Ghana-based Aya Data secures $900,000 seed funding to pioneer AI solutions for businesses
Ghana-based AI consultancy startup Aya Data has successfully raised $900,000 in a seed funding round, bringing its total funding to $1.15 million. The latest round, which consists of a mix of debt and equity, was led by 54Collective and included participation from angel investors. This funding will be instrumental in scaling two of its flagship products, **AyaGrow** and **AyaSpeech**, and hiring new talent to meet growing demands.
Founded in 2021 by Freddie Monk and Ama Larbi-Siaw, Aya Data specialises in data annotation and collection—a crucial step in training large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. The startup employs individuals to gather and label images, videos, and texts, providing essential data for AI development. Currently, Aya Data has a workforce of 11, with plans to expand as it trains workers for highly-skilled roles in data engineering and data science.
Pioneering AI solutions
Aya Data offers innovative AI solutions tailored for businesses. **AyaGrow** is a crop and field monitoring tool that empowers both commercial and smallholder farmers through AI-driven precision agriculture. Meanwhile, **AyaSpeech** enables interactions in local African languages, serving businesses, consumers, and governments with end-to-end speech solutions.
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The startup is part of a growing cohort of companies like Shaip and Dataloop that are contributing to the global AI landscape. Major tech firms, including Meta and OpenAI, often outsource data annotation tasks to companies like Aya Data, leveraging the cost-effectiveness and accuracy of labor in developing economies.
Ama Larbi-Siaw, co-founder and COO, emphasizes the importance of building local expertise to address Africa’s pressing challenges, stating, “We are dedicated to building local expertise that can leverage AI to tackle the continent’s most pressing challenges.”
Competitive edge
Aya Data faces competition from established firms such as Brainpool.ai and Deeper Insights, yet it differentiates itself by maintaining control over its operations in Ghana. Gillian Hammah, the Marketing and Strategy officer, notes, “Because we control everything in Ghana, we can deliver faster and more efficiently without the risk of involving third parties.”
The company has successfully generated $500,000 in revenue in 2023, currently serving around 20 clients, including prestigious names like MIT and Unilever. While the majority of their work has focused on global clients, Aya Data is increasingly targeting African businesses, aiming to help them leverage AI for enhanced competitiveness.
Ambitious goals
Aya Data’s ambition extends beyond immediate growth; the startup plans to train 1,000 data annotators, engineers, and scientists in the coming months. This training is aimed at enhancing the local workforce’s capabilities while also improving in-house products.
Larbi-Siaw underscores the mission: “Ultimately, we are working to enable as many businesses and people to benefit from AI as quickly as possible and to ensure that the ability to build this technology to a world-class standard exists in Ghana and other similar markets.”
With its recent funding and ambitious goals, Aya Data is positioned to make a significant impact on Ghana’s AI landscape. By focusing on ethical AI and local talent development, the startup not only empowers businesses but also sets a new standard for responsible technology innovation in Africa. As the global demand for AI solutions continues to rise, Aya Data exemplifies how homegrown talent and local expertise can lead to transformative change in the tech ecosystem.
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