Gebeya
Category: AI in HR & Talent
Pan-African AI platform (Dala Studio + Jitume AI agents) and SaaS Talent Cloud connecting African creators and service professionals with tools to build, trade, and work in local languages. Gebeya was founded in 2016. The company is led by Amadou Daffe. Based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Team size: 51-200. Total funding raised: $4.0M. Latest round: Pre-Series A. Key investors include Partech, Orange Ventures, Inclusion Japan (ICJ), Consonance Investment Managers, IFC.
- Founded
- 2016
- Headquarters
- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Team size
- 51-200
- Total funding
- $4.0M
Value proposition
Bridging the African digital skills gap through AI-driven matching, vetting, and localized no-code development tools that allow users to build applications in local languages.
Products and solutions
Dala Studio (Multilingual AI creator suite: no-code apps, media, games, comics, AI agents; 15 African languages), Jitume AI (AI agent / Super Intelligent Worker for African service professionals—bookings, CRM, WhatsApp/Telegram ops), SaaS-enabled Talent Clouds (Configurable talent management infrastructure for organizations), Vetted Talent Marketplace (Direct hiring platform for pre-screened African tech professionals), Zemen GEBEYA (Digital marketplace for industrial products integrated with telebirr SuperApp), G-GEP (Gebeya Global Executive Program for senior leadership and executive talent)
Unique value
Pioneered the 'Talent Cloud' concept in Africa and developed the continent's first multilingual AI app builder that interprets voice and text prompts in local African languages to generate full-stack code.
Target customer
Global Fortune 500 enterprises, African SMEs, tech startups, and governments seeking vetted digital talent or talent management infrastructure.
Industries served
Information Technology, Fintech, E-commerce, Telecommunications, Government & NGOs, Education
Technology advantage
Proprietary AI engine (Dala) for automated code generation and talent matching; deep local ecosystem integration (mobile money, local languages) combined with global cloud infrastructure partnerships.
How they differentiate
Gebeya differentiates through its 'Talent Cloud' SaaS model, allowing organizations to launch their own branded marketplaces, and 'Dala AI,' a multilingual engine that supports African languages (Amharic, Swahili, etc.) for no-code application building.
Main competitors
Andela, Toptal, Decagon
Key partnerships
Microsoft (African Talent Cloud initiative to upskill 300,000 developers), Mastercard Foundation ($48M partnership for the Mesirat entrepreneurship program), Cassava Technologies (AI-powered creator platform and infrastructure), UNHCR (Boundless Skills Talent Cloud for refugee professionals), Ethio telecom (Zemen GEBEYA digital marketplace integration), Pluralsight, O'Reilly, and CompTIA (Strategic upskilling and certification partners), PROFF-IT Investment Group / VukaOS (AI-driven ideation and GTM engine integrated into Dala Studio), Miva Open University (equipping 25,000+ Nigerian students with Dala Studio for AI-powered business building), M-PESA Ethiopia (Dala Studio Mini App on M-PESA App; AI bundles payable via mobile money, Jul 2026), Afreximbank / CANEX (CANEX Create-thon 2026 for African creators on Dala Studio; $50K prize pool, Jul 2026)
Notable customers
Microsoft, Orange, Mastercard Foundation, UNHCR, Ethio telecom, Miva Open University, PROFF-IT Investment Group, M-PESA Ethiopia, Afreximbank
Major milestones
Launched Dala AI, Africa's first multilingual AI-powered no-code engine in 2024, Secured a $48M partnership with Mastercard Foundation for the 'Mesirat' program in 2023, Pivoted from a training academy to a SaaS-enabled Talent Cloud provider in 2023, Expanded operations to Senegal and West Africa in 2021, Surpassed 100,000 users across AI products in 40+ countries by May 2026, Announced partnerships with VukaOS and Miva Open University to scale Dala Studio in May 2026, Launched Gebeya Dala Studio Mini App on M-PESA Ethiopia App (Jul 2026), Partnered with Afreximbank CANEX for Create-thon 2026 ($50K prizes; Dala Studio sprint) Jul 2026, Official site metrics: 131K+ Dala / 74K+ Jitume users in 50+ countries (as of mid-2026)
Growth metrics
Official site reports 131K+ Dala Studio users and 74K+ Jitume users across 50+ countries; Dala subscribers consumed 140B AI tokens in six months (Aug 2026); Dala Studio supports 15 African languages with mobile-money payments; Microsoft Talent Cloud partnership to upskill 300,000 African developers.
Market positioning
Pan-African AI platform for creators and the service economy (Dala + Jitume), with Talent Cloud heritage
Geographic focus
Africa (HQ in Ethiopia; operations in Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria) and Global (Enterprise clients in North America and Europe)
Patents and IP
No registered patents disclosed; utilizes proprietary AI algorithms and trade secrets.
About Amadou Daffe
Amadou Daffe is a serial entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the global tech industry. Prior to founding Gebeya, he co-founded Coders4Africa, which became the largest network of African software developers. He has a strong background in software engineering and has been a key figure in bridging the gap between African tech talent and global demand. He is recognized as a leading voice in the African tech ecosystem and has successfully transitioned Gebeya from a training academy to a sophisticated AI-driven talent marketplace.
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Official website: https://gebeya.com/
