Moniepoint Founder To Lead Africa’s Next Generation Of AI Builders

Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of Moniepoint, Tosin Eniolorunda, has been appointed honorary chair of the inaugural cohort of the Askya AI Growth Platform, a pan-African initiative designed to support the growth of African artificial intelligence startups.

According to Ireporter Online, the programme was launched by Askya Investment Partners and will provide up to $200,000 in funding to selected African AI startups to help them develop into sustainable, continental-scale businesses.

The initiative comes amid growing interest in Africa’s artificial intelligence ecosystem, with the African Development Bank estimating that inclusive deployment of AI could contribute up to $1 trillion to the continent’s Gross Domestic Product by 2035.

The Askya AI Growth Platform aims to encourage African entrepreneurs to move beyond using AI technologies to developing innovative solutions of their own.

For its inaugural cohort, the programme plans to support 10 AI-native startups focused on Africa. Participation is free, while the selected founders will not be required to surrender equity in their businesses.

Eniolorunda said his appointment was an opportunity to support emerging African founders with the guidance, execution support and market access needed to transform promising ideas into sustainable businesses.

“Africans can build solutions for people all over the world, and AI may be the clearest opportunity yet to prove it,” he said.

“Our young founders are ready; what they need is execution support and access to real customers. Helping talented builders go further is the work I care about most, and it is why I am glad to chair this first cohort.”

Founder and Managing Partner of Askya Investment Partners, Babacar Seck, described Eniolorunda as an appropriate choice to lead the programme’s first cohort.

“As founder and CEO of Moniepoint, Tosin has shown how to build a generational technology company that addresses real African needs, with ambition, relentless commitment, superior execution and authenticity,” Seck said.

He added that having Eniolorunda chair the first cohort would help guide emerging founders as they work towards achieving product-market fit and expanding their businesses across Africa.

Applications for the programme remain open to African AI-native startups, with shortlisted participants expected to be announced in October.