What Launch Accelerator does

Launch Accelerator is a 6-month incubation programme operated by BongoHive, Zambia's leading innovation hub founded in 2011 in Lusaka. The programme combines a 3-month startup curriculum with 3 months of additional business support, targeting early-stage startups seeking traction and scale, and sits within BongoHive's broader portfolio of entrepreneurship support offerings alongside Women in Tech Zambia (Cohort 6, Standard Chartered Foundation partnership), GreenTech4CE (EU-funded, 40 startups), AI for Business Accelerator 2026, and MentorPitch. BongoHive supports a community of 200+ alumni startups that have collectively raised $1M+ in funding, and operates across multiple Zambian cities including Lusaka, Livingstone, and Kitwe.

BongoHive operates five integrated capability areas: AI Lab (data and AI solutions), Technology Consulting (end-to-end product development including AR/VR), Innovation Consulting (digital transformation advisory), Coworking and Workspace, and Entrepreneurship Support programmes. The AI Lab showcases local AI innovation through a Show & Tell series featuring products such as Lucid AI (offline AI assistant for low-connectivity environments), FigureFlow (financial intelligence), Crediflo Lite (smart loan management), Zed News (AI-curated news digest), and an ASD Clinical Screening Console. BongoHive also develops AR/VR solutions for corporate clients including 3D-animated strategic plan presentations for financial institutions, and delivers end-to-end digital transformation projects such as the Zamtel engagement covering customer journey mapping, process automation, and staff capability building.

Revenue is generated through partnership-funded programme delivery (Standard Chartered Foundation, European Union, UNDP Zambia, ITC), supplemented by professional services consulting to corporate and government clients (e.g., Zamtel telecom, First Capital Bank fintech pitch days) and recurring coworking subscriptions at the Lusaka hub. Customer segments span early-stage startups and entrepreneurs (primary), corporate enterprise clients (primary), AI and technology innovators (primary), SMEs, and development partners and government ministries. Pricing for direct services is not publicly disclosed; equity-free grants up to US$10,000 are available for Women in Tech cohort graduates and up to $50,000 follow-on funding for AI for Business Accelerator participants. BongoHive was awarded Innovation Hub of the Year at both the 2024 Zambia E-Commerce Awards and 2025 Tech Trends Awards.

Name

Launch Accelerator

Legal name

BongoHive

Website

https://bongohive.co.zm

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Launch Accelerator is a 6-month incubation programme run by BongoHive, Zambia's leading innovation hub founded in 2011, combining a 3-month startup curriculum with 3 months of business support for early-stage founders seeking traction and scale.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Accelerator Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Computer Training (611420)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs (EDAMAKAK)

Keywords

• Startup accelerator programs
• Incubation services
• Entrepreneurship support
• Business mentorship programs
• Venture acceleration

Headquarters

HQ city

Lusaka

HQ country

Zambia

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Technology & Innovation Consulting: End-to-end technology consulting and innovation consulting services delivered to corporate clients, including digital transformation projects (e.g., Zamtel), AR/VR solutions, and custom software development.
2. Coworking & Workspace: Professional workspace and coworking services at the Lusaka innovation hub, providing entrepreneurs and businesses with office facilities within Zambia's most connected innovation ecosystem.
3. Accelerator & Programme Management: Structured entrepreneurship support programmes including the Launch Accelerator (6-month programme), Women in Tech Zambia, and GreenTech4CE. Revenue derived from programme delivery partnerships with development partners, corporates, and government.
4. Training & Capacity Building: Digital skills training and capacity building programmes delivered in partnership with International Trade Centre (ITC), UNDP Zambia, and other development partners for SMEs and entrepreneurs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Launch Accelerator is a 6-month incubation programme (3 months startup program + 3 months business support) for early-stage startups in Zambia seeking traction and scale-up. It is delivered under BongoHive, providing participating founders with co-working space access, mentorship, expert-led sessions on growth strategy, financial management, and investor-readiness support.

Product overview

BongoHive is Zambia's leading innovation hub offering a comprehensive ecosystem of five integrated capabilities: AI Lab (Data & AI), Technology Consulting, Innovation Consulting, Coworking & Workspace, and Entrepreneurship Support. The organization operates multiple accelerator programmes including the Launch Accelerator, Women in Tech Zambia, GreenTech4CE, AI for Business Accelerator, and MentorPitch. BongoHive functions as both a service provider (consulting, coworking) and a programme operator (accelerators, incubation), serving startups, corporates, and development partners across Zambia and Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BongoHive AI Lab: AI-focused division providing data and artificial intelligence solutions, hosting AI Show & Tell sessions and developing AI solutions for African business realities
• BongoHive Consult
• Launch Accelerator
• Women in Tech Zambia
• GreenTech4CE
• AI for Business Accelerator
• MentorPitch
• MakerHut

