Amini, a Nairobi-based climate-tech startup focusing on bridging Africa’s environmental data gap with artificial intelligence and satellite technology, has raised $4 million in seed funding to drive its expansion into new markets.
Salesforce Ventures, the investment arm of Salesforce, and Female Founders Fund, a seed-stage venture capital firm that invests only in companies established by women, led the funding round. Pale Blue Dot, Superorganism, and Satgana, three prior investors, also participated in the funding round.
Amini is an impact-driven AI firm that was founded by AI innovation and technology expert Kate Kallot. Its mission is to solve Africa’s lack of environmental data and enable the large-scale regeneration of natural capital.
“We are building technology that is designed specifically for Africa to lead an economic transformation for the continent’s one billion people. By de-risking the “first mile” of the global agricultural value chain through enhanced transparency, data access, and greater economic inclusion for farmers, we have a unique opportunity to kickstart positive feedback loops that will transform global food systems,” Kallot said.
“Amini is innovating for our people and planet, for corporations, farmers, and regulators by transforming value chains. As new regulation in the US and Europe compels corporations to disclose the climate risks in their supply chains, this new investment from Salesforce Ventures and Female Founders Fund will accelerate the scaling of our business and data infrastructure platform, enabling sustainable growth and powering our business expansion,” Kallot added.
As a “trailblazing company at the forefront of artificial intelligence innovation and climate technology,” Claudine Emeott, vice president of Salesforce Ventures Impact Fund, expressed her excitement about supporting Amini.
“Amini.ai’s cutting-edge technology is poised to redefine industries and drive transformative change. With a visionary team and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of climate AI, we are confident that Amini is poised for exceptional growth,” Emeott said.
By 2030, the company hopes to empower the resilience of one billion people by creating a single, reliable source of environmental data throughout Africa. It has created a comprehensive solution that leverages large-scale AI and space technologies to encourage systemic change, supply chain resilience throughout Africa, and economic inclusiveness for farmers.
Read more on Tech Gist Africa:
Aquarech, a fish farming startup based in Kenya, secures $1.7 million in funding
Lipa Later, a Kenyan fintech startup has secured $3.4 million in debt funding