As artificial intelligence adoption accelerates worldwide, a South African-founded startup is seeking to make AI infrastructure more affordable, accessible and sustainable.
Supascale AI has officially launched its cloud AI marketplace — a platform that enables businesses, developers and creators to access leading AI models at significantly lower costs while allowing GPU owners to monetize unused computing power. The company claims to offer the world’s fastest GPU onboarding process, making it easier for individuals and organizations to contribute idle computing resources to the growing AI economy.
The launch comes as demand for AI computing power surges globally. Traditional AI data centres are facing increasing scrutiny over their environmental impact, including high electricity consumption, water usage for cooling and noise pollution. Supascale AI aims to provide a greener alternative by leveraging underutilized GPUs found in laptops, personal computers and existing data centres. By tapping into distributed computing resources, the platform creates an opportunity for everyday users to participate in the AI boom while helping reduce the need for additional energy-intensive infrastructure.
Supascale AI was founded by Aaron Bornmann, who developed the platform’s initial concept in 2025. He later brought on long-time friend Bongani Duma and cousin Clayton Bornmann as co-founders, creating a leadership team with expertise spanning engineering, cloud infrastructure and international business growth.
“The AI economy needs to be accessible to everyone, not just large hyperscalers,” said Aaron Bornmann, founder and CEO of Supascale AI. “We’re building the infrastructure that allows businesses, developers, creators, and innovators to access world-class AI capabilities while enabling everyday GPU owners to participate directly in the AI economy.” The company’s vision centres on democratizing access to AI infrastructure — a market traditionally dominated by large cloud providers and technology giants.
Aaron Bornmann, an embedded AI innovation engineer and BEng Mechatronics Engineering graduate from the University of Pretoria, previously founded 123tutors while still a university student. That platform went on to impact more than 10,000 students and tutors across South Africa, earning recognition as AfricArena’s Most Innovative Startup in Africa in 2021. He also participated in the Grindstone Accelerator programme in 2022.
Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Clayton Bornmann relocated from Canada to South Africa to help scale the business. Previously a sales manager at TELUS, one of Canada’s largest telecommunications providers, he brings go-to-market expertise and experience leading revenue-generating teams. Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Bongani Duma, a senior cloud engineer with experience in South Africa’s banking sector, contributes enterprise infrastructure expertise and has played a key role in ensuring the platform is designed for secure, reliable and scalable AI workloads.
Beyond building a commercial platform, Supascale AI aims to position Africa as an active participant in the global AI economy. The company believes distributed AI infrastructure can unlock opportunities for businesses and individuals who may otherwise face barriers to accessing advanced AI technologies. By combining affordability, sustainability and accessibility, it hopes to create a model that benefits both AI users and GPU owners while supporting broader digital innovation.
