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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 29190, member: 2262"] Safaricom plans to kick off the second round of its Spark Accelerator program soon. They want to help smart business founders grow faster. This program teams up Safaricom with M-PESA Africa, Sumitomo Corporation, and iHub. They aim to change lives by backing new companies with great ideas. The program helps startups in three main ways. First, it offers product creation and tech help. Second, it connects startups to customers. Third, it helps startups find money to grow. These supports speed up new ideas and growth by linking startups with experienced business leaders. The first group of startups did really well. It included Health X Africa, Vunapay, BlackRhino VR, Twiva, Chpter, Churpy, Nobuk Africa, Faidi Hr, and Chumz. The second group will receive the same kinds of help. This includes special training, custom product help, tech support, better market chances, and funding options. Spark Accelerator goes beyond just giving money. It builds a space where startups can succeed long-term. The first batch of companies got expert advice about hiring, computer safety, data protection, and making better products. They also received help reaching customers and setting up M-PESA mini-apps. These startups worked with successful business founders who shared tips and wisdom. They met other new companies and many people who might invest in them. The first group will soon show off what they learned on Demo Day, where nine startups will present their progress. The next round will focus on similar business areas as before. They want early tech startups working in money services, creative fields like digital content and games, or companies making tools that help small businesses work better. To join, startups must already have paying customers and skilled teams. Companies need to be based in Kenya and agree to share some business ownership. Anyone interested can apply between April 1 and May 15. After that, several steps lead up to Demo Day, including application checks, picking the final group, training sessions, product help, and guidance from experts. [/QUOTE]

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