NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 18 – Two Kenyan artificial intelligence (AI) startups have won a combined Sh2.6 million in equity-free funding after emerging winners of the inaugural Meta AI Academy Kenya Pitchathon.
Neural Labs Africa and Me-Nasoma each received US$5,000 (about Sh645,000), alongside advertising credits from Meta, to support the development and growth of their AI-powered solutions targeting healthcare and education challenges.
The competition, organized by Meta in partnership with This Is Digital, attracted more than 426 applications, with 10 finalists selected to present solutions across healthcare, education, retail, legal services, and financial services.
Neural Labs Africa won with NeuralSight, a tele-radiology platform designed to connect healthcare facilities with remote specialists and support diagnostic reporting, including in areas with limited internet connectivity.
Me-Nasoma, meanwhile, developed a platform that converts documents and web pages into audio through mobile, web and Chrome extension services, targeting learners and other users who face barriers accessing written content.
The funding comes as technology firms and investors explore ways to expand AI adoption in African markets, where local innovators are developing applications for challenges that may be poorly served by imported solutions.
“Our partnership with the government and local ecosystem partners is helping expand access to AI skills, tools and opportunities in Kenya,” said Sarah Muyonga, Meta’s Public Policy Manager for East and Horn of Africa.
Meta said the initiative seeks to combine access to its AI technologies with mentorship and industry support to help local developers bring their products to market.
Chinny Francis, Meta’s Policy Programs Manager, said the academy’s approach was to work with partners familiar with local markets to develop solutions that respond to community needs.
The winners have also been invited to pitch at Meta’s Regional AI Summit in Istanbul, Türkiye, on November 24, offering an opportunity to present their products to a wider regional audience.
However, the competition’s longer-term impact will depend on whether the startups can turn the initial funding and exposure into sustainable businesses, attract customers and demonstrate the effectiveness of their solutions.
NeuralSight’s reliance on remote specialists, for instance, raises questions about connectivity, integration with existing health systems and the affordability of its services, while Me-Nasoma’s growth will depend partly on accessibility, language coverage and user adoption.
The eight other finalists presented solutions ranging from AI-assisted medical claims auditing and legal services to tools for small-business tax compliance, school resource planning and enterprise workflow automation.
Greg Wanjama, co-founder and chief executive of This Is Digital, said the partnership aimed to help African innovators access the skills, tools and opportunities needed to develop their ideas into viable products.
The pitchathon forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Kenya’s digital economy by supporting local technology development and expanding access to AI tools.
