GSMA Backs Ghanaian AI Startups to Drive Inclusive Growth
Through these efforts, Ghanaian AI innovators are set to play a leading role in leveraging technology for inclusive socio-economic development, demonstrating the potential of AI to transform local markets and education systems.
The GSMA, with support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), has launched the Innovation Fund for Impactful AI to accelerate artificial intelligence (AI) solutions that address socio-economic challenges in low- and middle-income countries. The initiative prioritizes AI innovations that foster inclusive growth across education, health, agriculture, climate resilience, and financial and digital inclusion.
From 625 applications across 40 countries, two Ghanaian startups, Kola Market and Metaschool AI, were among the first grantees selected for the fund.
Kola Market uses AI to support small businesses in Ghana, helping them optimize inventory, accelerate sales, and access tailored off-balance-sheet financing via mobile platforms such as WhatsApp, SMS, and voice in local languages. With GSMA funding, the startup will expand feature phone access, integrate mobile money data for credit scoring, and pilot AI-guided micro-warehousing to improve supply chain efficiency.
Metaschool AI focuses on bridging the educational gap for students in rural Ghana. Many schools lack functional ICT infrastructure, leaving students with basic feature phones and limited access to digital learning content. Metaschool AI delivers personalized, curriculum-aligned tutoring via mobile and USSD/SMS, integrating video lessons, interactive quizzes, progress dashboards, and voice support in local languages. The GSMA grant will help scale these services to reach more underserved students.
The Innovation Fund aims to support startups like these over an 18-month period with venture-building guidance, strategic partnerships, peer learning, and global visibility, enabling AI-driven solutions to scale and deliver tangible benefits to communities across low- and middle-income countries.
Through these efforts, Ghanaian AI innovators are set to play a leading role in leveraging technology for inclusive socio-economic development, demonstrating the potential of AI to transform local markets and education systems.
