The AI Skills and Compute Africa Foundation (AISCA Foundation) officially launches in Kigali to dismantle the barriers to AI innovation, strengthening Africa’s artificial intelligence ecosystem. Through this initiative, AISCA Foundation aims to provide equitable access to compute, skills development, research support, and community building.
Backed by seed funding from founding technology partner Cassava Technologies, AISCA Foundation is bridging the “compute gap” to ensure African AI researchers and innovators can develop world-class AI solutions locally, while building a scalable pipeline for continental talent development.
“Africa has the talent, ideas, and urgency to lead in applied AI. What has often been missing is access to compute, coordinated ecosystem support, contextualised data sets, and scalable pathways into dignified economic opportunities. AISCA Foundation is designed to help close those interconnected gaps,” said Isobel Acquah, Chief Executive Officer- AISCA Foundation.
AISCA Foundation is built around four core pillars:
- Sovereign Compute: Providing localised infrastructure in partnership with Cassava Technologies to ensure data and processing never leaves African borders.
- Curated Data: Developing high-quality African datasets in critical sectors like agriculture, health, and climate, to name a few.
- Capacity Building: Scaling AI skills across the entire value chain.
- Community: Creating a pan-African network to identify, mentor, and anchor top-tier technical talent.
Ambitious Targets for Inclusive Growth
Through these pillars, AISCA Foundation aims to deliver measurable continental impact, including:
- 1 million youth transitioned into dignified economic opportunities across the AI value chain
- 25,000 AI Native Innovators awarded compute grants to build AI-enabled solutions and use cases
- 10,000 AI Researchers awarded compute grants and technical assistance to advance cutting-edge research from Africa
AISCA Foundation will work closely with universities, the venture ecosystem, governments, development agencies, and private-sector partners to ensure that AI innovation is rooted in African priorities and accessible to local builders.
Speaking at a fireside conversation at the Kigali Launch, Hardy Pemhiwa, President and Group CEO of Cassava Technologies said:“ While Cassava has invested millions of dollars in setting up AI Infrastructure, supporting AISCA through enabling access to dedicated compute ensures that we are empowering African youth in utilizing the rails to create localized value for their communities in practical and impactful ways.”
The Chairperson of the AISCA Board, Dr Agnes Kalibata, noted in her key remarks that Africa must begin developing technologies that respond to its own challenges rather than relying on imported solutions that often fail to address local needs.
The Foundation’s launch in Kigali reflects Rwanda’s growing role as a hub for digital transformation and frontier technology on the continent.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AI Skills and Compute Africa Foundation (AISCA). About AI Skills and Compute Africa Foundation:
The vision of AI Skills and Compute Africa Foundation (AISCA) is an Africa where young people – especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds – are creators, not just consumers, of AI, with the skills, infrastructure, and pathways to access dignified and fulfilling work. Headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda, the Foundation unlocks AI innovation through the provision of compute grants to AI Researchers and Native Innovators.
