Amini, a Kenyan Climate tech startup announced that it has raised $4 million in a seed round led by Salesforce Ventures and the Female Founders Fund. Other participants in the round include new investor, climate-tech VC Satgana and previous investors – Pale Blue Dot and Superorganism who participated in a $2 million pre-seed round early in the year.
Amini has embarked on a transformative journey, with initial clients hailing from the agricultural and insurance sectors, including notable names like Aon. The company has set its sights on partnering with food and beverage enterprises and producers of consumer packaged goods, particularly those dedicated to the sustainable transformation of their supply chains. This strategic focus comes in response to recent regulatory developments in the U.S. and Europe, where corporations are now mandated to disclose climate-related risks embedded in their supply chains.
Notably, Amini is positioned at the forefront of this shift, emphasizing transparency, enhanced data access, and fostering greater economic inclusion for farmers. This initiative is viewed as a unique opportunity to instigate positive feedback loops capable of revolutionizing global food systems. According to Amini CEO Kate Kallot, the aim is to empower individuals and uplift farmers from mere survival to thriving. The underlying thesis revolves around the pivotal role of data in this process – facilitating transparency, building trust, and ultimately encouraging increased investment.
Kallot, drawing from a background in prominent tech roles at companies like Nvidia and Intel, underscores the motivation behind Amini’s mission. The central objective is to empower individuals and reshape the narrative surrounding Africa, particularly in recalibrating the value chain. A pertinent example is the cocoa value chain, where the distribution of profits often skews heavily towards those selling the finished products, leaving commodity producers with the least financial gains. Amini aims to address this imbalance and drive innovation by bringing value down to the hands of farmers and individuals on the continent.
Amini’s capabilities extend beyond its immediate client base, as it can provide historical data spanning up to two decades. The company envisions evolving into a comprehensive platform, fostering a collaborative ecosystem for developers and innovators across Africa. By focusing on delivering robust environmental data for the continent, Amini aspires to empower thousands of individuals with the tools needed to create innovative solutions tailored to their communities. This ambitious goal positions Amini as a catalyst for positive change, leveraging technology and data for the betterment of agricultural practices and economic landscapes in Africa.
Claudine Emeott, the VP of Salesforce Ventures Impact Fund, said in a statement; “We are thrilled to support Amini, a trailblazing company at the forefront of artificial intelligence innovation and climate technology. Amini.ai’s cutting-edge technology is poised to redefine industries and drive transformative change. With a visionary team and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of climate AI, we are confident that it is poised for exceptional growth.”
