Call for Application for Second Edition for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovators
Description
Call Contents
Call for Application for Second Edition for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovators
Introduction
The University of Dodoma (UDOM) in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) is currently hosting the African Artificial Intelligence (AfriAI) Lab, a continental hub for AI research, innovation, and capacity building. The Lab supports multidisciplinary teams in prototyping, validating, and scaling AI solutions that address Africa’s pressing socio-economic challenges, to be specific in healthcare and agriculture sectors.
Despite the growing number of AI-driven academic projects and early-stage innovations, many promising innovators, particularly those transitioning from research to real-world deployment, face challenges related to technical refinement, commercialization pathways, impact measurement, and sustainability. To address this gap, AfriAI Lab is launching the Second Edition of the AI Innovators Mentorship Programme, designed to support high-potential innovators in transforming ideas into market-ready and socially impactful solutions.
Programme Focus Areas
This call targets AI innovations addressing challenges in the following thematic areas:
Healthcare
Agriculture
Programme Duration
This programme is designed to be 6 months of structured mentorship and incubation and Innovators will be hosted at AfriAI Lab and receive continuous technical, business, and impact-oriented support.
Number of Innovators to Be Selected
Our target is to select Two (2) AI Innovators with working prototype that solve socio-economic challenge in Healthcare and Agriculture
Benefits to Selected Innovators
Selected innovators will receive:
Structured technical mentorship from AI researchers and domain experts
Business and commercialization mentorship, including market validation and product development
Guidance on impact measurement, ethics, and responsible AI
Access to AfriAI Lab infrastructure, networks, and research ecosystem
Opportunities for partnerships, pilots, and visibility at national and regional levels
Seed funding of up to TZS 10,000,000 per innovator to support product development, piloting, and early deployment.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
Be graduates (not currently enrolled in any academic programme)
Apply as individual innovators or early-stage founders
Propose an AI-driven solution within Healthcare or Agriculture
Be available to participate fully in the mentorship programme 6 months
Application Requirements and Selection Criteria
Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:
| S/N | Criteria | Remarks |
| 1 | Problem Definition | Clarity of the problem being addressed Evidence of the problem’s magnitude, such as: Number of people affected Resources wasted or inefficiencies in the current system |
| 2 | Description of the Solution | Clear description of the proposed AI solution Novelty compared to existing solutions Technical and operational feasibility |
| 3 | Datasets | Availability of African-origin dataset for your innovation. If you are planning to use a secondary dataset, indicate any evidence of the possibility of getting access to the dataset. |
| 4 | Target Market | Clear identification and description of the intended users or customers |
| 5 | Anticipated Impact | Expected number of beneficiaries Resources saved, improved, or generated through the solution |
| 6 | Commercialization and Sustainability Plan | Strategy for scaling, revenue generation, and long-term sustainability |
Submission Deadline:
The deadline to submit your application is scheduled to be on 15th March 2026 16:00 EAT. Your application may include preliminary pages and sections as indicated in the above evaluation criteria.
Submit your application using the following details
Dr. Jabhera Matogoro
Lab and Training Coordinator
AfriAI Lab
P.O Box 490
Dodoma
E-mail: jabhera.matogoro@udom.ac.tz