Meta has announced the launch of the Llama Impact Accelerator program across Sub-Saharan Africa in collaboration with national innovation agencies and ecosystem partners to accelerate the development of impactful, open-source AI solutions through Llama.
Designed to support startups in creating scalable, socially relevant AI tools, the initiative aims to deepen the adoption of open-source AI and catalyse solutions aligned with regional development priorities such as agriculture, healthcare, safety and security, financial inclusion, education and public service delivery.
The program will include a six-week accelerator hosted in Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal and South Africa. This program will offer equity-free funding, technical training, hands-on mentorship, business advisory support and connections to local policy ecosystems.
“Africa is not just the future – it’s a present full of promise and potential. At Meta, we believe that open-source AI is key to unlocking this potential by democratizing innovation and creating technology that truly serves the needs of diverse communities. By making our Llama ecosystem openly available and investing in programs that matter to the tech ecosystem, we’re empowering local institutions and the next generation of African AI leaders to build, adapt, and shape the future of AI in ways that are tailored to their unique needs and contexts,” said Balkissa Idé Siddo, Public Policy Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, Meta
Meta is implementing this program in partnership with leading national AI and innovation agencies in Sub-Saharan Africa, which includes the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (Nigeria), Ministry of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Affairs (Senegal), Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy (Kenya) and Department of Public Service and Administration and Centre for Public Service Innovation (South Africa) as well as local incubators and training providers.
Through this collaboration, the initiative will provide technical resources, training, and a platform for developers to contribute to the development of critical digital infrastructure that addresses local challenges and influences emerging AI policies.
Each accelerator will culminate in a Demo Day where participating teams will pitch their Llama-powered prototypes to a jury of local and international experts, ecosystem players and policymakers. Winning teams from the accelerator programs will receive funding and extended support through a 6-month post-program phase focused on product refinement, community building and market scaling.
Click here to apply.
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