The TEAM
Meet The Team Behind Resource-Efficient AI
Lelapa AI is a home to a collective of researchers, engineers, and builders who believe the future of AI won’t be defined by bigger models, but by smarter, more efficient ones. Working within the real constraints of the Global South – limited bandwidth, modest devices, and fluid multilingual speech – has shaped our expertise.
These challenges made us leaders in low-resource AI, designing models that use less compute, less data, and less power while excelling in complex, real-world language environments.
We’ve solved the efficiency challenges that stop traditional AI in its tracks, creating a blueprint for scalable, sustainable AI worldwide. Because if it works in the Global South, it can work anywhere.
Pelonomi
Moiloa
Pelonomi Moiloa
Pelonomi has spent 8 years in the data science domain, leading data science teams in developing and productionalising machine learning solutions in the finance industry.
She has Biomedical and Electrical Engineering degrees from the University of the Witwatersrand and an MSc from Tohoku University where she did research on a deep learning application for neurophysiology.
A community organiser she is Trustee of the Ruth First Jeppe Memorial Trust and runs the Code Kamoso coding academy for girl teens as co-director of The Ungovernable NPC. Pelonomi was named to the 200 Young South Africans list in 2019.
Jade
Abbott
JADE ABBOTT
Jade has 10 years experience building and professionalizing AI in industry working across banking to NGOs to startups. She is co-founder of Masakhane, the grassroots organisation driving NLP research in African languages, for Africans, by Africans. Abbott holds an MSc. from the University of Pretoria. Recent honours include being one of South Africa’s Inspiring Fifty 2020 and Mail&Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans 2021.
Vukosi
Marivate
VUKOSI MARIVATE
George
Konidaris
GEORGE KONIDARIS
Pravesh
Ranchod
PRAVESH RANCHOD
Benjamin
Rosman
BENJAMIN ROSMAN
Mbali ndandani
Thembani biyam
Atnafu Lambebo Tonja
Aremu Anuoluwaopo
JESSICA OJO
Fadel thior
Eric wairagala
LUANDRIE POTGIETER
sett wai
raphael karanja
henslaac ndlovu
Thandi Tshabalala
Ashraf stakala
Nhlawulo shikwambane
Thandeka makofane
Lumiere mondo
tiaan roelofse
Our Partners
CAREERS
We’re looking to team up with you to make our vision a reality. To join our team and get to know more about the available opportunities within the organization, follow the link below.
