Lelapa AI
Building Africa-centric AI language technologies for inclusive innovation
About Lelapa AI
Lelapa AI is a pioneering artificial intelligence research and product laboratory dedicated to building language technologies for African languages and contexts. Founded by Pelonomi Moiloa (CEO) and Jade Abbott (CTO), the company brings together a world-class team of African AI researchers who are committed to making AI more inclusive and representative of the African continent. Their work addresses a critical gap in natural language processing, where African languages have been historically underrepresented in AI development.
The company’s flagship product, VulaVula, is a groundbreaking speech transcription and translation service that supports indigenous African languages including Zulu, Sesotho, and Afrikaans. Beyond VulaVula, Lelapa has developed InkubaLM, a large language model specifically trained on African languages and contexts. These tools are designed to break down language barriers and ensure that African communities can access and benefit from AI technologies in their native languages. By focusing on under-served languages, Lelapa is helping to democratize access to AI across the continent.
Lelapa AI’s mission goes beyond product development—it aims to “decolonize” artificial intelligence by centering African perspectives, languages, and cultural contexts in AI research and deployment. The company is building foundational AI infrastructure that can power applications across various sectors including education, healthcare, government services, and business. Through their research collaborations and product innovations, Lelapa is positioning Africa not just as a consumer of AI technology, but as a creator and innovator in the global AI landscape.
Discussion
Product Demo Video
Investors
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Mozilla Ventures
Investor
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Atlantica Ventures
Investor
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Jeff Dean (Google)
Investor
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Karim Beguir (Instadeep)
Investor
People
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Pelonomi Moiloa
CEO and co-founder of Lelapa AI, driving the company's mission to build Africa-centric AI technologies.
- Co-founder & CEO
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Jade Abbott
CTO and co-founder of Lelapa AI, leading the company's technical development and AI research initiatives.
- Co-founder & CTO
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Benjamin Rosman
Chief Scientific Officer at Lelapa AI, overseeing research strategy and scientific direction.
- Chief Scientific Officer
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Thandi Mafa
Leading Learning & Development and Human Resources at Lelapa AI, fostering talent and organizational growth.
- Head of L&D/HR
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Thembani Biyam
Executive team member at Lelapa AI, contributing to strategic leadership and operations.
- Executive