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Applications have opened for the ShelterTech Accelerator in Kenya, which aims to assist early-stage companies providing affordable shelter solutions and give them the chance of securing US$50,000 in funding.

ShelterTech, which has previously run programmes in India and Mexico, is a partnership between Habitat’s Terwilliger Centre for Innovation in Shelter, and BDO Consortium, developed with support from the IKEA Foundation and Hilti Foundation.

Companies with potential to address housing challenges and offer scalable solutions are invited to apply for the accelerator, where they will be able to learn from experts and connect with investors and seed funding opportunities. At the end of the programme, startups will pitch to receive an injection of up to US$50,000 into their business.

“The focus on housing easily excludes the low-income segment of the Kenyan population. We are keen to work with companies that are already innovating products and services targeting these people. Accelerators help build a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem, especially for sectors that are still nascent, such as affordable housing,” said Jane Otima, market systems associate director at the Terwilliger Centre for Innovation in Shelter.

“We’re taking in start-ups in different stages of growth. We’re going to have hackathons and venture build while also working with existing companies to help them scale, which is actually our main priority,” said Jonas Tesfu, representing BDO Consortium.

Applications for the programme are, which will run for six months, are open here until October 21.

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