Kate Kallot launched Amini to create Africa’s environmental data hub, using satellite and AI for smarter climate and agriculture decisions.
Kate Kallot is the founder and CEO of Amini, a Nairobi-based artificial intelligence and climate technology startup focused on tackling the continent’s environmental data challenges. With over a decade of experience in AI leadership roles at global technology companies such as NVIDIA, Intel, and Arm, Kallot has made significant contributions to various industry innovations, including the development of the Neural Compute Stick—an early AI development kit—and her active engagement in the Tiny Machine Learning (TinyML) movement.
After years in the global tech sector, Kate Kallot identified a critical gap: Africa’s lack of reliable and accessible environmental data. She argues that this gap hinders sustainable development and effective climate response strategies across the continent. In response, she founded Amini in 2022 to tailor AI and satellite technologies to Africa’s environmental realities.
“Data is the start of any economic revolution. Our thesis is that one of the reasons why the continent hasn’t been able to develop itself as fast as the Global North is because of the lack of data,” Kallot told TIME.
Amini’s Role and Impact
Amini collects and analyses environmental data using satellite imagery and artificial intelligence. Its solutions support agriculture and climate risk management—helping smallholder farmers optimise resources, guiding corporate ecological assessments, and informing government policy decisions.
Among its technological features is the creation of crop masks derived from satellite data. These enable the precise identification of cultivated areas by distinguishing them from other vegetation, enhancing the accuracy of yield forecasts and environmental monitoring, especially significant for regions grappling with climate-related food insecurity.
In 2023, Amini secured a $4 million seed funding round led by Salesforce Ventures and Female Founders Fund. The investment will enhance the company’s technology and expand its reach.
Recognition and advisory roles
Kallot’s efforts have received international recognition. In 2023, she was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in AI. She is also a World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer and the 2024 One Young World Entrepreneur of the Year. In addition to her work at Amini, she advises international organisations and governments on using AI for social good. She is Vice Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce Global Environmental and Energy Commission.
Amini aims to contribute to environmental regeneration and climate resilience for over one billion people across Africa and the Global South by 2030.
