Flapmax, a prominent artificial intelligence (AI) company, has revealed its strategic alliance with Intel, the international technology frontrunner, to promote AI innovation and propel economic empowerment in Africa.
The partnership will offer entrepreneurs in emerging markets, starting with Africa, technology opportunities, training, mentorship, and funding through the FAST Accelerator program. FAST is specifically designed to support startups that are developing cloud-based and AI-driven products and services that benefit Africa’s communities, businesses, and governments.
“Flapmax has been collaborating with Intel to create sustainable digital solutions that expand AI accessibility in underserved communities, and we are thrilled to augment our progress with the FAST Accelerator program,” said Dr. Dave Ojika, Founder and CEO of Flapmax.
“Reducing the knowledge gap in technological advancement is essential in making a significant social impact. Through this partnership with Intel, Flapmax will bring state-of-the-art technology and advanced curricula, including generative AI, robotics, and deep tech, to innovators in Africa and other technologically underserved communities,” added Ojika.
Developed by Flapmax in association with Microsoft, the FAST Accelerator integrates business development, AI integration, funding, and community-building opportunities to foster rapid and sustainable growth for startups. Over 800 startups from more than 25 countries applied to join the inaugural program.
The company also mentioned that leaders of startups are encouraged to apply for this year’s FAST Accelerator program. The most promising startup participants will embark on an enriching five-week program in Silicon Valley, California, establishing relationships with industry experts, potential investors, and global partners within Flapmax’s dynamic network of over 600 corporate partners.
Michael Campbell, the General Manager of the Education Client Division at Intel Corporation, expressed, “Intel’s mission to shape the future of computing and enable a more intelligent, connected, and productive world aligns perfectly with Flapmax’s vision to bring AI technology to all areas of life, including underserved populations in Africa and other emerging markets.
“The partnership with Flapmax will significantly expedite AI adoption in these communities, driving scalable business growth, optimized operations, and contributing to a more sustainable world.”
Program participants will closely collaborate with Intel, receiving extensive mentorship and coaching, ranging from co-innovation projects to sales & marketing support and go-to-market enablement, in order to expand their reach to a wider audience. The Flapmax engineering team members will assist startups in implementing new Intel-optimized AI hardware and software solutions, as well as in scaling and fine-tuning their AI models on the Microsoft Azure platform.
Participants will also enjoy additional benefits, including the Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub (up to $150,000 of cloud credits) and Azure OpenAI (including the latest ChatGPT and other Large Language Models: LLM releases), as well as access to Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 developer sandboxes.
