Some of the world's most promising startups have been in London pitching their bold ideas to investors to expand their global impact.
Founders presented their high-potential ventures to investors and industry leaders at a special showcase hosted by Imperial. The event marked the culmination of the inaugural Commonwealth Startup Fellowship, a flagship Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) programme funded by the UK government and delivered in partnership with Imperial.
Nineteen startups were selected for the highly competitive programme which assessed applications from more than 1,400 companies across 44 eligible countries and territories.
The startup founders then took part in a six-month accelerator programme to equip them with the skills to build thriving businesses, scale operations effectively, and drive job creation in their regions.
Many of the exciting startups are already revolutionising sectors such as agriculture, transport and renewable energy or pioneering new innovations and technologies in healthcare.
The startups, which are all from low‑ and middle‑income Commonwealth countries, will use new funding from investors and support from the programme to rapidly scale and develop their ventures.
A keynote speech was given by Babatunde Soyoye, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Helios Investment Partners, the world's largest Africa-focused private investment firm. Mr Soyoye urged the entrepreneurs to "think big, think bold, be brave and have big ambitions".
Imperial's President Hugh Brady welcomed attendees to the event and announced that in cohort two of the programme, Imperial will fund an additional two founders from Ghana to support the rapidly evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem in Ghana.
The showcase was attended and viewed by hundreds of people with people signing into the livestream from Ghana, Lesotho, Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroon, South Africa and the UK.
A panel session presented by Maryanne Gichanga from Kenya, founder of Agritech Analytics, Nishant Agarwal from India, founder of lifeandlimb.ai, Dr Taiwo Oyewole from Nigeria, founder of Radease,and Nyifamu Ogechi Manzo from Nigeria, founder of Farmatrix, and chaired by Imperial Global India's Academic Co-Director Dr Elena Dieckmann, shared real-world insights and personal experiences of building impactful startups.
Sarah Ranchev-Hale, Head of Imperial Enterprise Lab, said: "These impressive startups have proved that they are among the most promising in the world with huge potential to make a real impact in their regions and beyond.
"In its very first year, this Startup Fellowship is already helping to unlock talent, drive growth, and transform communities. Imperial is proud to work with these exceptional founders and support their journey to scale innovations that address some of the world's most pressing challenges."
Professor Kevin Ibeh, Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner, said: "These inaugural startups' many real-world innovations and entrepreneurial feats, and the growing number of jobs they are already creating, bode well for the future of communities and economies across the Commonwealth. These early contributions show what can be achieved when entrepreneurs are empowered with the right tools, networks, and support. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission is incredibly proud of its pivotal role in developing this Startup Fellowship, which supports the FCDO's international development goals, the UN's sustainable development goals, and the UK government's growth agenda."
Commonwealth Startup Fellowship
The Commonwealth Startup Fellowship is a dynamic six‑month programme dedicated to igniting and elevating high‑potential startups from low‑ and middle‑income Commonwealth countries. The entrepreneurs are equipped to build thriving businesses, scale operations effectively, and drive job creation in their home countries.
The landmark initiative, developed by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) in partnership with Imperial Enterprise Lab and Imperial Global Ghana, selects startups from low- and middle-income Countries around the Commonwealth to take part. This year the startups include participants from Cameroon, Ghana, India, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, and were chosen from more than 1,400 applications.
The programme kicked off with a two‑week bootcamp in Accra, Ghana, which was followed by five months of online facilitation featuring expert‑led sessions, mentoring and business coaching. The startups also benefited from access to a powerful global network to help overcome barriers and scale up their businesses.
In addition to the intensive training and mentorship, teams can access financial support from the Fellows Fund - a £35,000 pot of equity‑free grants funded by FCDO designed to help cover business costs, stimulate growth, and enhance job creation.
The second cohort of the programme will start in Autumn 2025.
