Kenyan startups Neural Labs Africa and Me-Nasoma Labs have each secured $5,000 (approximately KSh645,000) in equity-free funding and Meta advertising credits after winning the inaugural AI Academy Kenya Pitchathon.
Neural Labs Africa emerged as a winner with NeuralSight, an artificial intelligence-powered tele-radiology platform that connects healthcare facilities with remote specialists for medical-imaging reports. The platform is designed to support healthcare providers, including facilities operating in areas with limited internet connectivity.
Me-Nasoma Labs won with an AI-powered reading application that converts documents and web pages into narrated audio, with synchronised text highlighting. The solution targets students, professionals and other readers seeking accessible ways to consume written content.
The competition was organised by Meta and Nairobi-based accelerator This is Digital. It attracted 426 applications, with ten startups selected to pitch solutions across healthcare, education, retail, legal services and financial compliance.
Both winning startups have also been invited to pitch at Meta’s Regional AI Summit in Istanbul on November 24, 2026, providing an opportunity to showcase their solutions to a wider regional audience.
Founded in 2021, Neural Labs Africa has previously received $50,000 from UNICEF’s Venture Fund and participated in the fund’s 2022–2023 AI and data science programme. In May 2024, UNICEF reported that clinical validation of the company’s medical-image screening technology had achieved a 70% precision score.
The recognition highlights the growing role of Kenyan startups in developing AI-powered solutions for healthcare, education and other sectors, while providing early-stage innovators with funding and opportunities to expand their reach.
