Assistive technology start-up Blindsight receives Ksh.500,000 seed capital at Women in STEM Summit

Also known as Provision Sight Africa, the assistive technology start-up emerged as the overall winner of the Investor Pitch Arena at the Women in STEM Africa Summit 2026.

The summit was organized by WITIA in partnership with UNESCO, under the theme "Discovering Talent. Driving Innovation. Shaping Africa's Future".

Founded by Victoria Mwaura, Blindsight Africa Limited develops AI-powered smart navigation solutions to assist visually impaired individuals across Kenya and East Africa.

The company competed against nine finalists before a panel of investors, venture capitalists, and industry leaders during the final day’s pitch competition.

Speaking after the announcement, Mwaura noted that the funding represents a key operational milestone for the enterprise.

"Winning the Investor Pitch Arena is a powerful validation of the work we are doing to use AI to create greater independence and inclusion for visually impaired people," Mwaura said.

"The Ksh.500,000 will help us strengthen our technology, expand our reach and move closer to serving more people across Kenya and East Africa."

The competition awarded second place to Innobid, led by Co-Founder and CEO Eliud Luutsa.

Reflecting on the pitch arena, Luutsa emphasized the importance of direct exposure to investors and industry stakeholders.

"The Summit has given us more than recognition; it has opened doors to conversations, partnerships and opportunities that can help us grow Innobid and increase our impact,” Luutsa stated.

Third place was awarded to Tallycheck Limited, founded by Caesar Wamugo, Paul Chege, and Emanuel Maina.

At the summit, WITIA Founder and Chair Eunice Pohlmann reiterated the organization's focus on supporting female tech leaders across the region.

"Today we have seen what happens when talent is given a platform, when innovators are allowed to present their solutions and when investment begins to follow ideas," Pohlmann said.

Addressing the capital gap facing early-stage startups, WITIA Programs Manager Wesa Sitati explained that the pitch arena aims to connect raw talent with structural resources.

"Africa does not have a shortage of talent or ideas. What we need are stronger bridges between innovators and the capital, markets, mentorship and partnerships that can take their solutions to the next level,” Sitati said.

Underscoring the broader objective of the summit, WITIA Advisory Board Member Dr. Bella Namango highlighted the necessity of ecosystem-wide collaboration to scale regional solutions.

"The quality of innovation we have witnessed today is a reminder that Africa has the capacity to develop solutions for its own challenges and compete globally," Dr. Namango said.

The conference opened on September 3 with an address by Cabinet Secretary for Education Hon. Julius Migos Ogamba, who urged stakeholders to expand STEM opportunities for young people and girls to enable them to become creators of technology.