Google names 10 startups for its Accra AI lab as Lumepay, Seva, MoMo and Scopeg AI make the week's startup news.

Published 12 Nov 2026, 06:46 GMT

4 min read

The Gbe La team pitches at the MoMo Fintech Lab Accra hackathon — The Gbe La team on stage at the MoMo Fintech Lab Accra hackathon

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Google has named the first ten startups for its Accra-based Africa AI lab in a week that also brought a US$6 million raise for Lumepay and a MoMo finals ticket for Gbe La.

Google Africa Applied AI Lab

Google on Wednesday, November 11 named the ten startups in the first cohort of the Google Africa Applied AI Lab, chosen from applications from more than 45 African countries. The teams will build with Google engineers and researchers, with early access to models including Gemini and Gemma.

Nigeria's Intron, Termii and Vendy made the list alongside Kenya's Satlyt and Agrails, Senegal's Tolbi, Uganda's Crane AI Labs, and the pan-African Smile ID, AethexAI and Viamo, with no Ghanaian startup on the published list.

Backing the lab as venture partners are Ventures Platform, Novastar Ventures, Norrsken22 and 4DX Ventures, though the announcement states no amount per startup.

The lab sits at the Accra AI Community Centre, and the cohort gathers in Accra for a December demo day. That puts Ghanaian founders close to the action despite the first cohort's local miss.

MoMo Fintech Lab

Gbe La, from Ho Technical University and led by graduate Delali Hannah Vordoagu, won the Accra leg of the 2026 MoMo Fintech Lab ahead of ten teams, as 3News reported. Gbe La, meaning "the voice" in Ewe, is a multilingual voice-command tool for mobile money.

Five teams advanced on GH¢5,000 each — Gbe La, AutoSave, VTAGS tolling, EcoTrust Fund and AdaWise — joining Tamale and Kumasi qualifiers in a 15-team cohort from 1,791 applications, chasing up to GH¢100,000 at UPSA on December 3.

Run by MobileMoney Fintech with the Bank of Ghana as partner, the Lab is the clearest route from hackathon prototype to national exposure on the MoMo rail.

Scopeg AI

Scopeg AI and the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment have agreed to roll out Funza AI, an SMS platform that answers questions with AI replies in seconds on any phone and network without internet, as 3News reported.

National launch is due by the end of November, offering tutoring, farm and business advice and career guidance.

Young people in the Ministry's programmes get discounted access plus limited free daily use, from founders Klenam Kofi Tamakloe and Kelvin Peprah, who describe Funza on its own website as an offline AI layer.

If the rollout holds to schedule, it shows Ghanaian founders how to reach users who will never install an app.

Lumepay

Cape Town fintech Lumepay disclosed a US$6 million pre-seed round on Tuesday, November 10, backed by founder-led angels and South African fintech investors, plus about US$10 million in float; it closed early in 2026.

Led by Harry Huang, Luc Varejes and Tatenda Nhemachena, it sells African businesses cross-border payments, forex and multi-currency accounts over traditional and stablecoin rails on its payments platform.

The disclosure came with a Kenya launch after October clearance from that country's central bank. Lumepay says it is live in Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique and Kenya and across both CFA franc zones, after its Lumetrade venue went live in April and the payments platform in June.

Ghanaian importers and small firms paying overseas suppliers are squarely in its sights as an alternative to layered correspondent banking.

Seva Money

London-based Seva Money announced a US$5 million seed round on Monday, November 9, co-led by Blockwall and Revent with Seedcamp, Stride and Ada Ventures taking part.

Chief executive Ritu Soni, formerly of WorldRemit and Paysafe, sells money transfer operators white-label wallets and cards on fiat and stablecoin rails, as set out on the company's website.

The services are live in India and Mexico, with the Philippines, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Ghana planned within 12 months. The cash funds product, partnerships and that expansion.

A Ghana entry would serve remittance-receiving families between transfers, not just at payout.

Araba IncoomAraba Incoom writes on multiple topics with a vast knowledge across different sector. You can almost call me an AI, after all, my initials are Araba Incoom.

Startup Roundup: Google&#39;s first Africa AI lab cohort, Lumepay&#39;s $6m, MoMo finals

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