A Liberian-built artificial intelligence venture is gaining international recognition for helping governments and public institutions deploy advanced AI systems while maintaining sovereign control over their data.
Surna Technologies, a sovereign AI and cloud infrastructure company, has been named a semifinalist in Harvard University’s President’s Innovation Challenge, a competitive program that spotlights high-impact student-led ventures from across the globe.
Chosen from thousands of projects supported across Harvard’s 13 schools, Surna’s selection places Liberia on a rare global stage in the rapidly expanding field of sovereign artificial intelligence.
The company is built on the premise that African countries must own and manage their full digital technology stack. Surna focuses on secure data ownership and the local development and deployment of AI systems, rather than relying on foreign cloud and technology providers for critical infrastructure.
Founder Hellen S. Momoh, a graduate student in data science at Harvard University, said the venture represents a broader shift in how African institutions engage with advanced technologies.
“If data is the new oil, Africa must have its own refinery,” Momoh said. “Surna is building the infrastructure layer that allows African institutions to benefit from their own intelligence.”
Surna’s progress in the Harvard competition marks a notable milestone for Liberia, placing the country among a small but growing group of African nations advancing homegrown sovereign AI capabilities.
Analysts say the company reflects a wider continental movement, spanning sectors from financial technology to climate intelligence, aimed at ensuring national digital systems are designed, built and operated in Africa for African institutions.
With Liberia serving as its initial proving ground, Surna plans to expand across West Africa and the broader ECOWAS region. Its offerings include cloud infrastructure, national observability systems and cross-sector AI solutions for public and private institutions.
Harvard’s Innovation Labs described the semifinalists as the university’s most promising emerging ventures. Finalists are expected to be announced in March 2026.
If selected as one of five finalists in the Open Track, Surna will compete live for a share of more than $500,000 in funding.
For Momoh, the recognition carries significance beyond the company itself.
“This milestone is not just about Surna,” she said. “It shows that Liberia can innovate at the level of the world’s leading institutions and compete within top global technology ecosystems. This is the beginning of a new chapter for Africa’s digital future.”
