Applied ai in africa
Where Africa’s boldest ideas in science and AI take shape
The FDL Foundations Big Think is an interdisciplinary workshop bringing together AI researchers, scientists, and African partner organisations to help shape the challenge set for the Autumn 2026 FDL Foundations sprint.
FDL Foundations (Africa), delivered in partnership with SARAO, SANSA, DARA, the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, Trillium Technologies and commercial AI partners such as Google Cloud and NVIDIA, brings AI researchers, domain scientists, and partner organisations together for an interdisciplinary workshop.
The strongest ideas evolve into one-page concept notes, forming the basis of the challenge set for the FDL Foundations Autumn 2026 sprint.
For any inquiries, contact us at fdlfoundations@fdl.ai
BIG THINK
The FDL Foundations Big Think was a hybrid event on 9-10 March 2026, hosted at NITheCS in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.
FAQS
What is the timeline for selection of the FDL Foundations challenges?
Challenges go through final selection after the submission deadline and Big Think discussion. Timelines and an additional call are subject to change.
What is the selection process for challenges submitted?
Challenges are assessed for basic compliance and FDL Foundations fit. After pre-screening, challenges are refined and those that meet the criteria and have secured funding are selected.
My idea was strong. Why was it not selected?
There may be many reasons a challenge is not selected that are independent of the validity of the idea itself. Selection reflects alignment to agency goals, portfolio balance, data readiness, feasibility within the sprint, and availability of resources and expertise.
What happens if my challenge is not selected this year?
Your challenge may remain in the pool for consideration in future years.
Who can peer review my submission?
Any individual from an institution, company, or organization who is an accredited subject matter expert with relevant peer reviewed publication history in the domain within the last three years. This individual should be a respected third party who can provide a balanced assessment and who will not take part in the research or benefit if the project is selected.
I have an idea that I want to keep under my hat and it includes proprietary information, can I submit?
All ideas must be submitted in the spirit of open science. Information must be shareable with faculty, researchers, and partners. We cannot accept liability for proprietary information included in a submission.