Meta, in collaboration with Data Science Africa, has launched the Llama Impact Grant, a new initiative aimed at supporting startups and researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The grant, part of Meta’s global Llama Impact Grants program, will provide $20,000 in funding to innovative projects leveraging Llama, Meta’s open-source large language model, to develop solutions tailored to Africa’s unique challenges.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize industries by driving productivity, creativity, and economic growth. It is already making significant contributions to fields such as healthcare, agriculture, and scientific research. Through this grant, Meta aims to accelerate the adoption of AI-powered solutions across Africa, enabling researchers and entrepreneurs to tackle pressing social and economic issues.
Meta is calling for proposals from individuals and organizations that can demonstrate:
– A clear and compelling use case for Llama in addressing local challenges.
– A well-defined path to impact with a large potential user base.
– A skilled and experienced team capable of executing the project.
– Ethical considerations in product development and AI deployment.
– A realistic budget and timeline for project implementation.
Applications are open until April 18, 2025, and must be submitted through Meta’s online portal. A panel of experts will review submissions, with the selected project receiving a $20,000 grant to bring their idea to life.
Speaking on the initiative, Meta’s Public Policy Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, Balkissa Ide Siddo, emphasized the transformative power of AI and the role of open-source models like Llama in making AI more accessible.
“We’re still in the early days, but AI is set to transform every aspect of our lives—spurring innovation, accelerating economic growth, and improving access to knowledge. By making open-source AI models like Llama freely available, we hope to empower African innovators to develop scalable solutions that address the region’s unique challenges,” she said.
Meta’s Llama AI models, including the latest Llama 3.3, have been downloaded over a billion times globally. As open-source tools, they enable organizations to build customized AI-driven applications without the restrictions often associated with proprietary AI models.
The Llama Impact Grant is part of a broader global initiative that Meta launched in October 2023. Since its inception, the program has received over 800 applications from more than 90 countries, highlighting the growing interest in AI for social good.
Among the standout projects from previous editions is Digital Green’s Farmer Chat, a multilingual AI-powered chatbot that provides small-scale farmers with agricultural advice. By fine-tuning Llama on region-specific data, the chatbot delivers customized guidance in languages like Swahili, Kikuyu, and Hindi, helping farmers improve their yields and adopt better farming practices.
Another notable finalist, Jacaranda Health, developed PROMPTS, an AI-enabled maternal health tool designed to support new and expecting mothers in Kenya, Ghana, and Eswatini. The platform uses SMS behavioral nudges and an AI-powered clinical helpdesk to provide timely health advice, reducing maternal and infant mortality rates in underserved communities.
By introducing the Llama Impact Grant, Meta aims to foster a new wave of AI-driven innovation in Africa, empowering local talent to develop solutions that address the continent’s most pressing challenges. Despite the acquisition, Meta has assured that Wiz’s products will remain available across all major cloud platforms, ensuring continuity for existing customers.
With AI rapidly shaping the future of industries worldwide, this initiative positions Africa as a key player in the global AI landscape, equipping researchers and entrepreneurs with the resources needed to turn their ideas into impactful solutions.
