OneNine, a Sweden-based startup co-founded by Senegalese entrepreneur Doudou Ba and Czech-Vietnamese engineer Duc Anh Tran, is developing AI infrastructure for Africa designed to make artificial intelligence more inclusive by supporting African languages. The initiative aims to bridge the gap between modern AI systems and Africa’s linguistic diversity through data-driven innovation.
Transforming AI Projects Focusing on African Languages
Launched in August 2025, OneNine works with over 160 African language contributors and several data companies on pilot projects. The startup collects, annotates, and validates voice and text data in native African dialects to empower AI projects focusing on African languages. It plans to process more than 500,000 hours of linguistic data to build one of the world’s largest repositories for underrepresented languages.
“Many people cannot read or write, but they can speak — maybe not in English, but in their mother tongue. We want AI to hear them,” said co-founder Doudou Ba. He stressed that Africa must play a leading role in shaping the future of AI technologies in Africa, emphasizing the need for diverse datasets over merely powerful algorithms.
Building Africa’s AI Future
OneNine’s efforts underscore the growing importance of AI infrastructure for Africa, particularly as the continent’s languages remain largely unrepresented in current global AI systems. The company recently joined the Google for Startups program and participated in Norrsken Africa Week, an event spotlighting African innovation and entrepreneurship.
The startup’s long-term vision is to become a global leader in linguistic data for lesser-represented languages. In the near term, it plans to collaborate with major AI research labs to refine its models, while also fostering inclusivity and digital transformation across Africa.
The co-founders believe that AI can only achieve true universality when it reflects all voices — especially those from Africa’s diverse linguistic communities. Their mission not only contributes to technological growth but also strengthens cultural identity and accessibility across the continent.
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This story was first reported by Adoni Conrad Quenum and adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum.
