Ugandan technology company SANDI AI Technologies has emerged as the overall winner of the 2026 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize, earning US$50,000 (about Shs190 million) to support the growth of its agricultural finance platform.
The startup, founded by Ugandan entrepreneur Nabakka Sandra, received the award at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026 Summit in Kigali, Rwanda.
SANDI AI was recognised for its use of artificial intelligence to improve access to credit for smallholder farmers, particularly those who face difficulties obtaining loans through conventional financial institutions.
The company is developing technology designed to connect farmers with unsecured financial services by using alternative information to better understand their circumstances and financing needs.
For many smallholder farmers, access to affordable credit remains a major constraint to increasing production. Requirements such as collateral, formal income records and fixed assets can prevent farmers from qualifying for conventional loans, even when they have land, farming experience and established markets.
SANDI AI is seeking to address this gap by applying artificial intelligence to agricultural finance.
Speaking after the award, Nabakka said the company’s focus is on developing financial solutions that reflect the circumstances of farmers.
“Farmers should not be limited by systems that were not designed around their realities,” Nabakka 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 US$50,000 prize will be used to support the company’s technology development and expansion, as it seeks to reach more farmers and extend its operations.
The award places SANDI AI among a growing group of African startups using technology to tackle challenges in agriculture, finance and rural development.
Agriculture provides livelihoods for millions of people across Africa, but farmers continue to face difficulties accessing the capital needed to expand their businesses.
Smallholder farmers require financing for inputs such as seeds and fertiliser, as well as equipment, labour and other production costs. Limited access to credit can therefore restrict their ability to increase output and participate more effectively in agricultural markets.
Traditional lending models, however, can be difficult for farmers who lack conventional collateral or formal financial records.
SANDI AI’s approach is based on using artificial intelligence and agricultural information to develop alternative ways of assessing farmers and linking them to financial services.
The company believes that technology can help financial institutions gain a better understanding of agricultural borrowers while giving farmers opportunities to access financing that may otherwise be unavailable to them.
SANDI AI competed against other African agrifood businesses for the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize before taking the top award.
The competition is aimed at identifying and supporting young entrepreneurs developing businesses across agriculture and food systems.
The award was presented during the Africa Food Systems Forum, which brought together policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to discuss the future of agriculture and food production on the continent.
For Uganda, SANDI AI’s success highlights the emergence of locally developed technology businesses seeking to address domestic and continental challenges.
The startup’s focus on agriculture also comes as African technology companies increasingly explore artificial intelligence as a tool for improving financial services, productivity and access to markets.
SANDI AI intends to use the prize money to strengthen its platform and expand its reach.
The company’s long-term objective is to make agricultural finance more accessible by developing systems that take into account the realities of smallholder farmers rather than relying solely on conventional lending requirements.
Sandra said the company wants to build financial solutions that give farmers a better chance of accessing the capital they need to grow.
“Our ambition is to make access to finance smarter, fairer, and more inclusive,” she said.
The GoGettaz award provides the startup with both funding and increased visibility as it seeks to scale its operations and establish itself in Africa’s growing agritech and financial technology space.
