The Africa’s tech ecosystem is developing rapidly and buzzing with innovation, and also with the potential to tackle some of the continents greatest challenges.
While a lot of AI funding is avoiding the largest concentration of young people globally – a massive tech savvy market in Africa, the entrepreneurs in Africa are doing it for themselves to a large degree.
What we have in numbers, as a continent, is young people who daily encounter challenges and difficulties that few other regions on earth do. The result? Well it results in a deep seated ability to seek out new and innovative solutions, particularly in the tech related fields.
This sense of problem solving capabilities has created a slew of amazing AI start-ups in the last two years, tackling local challenges in healthcare, agriculture, fintech, and more.
These disruptors are not just solving problems—they’re redefining what’s possible on the continent. For aspiring entrepreneurs, their journeys offer valuable lessons in resilience, scalability, and impact.
AI start-ups from 2023-2024 and key takeaways for building a game-changing venture
InstaDeep (Tunisia)
InstaDeep, acquired by BioNTech in 2023 for $680 million, remains a beacon of African AI excellence. Specializing in decision-making AI systems, it’s transformed industries from logistics to biotech. Its DeepChain platform accelerates drug discovery, showcasing AI’s potential to solve global problems.
In 2024, InstaDeep expanded its Nairobi hub, and has now launched training programs for local talent and building future entrepreneurial developments.
Start-up Lesson: Think globally, act locally. InstaDeep’s success came from addressing universal challenges while leveraging Africa’s talent pool. Start-ups should be looking to balance local relevance with scalable solutions that are attractive to international Investors.
Key Take-Away: Build something that becomes unavoidably Investable
Sama (Kenya)
Sama, a leader in AI training data, has empowered global AI models by providing high-quality data annotation. In 2023, it raised $70 million to scale its operations, employing thousands of staff across Kenya and Uganda. By focusing on ethical AI and job creation, Sama proves profit and purpose can coexist. Its work supports tech giants while uplifting African communities. Unlike some AI start-ups that are now deliberately promoting for companies to not hire humans, Sama stands out from the crowd with its human development focus while still providing a very investable product in the global market.
Start-up Lesson: Build with impact in mind. Sama’s dual focus on business and social good has earned trust and funding. Start-ups should align their mission with societal needs to stand out in crowded markets.
Key Take-away: AI developments do not need to destroy job developments but should also look to create new jobs and provide training for future developments.
Amini (Kenya)
Founded in 2022, Amini tackles Africa’s environmental data gap using AI and satellite tech. In 2023, it raised $4 million in seed funding to enhance climate resilience and supply chain monitoring.
By providing real-time insights on crop health and disasters, Amini empowers farmers and insurers alike. Its rapid growth highlights the effectiveness and need for greater satellite image driven data solutions in agriculture and many other sectors that require an understanding of the physical environments.
There are a multiple number of applications for this type of data, apart from agriculture, with AI having the ability to rapidly scan and process a vast amount of images in real-time that then is able to provide live updates for sectors such as security, logistics, and government.
Start-up Lesson: Start-ups should look to solve niche problems with precision. Amini’s focus on a specific gap—environmental data—has driven its traction. Start-ups should identify underserved niches and deliver tailored, high-value solutions.
Key Take-away: Focus on areas of critical significance to specific industry sectors in AI supported developments
iiDENTIFii (South Africa)
This digital identity start-up uses AI for secure facial authentication, providing a system that effectively reduces fraud in fintech eco-systems.
In 2023, iiDENTIFii secured $2 million to expand across Africa, partnering with banks and telcos. Their products ability to verify identities in seconds via smartphones addresses a critical security need in a digital-first world.
Three Major global banking groups – Standard Bank, ABSA and Investec, are some of the customers that have adopted the biometric AI product developed by iiDENTIFii.
Start-up Lesson: Prioritize user trust and security. iiDENTIFii’s success stems from solving a pressing pain point—secure identity verification.
Key Take-Away: Start-ups must build solutions that inspire confidence, especially in sensitive sectors like finance.
Ubenwa Health (Nigeria)
Ubenwa, a 2023 AI start-up standout, uses AI to analyse infant cries for early health diagnostics. It raised $2.5 million in pre-seed funding to scale its non-invasive tool, which detects conditions like asphyxia in low-resource settings. Its mobile-first approach makes healthcare accessible, particularly in rural areas.
Their innovative, world-first, infant cry diagnostic tool uses AI driven algorithms that is able to empower any microphone-enabled device such as a mobile phone, to deliver critical insights, from enhancing infant care to optimizing patient interactions across healthcare.
Start-up Lesson: The big lesson here is to look to leverage tech for accessibility. Ubenwa’s mobile platform meets users wherever they are reducing accessibility challenges that so many healthcare products have. AI Start-ups should look to design solutions that work within Africa’s infrastructure constraints, like limited internet or medical facilities.
Key Take-Away: Much of the Globe is still developing and needs to have solutions that work in constrained environments
Advice for Aspiring AI Start-ups
These trailblazers offer a great view and roadmap for potential success.
First, focus on local problems with global potential—Africa’s challenges, like data scarcity or healthcare access, are opportunities for innovation.
Second, invest in talent development; InstaDeep and Sama show that training local expertise builds credibility and capacity.
Third, secure strategic partnerships—whether with corporates or governments—to scale quickly, as iiDENTIFii did with banks.
Finally, prioritize ethical AI. Transparency and inclusivity, as seen with Sama, attract investors and customers in a world increasingly wary of AI’s risks.
Africa’s AI landscape is an emerging one, but overflowing with potential. Despite challenges like funding gaps and infrastructure, these start-ups prove that bold ideas and execution can break barriers.
For AI -tech entrepreneurs, the message is clear: solve real problems, build trust, and think Global.
