At the United Nations General Assembly’s Unstoppable Africa event in New York, Meta, in partnership with Data Science Africa (DSA), proudly announced the five African winners of the 2025 Llama Impact Grant for Startups and Researchers.
The Llama Impact Grant, launched in 2023, empowers innovators across Sub-Saharan Africa to harness the power of Meta’s open-source large language model, Llama, in addressing some of the region’s most pressing challenges. Each winning project receives $20,000 in funding, technical mentorship, and access to a dynamic network of policymakers, ecosystem partners, and fellow innovators.
This year, over 800 applications from more than 90 countries were submitted; a testament to the growing global appetite for accessible AI tools and the growing influence of Africa’s AI ecosystem.
“We received an incredible number of applications this year, reflecting the vibrant and growing AI ecosystem across Africa. These projects exemplify the spirit of innovation and impact that the Llama Impact Grant for Startups and Researchers stands for. We are excited to support their journeys and look forward to seeing the positive change they will bring to their communities and beyond.”
— Sherry Dzinerova, Director of AMET Public Policy, Programs, Campaigns, and Product at Meta
Meet the 2025 Winners
Vambo AI (South Africa) – Founded by Chido Dzinotyiwei, Vambo AI is building Africa’s multilingual AI infrastructure. Supporting translation, transcription, generation, and search in over 60 African languages, the platform treats language as critical digital infrastructure—driving inclusion and unlocking innovation at scale.
PropelMapper (South Africa) – Created by Reghardt Adriaan Pretorius and Mark Donne, PropelMapper equips agriculture advisors with AI-powered tools. From tailored farmer podcasts to automated reports and satellite-driven intervention alerts, the solution aims to strengthen advisory services, improve farmer productivity, and boost food security across rural communities.
Radease (Nigeria) – Led by Taiwo Oyewole, Radease is transforming community-level healthcare. By equipping Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) with WhatsApp-based AI tools, the platform delivers accurate and trusted health information to underserved populations, bridging critical healthcare gaps.
TeenApp (Uganda) – Developed at Makerere University’s AI and Data Science Center by Rahman Sanya, TeenApp provides responsible, AI-driven sexual and reproductive health education tailored for young people. By ensuring youth-friendly, accessible, and accurate digital health services, TeenApp is empowering healthier communities.
Easy Read Africa (Rwanda) – Founded by Isaac Manzi, Easy Read Africa makes complex documents accessible to people with cognitive and learning difficulties. Through simplified text, visual explanations, and natural voice narration, the solution ensures critical information in education, health, and beyond reaches everyone.
Africa’s Growing AI Ecosystem
The 2025 cohort reflects the ingenuity of African researchers and entrepreneurs who are building solutions for Africa, by Africa. From healthcare to agriculture, education to digital accessibility, these projects showcase the transformative potential of open-source AI tools like Llama when placed in the hands of local innovators.
At Data Science Africa, we are honoured to partner with Meta in supporting innovators who are shaping the future of AI on the continent. Together, we remain committed to fostering scalable, responsible, and impactful AI solutions that will drive inclusive growth across Africa.