data while strengthening connectivity at healthcare facilities.
Nigeria continues to account for nearly 30 per cent of maternal deaths globally, according to the figures cited in the report.
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, said partnerships such as the initiative could help strengthen the systems needed to translate technology and innovation into improved public services.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, said strengthening primary healthcare and equipping frontline health workers were central to ongoing health-sector reforms.
MTN Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita said the initiative would initially focus on Nigeria, with the ambition of developing a model that could be scaled to improve maternal and child health outcomes across Africa.
Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman said the partnership was intended to ensure that the benefits of AI-enabled healthcare reach people who may otherwise be unable to afford or access such technologies.
The partnership was announced at Semafor’s Next 3 Billion event in New York, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Business
World Bank Proposes National Data Platforms to Power AI in African Agriculture
The World Bank has proposed developing national agricultural data platforms to help Nigeria and other African countries build the data infrastructure needed to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) in agriculture.
The proposal is part of the bank’s broader effort to transform investments in agricultural statistics into digital infrastructure that can support AI-powered applications such as crop mapping, yield forecasting, pest surveillance and targeted agricultural advisory services.
The World Bank said Nigeria is among 10 African countries where recent agricultural surveys, supported by World Bank-financed statistical operations and the 50×2030 Initiative, have generated data on farms, crops, production, inputs, livestock, farming practices, and agricultural households.
According to the bank, these datasets, originally developed to strengthen agricultural statistics and evidence-based policymaking, could also provide the foundation for digital and AI-enabled agriculture.
The bank noted that agricultural AI requires more than satellite imagery, weather data and soil maps because these sources may not fully capture conditions at individual farms. Agricultural surveys can provide ground-level information on what farmers plant, the inputs and land they use, what they harvest, production losses and their access to irrigation, extension services, finance and markets.
When appropriately georeferenced and combined with satellite imagery and other data sources, the information could help train and validate AI models.
For Nigeria, a national agricultural data platform could integrate agricultural surveys, satellite imagery, rainfall and temperature records, soil maps, market information and administrative agricultural records.
Such a system could support applications for identifying crops, estimating yields, monitoring drought and production losses, detecting pest outbreaks and helping governments target extension services and agricultural investments.
The World Bank also highlighted research in Uganda showing that combining satellite imagery with household survey data could improve crop-yield estimates by reducing errors associated with relying on satellite information alone.
However, the bank cautioned that collecting agricultural statistics alone would not make a country ready for agricultural AI. It said data would need to be standardised, documented, appropriately georeferenced, interoperable and securely accessible, while also being capable of integration with other data sources.
The World Bank identified connectivity, compute, context and competency, alongside effective governance and cybersecurity, as key requirements for broader AI readiness.
It recommended that countries begin with practical applications rather than immediately pursuing large-scale national AI platforms. Potential use cases include crop mapping, yield forecasting, drought and crop-loss monitoring, pest surveillance and targeted agricultural advisory services.
The bank also proposed stronger regional cooperation, allowing African countries to retain control of their agricultural data while sharing standards, methodologies, model components and lessons.
The proposal represents a shift from viewing agricultural data solely as a tool for producing statistics towards using it as digital infrastructure for developing AI applications and services for farmers and policymakers.
Business
Schneider Electric, IBTC Expand Data Centre Training Programme
Schneider Electric and the International Business Training College (IBTC), through its Data Centre Academy, have expanded their data centre workforce development programme to Kenya as demand for digital infrastructure grows across Africa.
The programme was formalised during ITW & Datacloud Africa in Nairobi, with support from the Africa Data Centres Association (ADCA) and other industry partners.
It is designed to train engineering and technology graduates for roles in the data centre sector, covering areas such as power, cooling, energy management, security, controls and operational resilience.
Schneider Electric will provide the foundational curriculum through Schneider Electric University for its Data Centre Certified Associate (DCCA) programme.
Vice President, Secure Power, Sub-Saharan Africa at Schneider Electric, Steve Santini, said developing a sustainable talent pipeline was critical to supporting the growth of digital infrastructure across the continent.
The programme will follow IBTC’s “ry certification and practical exposure to data centre operations. Participants will begin with DCCA I training before progressing to advanced industry certification pathways
IBTC Data Centre Academy will oversee programme delivery and workforce development, while ADCA will provide industry leadership and governance support to align the training with sector requirements.
Industry partners, including IMEX and IX Africa, will support the practical components of the programme, providing participants with exposure to technologies and operating environments used in data centres.
IBTC Chief Executive Officer Nikki Maritz said collaboration between training organisations, technology providers and industry bodies would be essential to developing a sustainable talent pipeline.
The Kenya expansion builds on IBTC’s existing programmes in South Africa, Nigeria and Qatar, making Kenya its latest African market.
The expansion comes as data centre operators across Africa increase capacity to meet growing demand for cloud services, artificial intelligence workloads and other digital applications, increasing the need for skilled engineers and technicians to support critical data centre systems.
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