GRID 01 Launches in Lagos to Help African Startups Access Global Markets

GRID 01, a startup-focused partnership, has officially launched in Lagos to equip founders and entrepreneurs with the tools needed to enter new markets across Africa.

The partnership starts in Nigeria, with AXON Accelerator Limited providing on-the-ground soft-landing support for founders, while Zein AUB iPark, the American University of Beirut’s Startup Accelerator, brings its venture-building programmes, startup pipeline and international ecosystem.

AXON is the exclusive implementation partner for GRID 01 across Africa, with Nigeria as the first market.

The launch event, held in Lagos on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, brought together founders, investors and key stakeholders to examine how entrepreneurs across Africa can position themselves for global competitiveness and gain access to international markets.

Rabie Jarmakani, CEO and founder of AXON Accelerator Limited, said GRID 01 is an MOU with the American University of Beirut, supported by the Mastercard Foundation, to empower startups.

According to him, the partnership will also go beyond empowering initiatives to provide funding support for startups.

Citing more than 30 years of doing business in Nigeria, the AXON boss said the organization is well positioned to bring real-life experience to Nigerian startups and connect them with B2B markets to scale their solutions.

Maha Zouwayhed, director of the Zein AUB Innovation Park and of Digital Accessibility at AUB, said the partnership with AXON Accelerator to launch GRID 01 is aimed at creating a bridge for African startups to access global markets, capital and strategic industry partners.

She noted that the American University of Beirut’s Accelerator supports globally scalable and innovative startups, adding that it is leveraging its international connections in the United States and Europe to create opportunities for startups targeting the African market.

In her words, Nigeria was chosen as the starting point for the initiative because of the country's position as one of Africa’s biggest startup ecosystems, with Lagos accounting for a significant share of the continent’s ecosystem activity and transactions.

The director explained that the programme would support founders from the early stages of validating their ideas, connecting them with experts to build scalable and sustainable solutions, and subsequently helping them enter markets, secure industry partnerships and access funding.

She added that the initiative shows the belief that building successful startups requires collaboration, urging founders to take risks, demonstrate the potential of their solutions and seek help and partnerships at every stage of their growth.

On her part, Raya Kalash, associate director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at AUB, explained that the programme supports GRID 01 by providing scholars with the resources, networks and market access needed to turn their ideas into sustainable ventures.

She said the initiative aligns with the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy, which aims to enable 30 million young Africans, particularly young women, to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030.

She added that GRID 01 has huge potential to help achieve the foundation’s ambition.

GRID 01 is the opening market in AXON's Africa wide mandate. AXON is positioned to lead implementation as GRID 01 expands into further African markets, backed by more than 30 years of AXON's own operating track record and a planned direct investment fund alongside the accelerator programme.