Shell Foundation unveils ACIP initiative to spark Japanese–African startup collaboration

In a move to deepen cross-continental innovation and investment, Shell Foundation has unveiled the Africa Corporate Innovation Programme (ACIP), a new initiative to unlock collaboration between Japanese corporates and African startups.

By fostering partnerships between entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders, the platform seeks to accelerate the development of scalable solutions while opening new pathways for technology exchange and sustainable growth.

Jonathan Berman, chief executive officer at Shell Foundation, commenting on the launch, said: “Raising incomes for people on low incomes while supporting a low-carbon pathway requires more than good ideas; it requires partnerships that bring together capital, technology, and local entrepreneurial expertise.

“Through the Africa Corporate Innovation Programme, Shell Foundation is using catalytic funding to reduce the risk of collaboration and, together with our partner Double Feather Partners, help global corporates like NEC work alongside African startups to test, learn, and build solutions that can scale and evolve into sustainable business partnerships.

Our role is to make these partnerships possible, prove what works in practice, and help unlock much larger flows of capital into inclusive, climate-smart markets.”

Kohei Muto, representative director/chief executive officer at Double Feather Partners, said, “Social challenges in Africa should no longer be viewed merely as development issues; they represent the frontier of one of the world’s fastest‑evolving innovation markets.

“This programme serves as an implementation platform that connects the technological strengths of Japanese companies with the field‑driven innovation capabilities of African startups.”

Naohisa Matsuda, senior director at NEC, said: “Building on NEC’s strong commitment to open innovation, we are excited to work with African startups, with the support of Shell Foundation, to implement practical proof-of-concept projects.

“We look forward to co-creating solutions that contribute to sustainable agriculture, food security, and lasting social impact in Africa.”

The Africa Corporate Innovation Programme will run initial pilots through 2026, with learning and evidence used to inform future scale-up and additional investment from corporate and public partners.

With funding from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) via the Research on Infrastructure in Developing Economies (RIDE) programme,

ACIP combines Shell Foundation’s catalytic funding, DFP’s programme delivery expertise, and NEC’s technology and market capabilities to pilot and scale climate-smart solutions that raise incomes for low‑income communities. NEC is the first corporate partner to join the programme, which is designed to welcome additional Japanese corporates over time.

ACIP is an implementation-focused programme that brings together global corporate capabilities, local entrepreneurial innovation, and catalytic capital to test practical, scalable solutions in African markets.

Through structured proof of concept pilots, the programme will support African startups to work directly with NEC and other corporate partners to localise technologies, validate business models, and demonstrate clear pathways to commercial scale.

Shell Foundation and the FCDO are providing catalytic funding to enable the programme to reduce the risks associated with early-stage collaboration and create the conditions for follow‑on corporate and public investment.

The programme will test innovations that improve market access and productivity, including farm-to-market logistics solutions that reduce post‑harvest losses, improve supply chain management, and enhance traceability and transparency, as well as urban last‑mile transport models that link formal and informal transport systems to unlock economic and time-saving opportunities.

ACIP will initially focus on markets including Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa, alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, reflecting both priority countries and markets with strong potential for scale.

Double Feather Partners will design and implement the programme, drawing on its experience supporting corporate and startup collaboration across Africa and Japan. DFP will lead startup sourcing and selection, support the design and delivery of proof-of-concept pilots, and help connect successful pilots to future investment and scale‑up opportunities.

As the first Japanese corporate partner in ACIP, NEC will work with African startups to pilot applications of its agricultural and logistics technologies, building evidence for longer-term commercial partnerships and expansion across African markets.

The programme is designed as an open platform, with the potential for additional corporate partners to join over time.