Ethiopia Completes AI Startup Bootcamp at Addis Ababa UniPod

The Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute, Addis Ababa University and the UNDP have completed a two-week bootcamp for AI startups at the minimum viable product stage, marking the first major programme delivered through the AI UniPod since its launch in Addis Ababa in February. Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh unveiled the UniPod as a centre for AI innovation, research and talent development, bringing the three institutions together with the UNDP’s Timbuktoo Initiative to support locally developed AI solutions.

At the bootcamp’s completion ceremony, Ethiopian AI Institute Deputy Director General Dr Taye Girma praised the ideas developed by participating startups. He said the concepts showed potential for practical use. The Institute will continue supporting the ventures as they develop and implement their solutions.

UNDP Ethiopia representative Dr Samuel Doe said the graduating startups demonstrated how AI could address social and economic challenges. He said UNDP would continue working with the Institute and other partners to strengthen Ethiopia’s AI ecosystem.

Participants said the programme gave them technical knowledge and practical experience to advance their products. The startups also showcased their solutions at the completion ceremony. The organisers did not disclose the number of participating startups or provide details of the companies and products involved.

Bootcamp Fits Ethiopia’s AI Development

The bootcamp comes as Ethiopia expands its focus on artificial intelligence, from developing local talent to building institutions and supporting startups. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was appointed African Union Champion for AI and Digital Health in April. In March, Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers approved the establishment of Medemer Artificial Intelligence University alongside US$324.3 million in international financing.

Tiruneh has also described the country’s ambition as a move from being a technology consumer to becoming a technology producer. The UniPod provides a practical startup-focused component to that ambition. By working with companies that have reached the minimum viable product stage, the programme focuses on helping founders develop ideas into products that can be tested and used.

Infrastructure and Skills

The programme also comes shortly after the World Bank highlighted infrastructure and skills as important constraints for developing economies seeking to benefit from AI. In its World Development Report 2026, the Bank recommended an “adopt, adapt, advance” approach. It argues that developing economies should first adopt existing AI applications and adapt them to local conditions before investing heavily in frontier AI development.

The UniPod’s focus on early-stage companies developing locally relevant products fits within the adaptation part of that approach. Ethiopia already has several initiatives supporting AI and digital skills. These include the Ethiopian AI Institute, the 5 Million Coders campaign, a university AI platform launched in February and the UK’s £4.6 million EthiopiAI programme, which supports responsible AI research. Ethiopian startups are also developing local AI products. Ras, for example, is a multilingual AI assistant for Amharic and other Ethiopian languages.