Google, Tony Elumelu Foundation To Give 1 Million Africans Fellowship

American multinational tech company, Google, has partnered with the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) to launch the Google.org Fellowship which will provide one million Africans access to a platform that will assist them in accelerating their business growth.

The platform will be called TEFConnect and will offer market partnerships, access to mentors, investors, and tailored tools for small businesses.

Google and TEF revealed that nine full-time Google staff will work with TEF to design and build an upgraded version of the TEFConnect platform, adding that the partnership will bring new opportunities to Africa’s digital community.

The Global Head of Technology at Google.org, Jen Carter, expressed her delight at bringing the Google.org fellowship to Africa for the first time and the possibilities it opens up for the tech landscape.

“The Tony Elumelu Foundation does so much to empower African entrepreneurs, and we are thrilled to be able to lend the expertise of Googlers to expand the reach of the TEFConnect platform to an additional 1 million entrepreneurs.

“Google’s commitment in Africa has progressed from sponsoring projects to collaborative partnerships with established African organisations like the Tony Elumelu Foundation, dedicated to developing young African talent.

“As Africa’s digital economy grows, African entrepreneurs are in a prime position to establish a powerful digital footprint, and this fellowship is one step closer to transforming the landscape,” Carter said.

The co-founder of TEF, Dr. Awele Elumelu expressed her pleasure at the partnership and what it stands to provide for young African entrepreneurs.

“We are pleased to continue to share our unique ability and platform to identify, train, mentor and fund young entrepreneurs across Africa with like-minded institutions like Google.org who share in our commitment to empower young African entrepreneurs.

“It will be exciting to see the ways in which the refreshed TEFConnect platform will continue to provide a space for growth, personal development, and meaningful exchange for African entrepreneurs. In line with our founding philosophy of Africapitalism, we believe that entrepreneurs are the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent,” Elumelu said.