The Askya AI Growth Platform is offering its 2026 cohort a six-week, equity-free program designed to help startups build into enduring industry leaders. With a singular focus on growth, the platform is provided by Askya Investment Partners in an official partnership with Moonshot by TechCabal. The program features coaching from founders and builders of companies valued at over $100 million, aiming to strengthen technology and governance foundations, achieve product-market fit, and establish a scalable growth engine for participating startups.
Program Overview
• Focus: A single focus on growth, with two weeks dedicated to strengthening fundamentals and four weeks to positioning, pricing, selling, and closing deals.
• Duration: 6 weeks, from October 26 to December 4, 2026.
• Cost: Free, with zero equity and zero fees required.
• Application Deadline: September 30, 2026.
Participant Benefits
• Learn: Receive weekly 1-on-1 coaching, workshops, and masterclasses from founders who have built and scaled companies valued at over $100 million.
• Sell: Gain direct access to corporates ready to test and deploy AI through structured meetups starting from week 3.
• Build (Infrastructure): Access cloud and AI infrastructure, including GPUs and enterprise-grade capacity, through ecosystem partners.
• Build (Tools): Get API access plus discounts from legal, design, and talent partners.
• Reveal: The cohort will be publicly revealed on stage at Moonshot by TechCabal in Lagos, in front of over 6,000 attendees.
• Grow: Cohort startups may receive an equity investment of up to $200,000 from Askya post-program.
Eligibility Criteria
• Product: Must have an AI-native product where AI is the core of the value proposition.
• Traction: A live product with at least one paying customer or a pilot underway.
• Geographic Focus: Startups from anywhere on the African continent.
• Stage: Ranging from a working MVP in the market through to Series A.
• Commitment: Founders must be ready to commit 3 to 6 hours per week, in English, from October 26 to December 4.
Key Dates and Timeline
• August 7: Applications open and rolling review begins.
• September 30: Application deadline.
• October 15: The 10 selected startups for the cohort are announced.
• October 26: The six-week program kicks off.
• October 28–29: Public reveal of the cohort at Moonshot by TechCabal in Lagos.
• December 4: The platform officially ends with final deals closed.
Program Partners
• Founder & Organizer: Askya Investment Partners
• Delivery Partner: Magna Collective
• Official Showcase Partner: Moonshot by TechCabal
• Ecosystem Partners: Deep Learning Indaba
• Media Partner: Big Cabal Media
Frequently Asked Questions
• Equity: The program takes zero equity, warrants, or fees.
• Investment: Askya may invest up to $200,000 in promising startups from the cohort, but participation does not create an obligation for either party.
• Program Differentiation: The program focuses on execution and adoption to help startups capture a share of the potential $1 trillion AI could add to Africa's GDP. It is a six-week program with measurable outcomes.
• Application Response: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and every applicant will receive a response within four weeks of applying.
• Post-Program Support: Support continues after December 4, with follow-ups on corporate contracts through to signature until the end of 2026.
The Askya AI Growth Platform is designed for founders aiming to change outcomes in their industry. With applications reviewed on a rolling basis, early submission is encouraged. The application process is estimated to take about an hour to complete.