Ugandan startup SANDI AI Technologies has secured US$50,000 in growth funding after being named the Grand Prize Winner of the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize 2026. The award could help the company expand its artificial intelligence-powered solution aimed at improving access to finance for farmers across Africa.
Founded by Ugandan entrepreneur Nabakka Sandra, SANDI AI received the top prize at the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFS Forum) 2026 Summit in Kigali, Rwanda. The event brought together leaders from government, business, investment, agriculture and technology to discuss ways of strengthening Africa’s food systems.
The funding, worth about UGX 190 million, will support SANDI AI’s technology development, market expansion and efforts to reach more farming communities with inclusive financial solutions.
At the centre of the company’s work is a major problem facing smallholder farmers across the continent. Many farmers struggle to access affordable and flexible credit because conventional lenders often require formal employment records, fixed assets or traditional collateral.
This leaves many farmers without the capital needed to buy inputs, increase production or grow their businesses. Yet, as Sandra points out, many of these farmers already have productive land, farming experience and access to markets.
“Farmers should not be limited by systems that were not designed around their realities,” Sandra says. “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.”
SANDI AI is seeking to use artificial intelligence to change how farmers are assessed and connected to financial opportunities. Its technology is designed to connect rural farmers with security-free loans, creating an alternative pathway for people who may not meet the requirements of traditional lending systems.
Using Technology to Close a Major Financing Gap
The potential impact of the SANDI AI model extends beyond providing individual farmers with access to loans. Better access to finance can allow farmers to invest in production, purchase inputs on time, respond to market opportunities and build more sustainable agricultural businesses.
Agriculture remains one of Africa’s most important economic sectors. It supports millions of livelihoods and plays a central role in food security. However, farmers cannot easily increase their productivity when they lack the capital required to invest in their operations.
This is where technology-driven financial solutions could play an important role.
SANDI AI is developing a system that uses artificial intelligence and agricultural insights to better understand farmers and their financial needs. Instead of relying only on traditional measures of creditworthiness, the company is working towards a model that can recognise the potential and realities of rural farmers.
The approach is part of a wider shift in Africa’s technology sector. Startups are increasingly using artificial intelligence to solve practical problems in areas such as agriculture, finance and access to essential services.
For farmers, the benefit could be greater access to capital. For financial institutions, better technology could provide new ways of understanding agricultural customers and managing lending decisions. At a broader level, improved financing could help more farmers expand their businesses and contribute to stronger food systems.
Sandra’s work is built around this connection between technology and development. With a background in artificial intelligence and sustainable development, she has focused on applying emerging technologies to challenges affecting African communities.
For her, artificial intelligence is not simply about creating sophisticated systems. It is about using technology to solve practical problems and create opportunities.
A Continental Recognition for a Ugandan Startup
SANDI AI’s victory at the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize 2026 also highlights the growing role of African startups in developing solutions for the continent’s food systems.
The competition recognises young African entrepreneurs building businesses across agriculture, food production, sustainability and rural development. SANDI AI emerged as the overall female-led venture winner after competing against innovative agrifood businesses from across Africa.
The award was presented during the AFS Forum 2026 Summit in Kigali, a major platform for discussions around Africa’s agricultural future.
The gathering provided an important setting for SANDI AI because the challenges addressed by the company are closely linked to wider discussions about food security, economic development and rural livelihoods.
The recognition is also significant for Uganda’s startup ecosystem. It shows that locally developed technology can address major African challenges and compete for attention on a continental stage.
For investors and development partners, the combination of agriculture, artificial intelligence and financial inclusion presents a growing opportunity. Millions of African farmers need better access to capital, while financial institutions need more effective ways to understand and serve agricultural customers.
SANDI AI is positioning itself at the centre of that opportunity.
The company’s next phase will focus on strengthening its technology, expanding into more markets and reaching more farming communities. Its goal is to make financial access more practical for farmers who have historically been left outside conventional lending systems.
“Farmers deserve financial systems designed around their realities,” Sandra says. “Our ambition is to make access to finance smarter, fairer, and more inclusive.”
