Morocco-based Hypeo Ai has raised funding from Renew Capital to accelerate its mission of transforming how brands and creators collaborate across Africa and the Middle East. The startup is streamlining influencer campaigns that have traditionally been slow and fragmented by blending human creators with AI avatars,
Hypeo Ai enables brands to connect with influencers, both human and AI-powered, in under 15 minutes. It offers an end-to-end workflow that includes smart matching, pricing insights, and real-time performance tracking.
The company was co-founded by Meriam Bessa (CEO), together with Oussama Sekkat and Salah Eddine Mimouni. Their vision was to simplify digital influence through AI-driven infrastructure.
“Our region has no shortage of talent. What’s been missing is smart infrastructure,” said Meriam Bessa. “We’re building tools that allow brands and creators to meet faster, match better, and work smarter with the power of AI.”
Influencer marketing has become one of the fastest-growing advertising channels globally, surpassing paid search in 2024. Global ad spend reached $247 billion last year and is projected to climb to $267 billion by the end of 2025. Africa and the Middle East still face inefficiencies and most campaigns remain manual, with limited visibility on ROI despite this boom.
Hypeo Ai aims to fix this with automation and AI-powered campaign tools by positioning itself as a key player in the region’s rapidly changing digital advertising market.
The company is also pioneering AI Meta Humans, virtual influencers that can engage audiences with hyper-local relevance. Its flagship persona, Kenza Layli, has already amassed over 200,000 followers and was a finalist in the Miss AI 2024 global competition
“Hypeo Ai is tackling a clear gap in how influencer marketing works in this region,” said Nihal Grii, Investment Ecosystem Development Manager at Renew Capital. “We see strong potential in their model to simplify collaboration between brands and creators, and we’re excited to support their next stage of growth.”
With the new funding, Hypeo Ai plans to:
- Expand its platform features
- Onboard more creators and brands
- Launch a B2C AI-powered coaching companion for wellness and lifestyle users
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