Products and services

• Launch Accelerator A 6-month incubation programme (3 months startup program + 3 months additional business support) for startups in Zambia looking to gain traction and scale up. Includes co-working space and mentorship.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ startups supported across 15 years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Standard Chartered FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for the Women in Tech Zambia Accelerator Programme. Standard Chartered Foundation provides funding and programme support while BongoHive implements the accelerator. The programme offers training, mentorship, and equity-free funding up to US$10,000 to women-led startups. Currently in Cohort 6 with Demo Day scheduled for September 2026.
• Village CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-implementation partner for the Women in Tech Zambia Accelerator Programme. Village Capital brings international accelerator expertise and investor networks to the programme supporting women entrepreneurs in Zambia.
• UNDP ZambiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on the Youth-Led MSME Empowerment Programme, an initiative by the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts in partnership with UNDP Zambia, facilitated by BongoHive. Successfully equipped 170+ entrepreneurs across Livingstone, Kitwe, and Lusaka.
• International Trade Centre (ITC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for digital skills training programmes. ITC selected and funded BongoHive to deliver training that equipped 100 local SMEs with essential digital skills for the e-commerce landscape. Also includes group coaching sessions for entry-level online sellers.
• Engineering Institution of Zambia (EIZ)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on the Engineering Fund where BongoHive provided support. Over K1.1 million was awarded to 10 innovators working on solutions addressing real-world challenges through the Engineering Fund initiative.
• PARIS21 and Ubuntu AImajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for AI ecosystem mapping in Zambia. BongoHive convened leaders from technology, finance, manufacturing, agriculture, and innovation sectors for an Ecosystem Mapping Launch and Industry Dialogue. Developed a report aimed at advancing the localisation of AI in Zambia.
• First Capital BankmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to host the First Capital Bank Pitch Day, bringing together Zambia's most promising fintech innovators to present solutions for potential equity investment. BongoHive facilitated the event showcasing fintech finalists.
• ZamtelmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBongoHive partnered with Zambia's leading telecommunications provider to design and implement an end-to-end digital transformation strategy, covering customer journey mapping, process automation, and staff capability building.
• ICRAF (World Agroforestry Centre)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through the ICRAF_Z4ABC project to empower local farmers with sustainable practices, market insights, and business skills. BongoHive delivered transformative training sessions in Vizimumba Village, Nyimba, and Katete.
• Social Enterprise AcademymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to operate the social franchise of the Social Enterprise Academy's world-class learning and development programmes in Zambia, expanding BongoHive's entrepreneurship support offerings.
• VisaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBongoHive participated in the VISA/Mozilla workshop on Africa's fintech revolution. Visa's Kimberly Bella presented insights from consumer studies at the Empowering for a Trusted Digital Economy workshop held at BongoHive.
• Mozilla FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Mozilla Festival workshop 'From Insights to Integration: AI and the Power of Togetherness'. BongoHive Consult facilitated an engaging workshop exploring AI's transformative potential for Zambia's economic and social development.
• Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts (Zambia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry partner for the Youth-Led MSME Empowerment Programme, implemented in collaboration with UNDP Zambia and facilitated by BongoHive across multiple Zambian cities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Ghana Hubs Network: Network of innovation hubs across Ghana providing coworking, training, and incubation. Comparable peer in the West African hub ecosystem, though with a coordinating-network role rather than single-hub operator model like BongoHive.
• RLabs South Africa: Cape Town-based innovation and social enterprise hub offering community programmes and skills training. Comparable mission-driven hub model focused on inclusion and youth empowerment, but operating in a more developed South African ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• The Innovation Hub (South Africa): South Africa's established innovation hub and science park operating incubation, accelerator, and commercialisation programmes. Comparable service breadth but materially larger scale, longer institutional backing, and government affiliation.
• Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB): Africa's largest innovation hub network with operations across Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda and beyond. Direct analogue to BongoHive as a multi-pillar hub running accelerators, consulting, and coworking — but operating at materially greater scale and capital base.

Direct peers

• Jokkolabs: Pan-African network of coworking and innovation hubs operating across multiple West African countries. Comparable community-driven hub model with similar emphasis on inclusion and local entrepreneur support.
• MEST Africa: Pan-African entrepreneur training and seed funding programme headquartered in Accra with hubs across West Africa. Comparable in its accelerator-plus-investor model for early-stage African tech founders, though with a stronger direct-investment angle than BongoHive's grant-funded approach.
• iHub (Nairobi): Kenya's pioneering innovation hub offering coworking, incubation, and developer community programmes since 2010. Most direct geographic and structural peer to BongoHive in the East African hub ecosystem, with similar programme mix and consulting practice.
• Innovation Village (Uganda): Kampala-based innovation hub offering coworking, incubation, and accelerator programmes. Closest direct peer in scale and service mix to BongoHive across East Africa, serving a similar early-stage founder segment in a comparable domestic market.
• Startupbootcamp AfriTech: Global accelerator operator running dedicated African tech cohorts with mentorship, capital, and corporate partnership access. Comparable in its accelerator-only focus and corporate-partner-driven model, though operating from outside Zambia.

Emerging players

• Village Capital: Global accelerator operator and impact investor running programmes for early-stage startups. Listed as a BongoHive partner for Women in Tech Zambia — comparable as a programme operator and investor-network provider.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bongohive
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BongoHive
• Facebookfacebook.com/bongohive
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bongohive
• Instagraminstagram.com/bongohive

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Launch Accelerator