Ugandan AI startup SANDI AI wins $50,000 continental agritech prize

Ugandan artificial intelligence startup SANDI AI Technologies has won the 2026 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize, taking home $50,000, about Shs190 million, to expand its work in agricultural finance.

The company received the award at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026 Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, in September 2026.

SANDI AI, founded by Ugandan entrepreneur Sandra Nabakka, uses artificial intelligence to help rural farmers access loans without traditional collateral.

The startup targets one of the biggest barriers facing smallholder farmers in Africa: limited access to affordable credit.

Many farmers struggle to borrow because they lack formal employment records, fixed assets or other requirements demanded by conventional lenders.

SANDI AI says its technology uses agricultural data and artificial intelligence to assess farmers beyond those traditional measures.

The company hopes the model can help lenders understand agricultural risk while giving farmers better access to money for seeds, fertiliser, equipment and expansion.

Nabakka said existing financial systems often fail to reflect the realities of farmers.

“Farmers should not be limited by systems that were not designed around their realities,” she said.

“Technology gives us an opportunity to understand farmers better, recognise their potential, and create pathways that allow them to access the resources they need to grow.”

The prize money will support further development of SANDI AI’s technology and expansion into more farming communities.

The GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize recognises young African entrepreneurs building businesses in agriculture, food production, sustainability and rural development.

SANDI AI competed against agrifood ventures from across the continent before emerging as the top female-led venture in the competition.

The win also adds to Uganda’s growing presence in Africa’s technology and agritech sector, where startups are using artificial intelligence, financial technology and data to tackle long-standing problems in agriculture.

Access to finance remains a major challenge for African farmers, particularly smallholders who operate outside formal banking systems.

At the same time, investors are showing growing interest in technology that can improve credit assessment, food production and financial inclusion in rural areas.

SANDI AI plans to use the award to improve its platform, enter new markets and reach more farmers.

Nabakka said the company wants to build financial products around the needs of farmers rather than force farmers to fit existing lending systems.

“Our ambition is to make access to finance smarter, fairer and more inclusive,” she said.