Meta has partnered with African AI accelerator This Is Digital to launch AI Academy Kenya, a flagship capacity-building programme aimed at equipping Kenyan students, developers, startups, small business owners and career professionals with practical artificial intelligence skills.
The initiative, officially launched on September 11, 2026, brings together Meta’s AI tools and This Is Digital’s expertise in workforce enablement and AI transformation to nurture local talent and support innovation in Kenya’s digital economy.
The programme will feature two key components: an AI Pitchathon and an eight-week AI Masterclass.
The AI Pitchathon will provide Kenyan startups and developers building innovative solutions with Meta’s AI technologies an opportunity to pitch their ideas live in Nairobi. Participants will compete for equity-free funding and an invitation to pitch at Meta’s AI Summit in Istanbul, Türkiye, in November 2026.
The AI Masterclass will run for eight weeks, beginning November 3, 2026, and will cover AI fundamentals, prompt engineering, AI for research and knowledge work, AI for documents, reporting and communication, and AI for productivity.
Mercy Ndegwa, Public Policy Director, East Africa at Meta, said the partnership would help put practical AI training and open models in the hands of Kenyan developers, students and small business owners.
“The next wave of AI innovation in Kenya will come from local builders solving local problems,” Ndegwa said.
Gregory Wanjama, CEO of This Is Digital, said the organisation’s mission was to ensure that people across Africa had a place in the AI ecosystem.
“Our mission has always been to ensure everyone across Africa gets a seat at the AI table,” Wanjama said, adding that the partnership would empower Kenyan professionals, startups and students with actionable skills to drive productivity, innovation and economic growth.
Grace Murugi, Chief AI and Digital Strategist at This Is Digital, said the academy would make complex AI concepts accessible while promoting ethical and responsible leadership.
The initiative builds on This Is Digital’s work in AI education and consultancy. Founded on International AI Appreciation Day in 2025, the organisation has trained more than 800 AI Champions across over 10 countries.
Applications for both programmes are open. The deadline for AI Pitchathon applications is September 30, 2026, while the event is scheduled for October 15, 2026. Applications for the AI Masterclass close on October 31, 2026.
Interested participants can register through the official https://aiacademykenyalaunch.splashthat.com
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