Knowledge starts locally.
Founders who understand the customers, communities and systems they serve see what outside teams can miss.
Cohort 2027 · by invitation
Local knowledge. Practical AI. Lasting impact.
RELAI helps African founders use AI to improve essential services and expand economic opportunity.
Each year, we bring ten early-stage startups together for a hands-on implementation camp, followed by expert support and sponsored AI access to help them turn promising ideas into working improvements.
Why RELAI
The founders closest to a problem should have the tools to solve it.
African founders bring knowledge of the customers, communities, and systems they serve. RELAI pairs that knowledge with hands-on AI expertise and resources.
We support teams with a clear path to public benefit — whether that means making an essential service more accessible, reducing costs, or helping people earn a better living.
AI should be practical.
We pair local insight with hands-on expertise and resources to improve a real product or workflow.
Public benefit is the point.
We back work that can improve access, affordability or quality — or help people earn a better living.
The programme
One focused problem. Hands-on support. Progress that lasts.
Choose the right problem.
Each team works with RELAI to identify a specific use case, define success, and prepare the data and workflows needed to begin.
Build and test together.
Over one week, founders and AI practitioners work side by side on a real product or operational challenge — from a tested prototype to a responsible implementation plan.
Make it work in practice.
Teams receive follow-up support and sponsored AI access as they put their work into use, measure results, and plan for sustainable running costs.
Who we back
Ready to implement, not simply explore.
We look for early-stage startups building for African markets, with initial users, strong local knowledge, and a specific challenge that AI could help address.
Teams should be able to explain how progress will benefit the people they serve and commit to preparation, the in-person camp, and follow-up.
Local understandingFirsthand knowledge of the problem
ReadinessA live workflow, initial users, and an implementation owner
Public benefitA credible improvement in access, affordability, quality, or livelihoods
CommitmentParticipation in preparation, camp, and follow-up
Impact
Success is what changes after camp.
We measure success by what teams put into use, whether those improvements last, and what changes for the people they serve.
Each startup defines a baseline and a practical outcome before camp. Follow-up focuses on real-world use, sustainable costs, and evidence of benefit — not just a final presentation.
Partners
Help local expertise become lasting impact.
Support the practical work that turns AI into useful improvements: founder participation, hands-on technical support, responsible implementation, and model access.
We welcome funding partners, AI providers, and experienced practitioners who share our focus on measurable public benefit.
Funding partners
Support founder participation, programme delivery and the practical work required before and after camp.
AI providers
Provide responsible access to capable models and tools so teams can build, test and sustain useful improvements.
Experienced practitioners
Work alongside founders on implementation, measurement, safety and the realities of putting AI into use.
RELAI Camp
One focused programme, with support that continues.
After the week
Teams continue working with practitioners as they test real-world use, improve their implementation and understand sustainable costs.
Around the programme
A community of funding partners, AI providers and experienced practitioners supplies the expertise and resources each cohort needs.
Cohort 2027
Practical details
The first cohort is in development. Dates, location and participation support will be announced before invitations are confirmed.
How are startups selected?
RELAI is invitation-only. We scout early-stage teams building for African markets and assess local understanding, readiness, public benefit and commitment. A nomination process will be announced if one opens.
When and where will the camp take place?
The first cohort is planned for 2027. Exact dates and location are to be announced before invited teams confirm participation.
What does participation cost, and what support is covered?
Participation costs and any travel, accommodation or accessibility support are to be announced before teams are invited to commit.
How does RELAI approach data and responsible AI?
Teams must have appropriate rights to use their data and consider privacy, security, human oversight and real-world validation. Not every project should move directly from prototype to deployment.
What are the equity and intellectual-property terms?
Founders retain the intellectual property they bring into the programme. Any terms covering equity or work created during RELAI will be shared and agreed before participation.