Cassava Technologies and Zindi have just announced a new partnership that could reshape how artificial intelligence (AI) is built and scaled across the continent.
The collaboration was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and brings together Cassava’s powerful data centre infrastructure and GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) offering with Zindi’s network of over 60,000 African data scientists. The goal is to fast-track the development and deployment of AI solutions that are made in Africa, for Africa.
“For Africa’s AI ecosystem to grow and thrive, it is essential to provide platforms and resources for the continent’s developers and start-ups,” said Hardy Pemhiwa, President and Group CEO of Cassava Technologies. “Combining our data centres’ advanced GPU capabilities with Zindi’s innovative data science platform creates a powerful foundation for digital advancement.”
As the largest professional network for data scientists in Africa, Zindi has become a go-to hub for AI competitions and real-world problem solving. From building climate models to improving access to healthcare through data, Zindi has helped surface local innovation and connect it to global opportunities. By tapping into Cassava’s GPUaaS, essentially cloud-based access to high-performance graphics processing power, the platform’s users can now build, test, and scale more complex models, faster and more affordably.
“Zindi is thrilled at the opportunity to partner with Cassava Technologies to strengthen African datasets, address local problems with locally-developed solutions, and help more African AI builders access the resources they need to succeed,” said Celina Lee, CEO and Co-Founder of Zindi.
The two organisations also plan to co-launch an Africa-focused AI challenge. The aim of this will be to uncover new AI applications, grow technical skills, and support emerging entrepreneurs. As demand for AI skills grows globally, and Africa’s young, tech-savvy population already showing what’s possible, this initiative could help bridge talent with infrastructure.
This partnership represents part of Cassava Technologies’ broad AI strategy. In Q1 of 2025, the company revealed that it is going to build Africa’s first AI factory. Back in 2024, it launched its dedicated AI business unit.
This partnership with Zindi supports Cassava’s broader mission of supporting responsible AI adoption and scaling digital solutions that serve real community needs.
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