Swedish AI Fund (SAIF) aims to help Early Stage African AI Companies
Cape Town 30th March – SAIF is an NGO with the purpose of providing financial aid, grants, and scholarships globally to those who are working, researching, and/or involved in the AI industry towards equality, safety, and security in the field of AI.
To achieve this end, several public and private actors are collaborating in SAIF. In 2022, SAIF is funding 100 million Swedish Krona (approx. Euro 10 million) globally. SAIF is expanding fast to reach more countries. Currently, SAIF is active in 8 countries: Israel, Sweden, Albania, the UK, South Africa, Germany, Georgia, and North Macedonia. The AI Media Group is the primary launch partner for SAIF in Africa along with launch partners; AWS, Nvidia, Telkom, Embassy of Switzerland SA, Zindi, Cirrus AI and AiCE Kenya. We now invite candidate African AI companies to apply using the application process below.
Background
In 2020 Sweden ranked as the number one in the Good Country Index (GCI). The Good Country Index measures how much each of the 163 countries on the list contributes to the planet and to the human race through their policies and behaviours. The Swedish first rank in the CGI and this motivated the AICenter in Sweden to step into new territory by creating a fund to help the human race have a better future, a future with equality, safety, and security in the field of AI.
The SAIF is one of the projects launched by the AICenter Sweden a collaboration between several legal entities and experts towards a common goal: Equality, safety, and security in the AI industry. The AICenter started in Sweden and it works internationally. We have different types of partnerships globally. In Sweden, we are cooperating with universities, leading companies and experts from United Nations (UN) and The European AI Alliance. Our international partnership is with the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in different countries, and several recognisable organisations and associations in different parts of the globe. Learn more here
Board of Trustees
In addition to being a recipient of the fund, members of the SAIF network are eligible to be part of the board of trustees which decides about the amount, channels, and distribution of the funds. Currently SAIF is active in 8 countries: Israel, Sweden, Albania, UK, South Africa, Germany, Georgia, North Macedonia. Learn more here.
Forms of Fund
This fund is available in different forms in limited amounts for specific purposes (typically Euro 10k – Euro 15k) awarded as non-equity micro-seed grants by the SAIF network partners. Each year, the board of trustees at the Swedish AI Fund decides the amount and how to make this fund available to a specific group of organisations, institutions, and universities. The initial fund being distributed in this Africa call is Euro 96,000.
Eligibility: Who can get funding & how do you apply ?
To be eligible to receive funds from SAIF you need to apply through SAIF’s official partners and for the initial Africa funding call this is via The AI Media Group. We are seeking to fund companies based in Africa primarily at pre-seed stage who have developed solutions and services that leverage AI.
You apply >> HERE << and the deadline for submissions closes 31st April 2022.
