Democratising access to AI & Tech for the Global South
AI is reshaping the future, but access to it is still unequal. Tembi Labs runs AI hackathons at universities across the Global South, empowering students to build real, impactful solutions with modern AI tools.
AI hackathons at universities across the Global South
Roughly 4 hours of tools, then about 24 hours of building, then a real pitch to a jury.
Hardware & computer rooms where students can build
We build computer rooms from refurbished devices so a whole cohort gains access at once.
From Alumni & Supporters from…
Give people fish and you feed them for a day; teach people to fish and you feed them for a lifetime. But to fish for a lifetime, people need fishing rods, access to the lake, and the opportunity to cast their line.
Access to technology impacts the wellbeing or doom of societies and communities, especially in the age of AI. Without it, talented individuals and communities risk being left behind.
Tembi Labs bridges the gap by organising AI hackathons across the Global South and providing universities with cutting-edge devices.
The Tech Divide of the Global North & South
The Global North
Research & Development of the newest AI models
The Global North develops frontier models, accesses them, and shapes the future of tech & AI.
Abundance of cutting-edge devices
Abundant access to cutting-edge technology and the possession of multiple devices (smartphones, tablets, and PCs/laptops at once), especially among students.
Fruition of Science, Education & Entrepreneurship
As a result of these two combining factors and other variables, there is a fruition of scientific research, digital literacy, and economic value being produced.
The Global South
Active training, but no equity
Data workers in the Global South are the invisible backbone of the AI industry. They label data, train algorithms, and filter, without ever accessing the released AI.
Limited access, outdated devices & e-waste
Smartphones are often the only entrance to digital solutions; students end up writing their essays on mobiles, which limits opportunities and AI access in the long run.
Scarce tech resources, great outcomes
The same talent and minds, limited by a lack of access, are constrained in their outputs and outcomes, yet already show extraordinary growth with few resources. What they could do with more access would be groundbreaking.
The Tembi Approach
Hands-on AI hackathons with university partners, so students build with the technology instead of only reading about it.
Companies in the Global North pass on the laptops and PCs they no longer use. We take care of vetting, data wiping, and logistics.
Devices go where they carry the most weight: computer rooms and labs at the universities we already know from the ground up.
Chapter Leads and AI Champions keep the programme alive between hackathons, backed by education from our company and research partners.
Access turns into output: solutions built for their own communities, and a talent pool that companies in the Global North can hire from.
Tech access should be a human right — for everyone, everywhere!
How we work & our partner journey
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Step 1
We host AI hackathons together with universities, igniting the fire and checking critical infrastructure for device donation.
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Step 2
During this process, starting from the initial hackathon, we enter into numerous talks with the university administration; they become our partners once vetted rigorously through our process.
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Step 3
Meanwhile, we partner in the Global North with companies who want to donate resources, funds, and devices in support of the mission, and with AI companies & research labs willing to provide AI credits and education programmes to the students.
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Step 4
To keep the fire going, we empower young students to take part in the Chapter Lead & AI Champion programme. They organise hackathons and become on-the-ground experts other students can approach.
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Step 5
Once partnered with a university, we set the cornerstones for device distribution with the administration, developing a concept and facilitating the distribution and the building of computer labs.
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Step 6
Beyond the computer labs, we focus on educating staff, teachers, community leaders, and more, to ensure these devices are used and remain impactful, spurring ideas and solutions to their communities' own challenges and igniting the entrepreneurial spirit.
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Step 7
Through this enablement, empowerment, and access to cutting-edge technologies, our focus shifts to value generation. We want to focus on entrepreneurship and economic outcomes, spurring further benefits to the whole community.
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Step 8
While we stay in the loop, making sure the previous steps continue without us, we open our platform for talent placement and recruiting. The hackathons, devices, and our enablement programme give us an immense pool of ready-to-work talent that we share with companies in the Global North, as a business model.
