There’s something poetic about a Saturday afternoon in Nairobi—especially when it involves AI, startups, and an endless supply of mocha coffee. The sky was painted a perfect blue, the city buzzing with just enough energy to remind us why we’re here: the Nairobi Tech Mixer, hosted by DataMellon, a company promising AI-driven automation, cloud scalability, and a chance to rub shoulders with top investors.
The Workstyle Vibes
Nestled in I&M Tower, right next to City Park and the unmistakable Indian church, the venue set the perfect tone—modern, vibrant, and full of people who probably haven’t slept in days because they’re busy building the next unicorn startup. The golden sunlight cast long shadows as a cool breeze whispered through Parklands, adding just the right touch of dramatic cinematography to an evening of tech debates, caffeine-fueled brainstorming, and the occasional philosophical meltdown over AI.
The Mocha Chronicles
Mocha coffee. Strong, black, no sugar, no milk. The official elixir of Web3 events. It was everywhere—a silent, ever-present sponsor of entrepreneurial insomnia. Half the crowd was buzzing on caffeine, eyes wide open, minds racing through AI possibilities. One sip? You’re dialed in. Two sips? You might start coding an AI-driven toaster on the spot. Three sips? Take me to your dealer, sorry, Barrister.
Movers, Shakers, and a Slightly Wobbly Start
With the room full, the mixer kicked off—quite literally. Esther Kendi from Amplify Africa, in a power-packed maroon jumpsuit, took charge like the startup goddess she is. She organized the event, controlled the human dynamics, and possibly prevented some caffeine-fueled existential crises about AI.
The DataMellon Team lineup:
Charles (DataMellon’s marketing maestro),
Nakoli (country manager and startup whisperer),
Ty, the solution lead (spoke something close to Swahili, a good start, now all you need is some curse words to perfect it).
Then was more DataMellon AI Avengers—Oluwamlaye (Dre), senior AI wizard, Emmanuel, serial startup founder (he’s probably onto startup #3 as you read this), and Adewumi, the alliance manager who seemed to know everyone.
AI: The Savior, The Threat, and The Ultimate Business Partner
DataMellon CEO, Wale Adedaji:
“Business starts with AI and ends with AI.”
That might explain why our emails are now written by ChatGPT, and our calendars are scheduled by bots with suspiciously good manners. The discussion revolved around AI’s role in scaling startups, with a healthy mix of optimism and just enough existential dread to keep things interesting.
AI will help us build, scale, and streamline operations.
But won’t AI replace us all?
Well, yes... but let’s not focus on that right now. Instead, let’s use AI to make ourselves irreplaceable.
Key Takeaways: Start small, leverage AI smartly, and don’t get lost in buzzwords.
The Investor Playbook: Exit Strategies, Not Just Pitch Decks
Amity, King David (Silverstone Studios) and Michelle Nyambura (Startup Soko) took the stage for a fireside chat that burned down a few startup delusions. AI can reduce costs, but a bad business model will still sink you. Investors aren’t looking for flashy pitch decks—they want to know how you’ll scale from 20K to 100K users and, more importantly, how they’ll make an exit with a profit.
“If your deck doesn’t have an exit plan, you’re just giving a TED Talk.”
AI, Blockchain, and... Insects?
Somewhere between AI hype and exit strategies, Olivia, an insect farmer, took the mic. Yes, insect farming is now an AI-powered industry. AI is tracking insect production, optimizing farming, and probably plotting to replace bees next. Who knew entomology was where AI innovation would land next?
Cake, Riddles, and Giveaways
As the event wrapped up, quizmaster and in real life at Datamellon - she is the Kenyan Solutions Architect, Stacy Cheruto gathered the troops for some AI-powered quizzes and AI-baked cakes (okay, not yet—but give it a few months).
Prizes were handed out, alliances were formed, and the realization set in—AI isn’t just a tool; it’s the future of African startups. With the right strategy, support, and resilience, there’s no reason Nairobi can’t be the AI hub of the continent.
Workstyle’s Secret Weapon: Joseph & The Half Sausages
The Workstyle venue is an experience in itself—day or night, the views are spectacular. Shoutout to Joseph, the hub manager, for always making every event feel worthwhile. And to Vallery Hope (MyWildeEnterprises) for keeping us fed and warm, even making rounds to collect food feedback (the ½ sausages are officially a thing now—we blame the economy).
Final Words: AI or Die
Another eye-opening event, another realization: AI isn’t optional anymore. If you think you don’t need AI, you’re wrong. If you haven’t AI’d your business, you’re falling behind. AI is the tool of tools, the great efficiency hack of the 21st century.
DataMellon is looking to work with startups that want to scale using AI. And if you don’t know where to start? Reach out to them—they’re also an AWS partner, so they can help you with more than AI—like setting up your cloud infrastructure.
Until next time, stay caffeinated, stay innovative, and for the love of all things AI, write a proper exit strategy in your pitch deck.
Fabian Owuor
