Kytabu Secures €750,000 to Power Three More Years of the CHAI Hackathon
Kytabu founder Tonee Ndungu announces €750,000 to extend the CHAI Hackathon for three years, backing young African AI builders. Join CHAI 2027 at chai.africa.
Kenyan edtech company Kytabu has secured €750,000 to extend the CHAI Hackathon across 2027, 2028 and 2029. The funding gives Africa’s young AI builders three more years of support, mentorship and opportunity.
The news came from Tonee Ndungu, the Kytabu founder, who shared it directly with young innovators and supporters. According to Ndungu, the commitment works out to €250,000 each year. It is meant to back young Africans who build agentic AI solutions for their own communities.
What Is the CHAI Hackathon?
CHAI stands for Connecting Humans and Artificial Intelligence. It is a pan-African AI hackathon hosted in Nairobi and organised by Kytabu Company Limited. Its goal is to produce ethical, human-centred technology rooted in African contexts and values.
The 2025 edition ran for eight weekends and equipped about 500 young Kenyans with hands-on skills in AI-driven problem solving. Participants formed teams of up to five members and tackled real challenges. Those challenges covered climate, energy, banking, insurance, healthcare, education, agriculture and logistics.
Teams submitted weekly video entries for review. Judges scored them on impact, innovation, collaboration, African context and media storytelling. Winners earned mentorship from industry leaders and the chance to attend international forums, including the AI Hub in Rome.
Funding Backed by the EU and Italy
Ndungu credited the European Union, the Italian government and several supporters in Kenya for standing behind the programme. He said the European partners wanted to invest in AI built by Africans, rather than simply talk about believing in young people.
The announcement also carries a travel component. Ndungu said 19 people will travel to Italy in November to receive the cheque. He added that earlier participants have already won international trips, including journeys to Rome.
The next three editions will build on that momentum. Ndungu noted that the team never expected the first hackathon to grow so large. He said he is proud of every young participant who took part and won.
Why Agentic AI Matters for Africa
Agentic AI describes systems that can reason, use tools and complete tasks on behalf of people. The technology is moving quickly from research labs into everyday products. Ndungu believes African developers should help shape that shift from the start.
Education sits at the centre of his vision. He wants students to build AI agents that support teachers, schools and learners. Young developers, he argues, understand local problems better than anyone else and can design more relevant tools.
He also called for stronger university involvement. More campuses should encourage experimentation, he said, and clearer pathways should help student projects grow into working products and companies.
How to Join CHAI 2027
Young innovators who want to take part in CHAI 2027 can register at chai.africa. The sign-up page asks for a name and email address. Organisers say they will begin searching seriously for talent as the next phase gets under way.
Under earlier rules, participants had to be 18 or older and compete in teams of up to five. Applicants should check the official CHAI Africa website for updated eligibility, themes and timelines before applying.
A Boost for Africa’s AI Ecosystem
A three-year funding runway is rare for youth-focused technology programmes. It allows organisers to plan ahead, refine the curriculum and widen participation. It also gives students a dependable route from idea to prototype and, eventually, to a business.
For Kenya, the commitment strengthens Nairobi’s reputation as a hub for innovation. For young developers, it signals that investors and governments are ready to back African talent in the AI era.
Ndungu summed up the spirit of the programme clearly. The first edition asked students what AI could do. The next three will help them build it.