From AI Hackathons to Device Donations
STEP 1
Hackathons that build real things
AI hackathons are the foundation and immediate impact of our partnerships with universities. AI is at the forefront of technology, evolving rapidly. Through hands-on applications we support students and ignite their drive to build with this technology responsibly, preparing them with one of the most important skills of their careers. The hackathons help us understand each university's needs, infrastructure, and priorities, build strong relationships with university leadership, and ensure that every donated device is placed where it will have the greatest long-term impact.
STEP 2
Chapter Leads & AI Champions
By empowering Chapter Leads & AI Champions, we enable students on the ground to keep the fire burning between hackathons. We guide them through the AI education prepared by the companies and research labs we partner with. Becoming a Chapter Lead means organising further AI events on the ground, advancing digital, tech & AI literacy, while AI Champions are the experts various students can approach for questions and help.
STEP 3
Hardware & Computer Rooms
Building computer rooms at universities across the Global South, equipping them with modern tech devices like PCs, laptops, and laboratory equipment, is our ultimate goal. This way we ensure widespread access for many students at once, helping them gain a foothold in the digital world and enabling them to build solutions for their communities and economies.
Our Impact
25+
AI Hackathons organised
100%
Success Rate
48
Partners & Supporters
4 countries
Operating in
300
Students impacted
5
Solutions built
Our Partners & Collaborators
Tembi Labs works alongside universities, companies, and funding partners to run AI hackathons and open doors for the students and participants who shine. Our focus is disciplined progress, from a first event to a self-sustaining ecosystem.
"We do not run charity. We run talent-activation programmes. Participants are the authors of their success, not recipients of handouts."
T
Tembi Manifesto
How we work
"We are a diaspora team that knows these contexts first-hand and works as peers, not as outsiders flying in. We believe in the talent. Our job is to remove the access barrier."
TJ
Tim Jamboula
Founder & CEO
"Tembi Labs exists to dismantle the hardware and access barriers that exclude talented builders in the Global South from the global tech economy."
T
Tembi Manifesto
Our mission
"We report our failures as openly as our successes. All our KPIs are public."
T
Tembi Manifesto
Radical transparency
Countries we operate in
Are you a university?
Bring a hackathon to your campus. You provide the venue, access to students, and a point of contact. Tembi brings the format, facilitation, jury, sponsored AI tools, and mentors.
Are you a company?
Sponsor a Corporate Challenge Day. Set a real problem, your jury takes part, you own the IP of the solutions, and you meet the talent. EUR 5,000 to 15,000.
FAQ
Questions you might have…
It starts with a short 30-minute call. The university provides the venue, access to students, a local contact, plus power and internet. Tembi brings the format, facilitation, jury, sponsored AI tools and credits, mentors and storytelling. From there it takes roughly 6 to 8 weeks of lead time to run the first hackathon.
We are a diaspora team that knows these contexts first-hand and works as peers, not outsiders flying in. We run talent-activation programmes, not charity, and we report our impact, budget and failures openly. All our KPIs are public.
Companies sponsor a Corporate Challenge Day (EUR 5,000 to 15,000). You set a real problem with sample data, your jury takes part, you own the IP of the solutions, and you gain brand presence and access to a talent pipeline.
Roughly 4 hours of introduction to AI tools, then about 24 hours of team building, then a business pitch to a jury with prizes. Participants use AI-native tools like Cursor and Lovable and build working prototypes in 24 to 48 hours. The strongest builders join the Fellows network.
Taking part is free. Students pay nothing. Tembi brings the format, facilitation, a jury with prizes, sponsored AI tools and credits, and mentors. Students bring their idea, their curiosity, and a laptop if they have one.
Devices are earned, not given away. A hackathon first proves local demand. After that, refurbished enterprise laptops (through partners like Computer Aid International) are built into computer rooms for institutions, with local owners and a check-in after 6 months.
Yes. Universities across the Global South are our core partners. The university provides the venue, access to students, and a local contact; Tembi brings everything needed to run the format and, once vetted, sets the cornerstones for device distribution.
Yes. Every partner has a direct point of contact at Tembi Labs who guides you from the first call through the hackathon and beyond.