Partnership creates a dedicated pathway for eligible alumni of IREX-led programs to develop AI-powered creative products in music, video, and games.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, August 11, 2026 — Gebeya and IREX today announced a new partnership to expand access to CANEX Create-Thon 2026, creating a dedicated pathway for alumni of IREX-led programs to participate in one of the continent’s leading AI innovation challenges.

Across the continent, entrepreneurs, developers, designers, and creators are using artificial intelligence to solve local challenges, launch new businesses, and reimagine industries. As AI reshapes the global economy, access to the tools, networks, and opportunities driving this transformation will help determine who shapes the future.

The collaboration introduces an exclusive application pathway and dedicated prize opportunities for IREX-led program alumni, recognizing exceptional AI-powered solutions developed during the Create-Thon. The initiative is designed to reduce barriers for talented innovators while increasing visibility and support for ideas with the potential to create meaningful impact.

CANEX Create-Thon 2026 is part of the broader Creative Africa Nexus initiative by the African Export-Import Bank, which advances Africa’s creative and digital economy by connecting technology, entrepreneurship, investment, and innovation.

Powered by Gebeya’s Dala Studio, an AI-native creation platform, the Create-thon challenges participants to transform ideas into AI-powered creative products across three categories: music, video, and games.

In the music category, participants can explore AI-powered tools for creation, composition, production, and new forms of musical expression. The video category focuses on AI-driven storytelling, filmmaking, editing, and content creation. The games category challenges innovators to build interactive experiences, game concepts, and AI-powered entertainment solutions.

Using natural language instead of traditional coding, Dala Studio enables creators to bring ideas to life by describing what they want to build. The platform makes advanced creative technology more accessible to both technical and nontechnical innovators, expanding participation in the creation of digital products and experiences.

Participants will also gain access to mentorship, learning opportunities, and a growing pan-African network of creators, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders working together to shape the future of Africa’s creative economy.

“AI is changing who gets to create technology,” said Amadou Daffe, CEO of Gebeya. “The next generation of African innovation won’t be defined by who can code the fastest. It will be defined by who can identify meaningful problems and build solutions that improve lives. This partnership helps ensure more innovators have that opportunity.”

Through its global network of innovators, entrepreneurs, and emerging leaders, IREX expands access to education, skills development, and opportunity. This partnership gives IREX alumni a pathway to explore AI-powered creation, strengthen practical skills, and participate in a growing ecosystem of African builders and innovators.

“This partnership reflects what IREX is working to make possible: helping people learn, lead, and thrive in a world increasingly shaped by technology, AI, and data,” said Aleksander Dardeli, President and CEO of IREX. “Afreximbank has built something important with Creative Africa Nexus: a platform that takes African creative talent seriously as an economic force, not just a cultural one. We’re proud to partner with Gebeya  to give our alumni a meaningful opportunity to bring their ideas to this platform. I’ve seen what happens when young innovators get the right tools at the right moment: they don’t just participate; they build things that outlast the program that got them started.”

The partnership reflects a broader shift in which AI is becoming a practical tool for entrepreneurship, creativity, and economic growth. As access to AI-powered creation tools expands, initiatives such as CANEX Create-thon can help innovators build products, businesses, and intellectual property that compete globally.

Applications for CANEX Create-Thon 2026 are now open, inviting Africa’s next generation of builders, creators, and entrepreneurs to transform bold ideas into AI-powered solutions.

About Gebeya

Gebeya is a pan-African AI technology company deploying AI for the next billion users by building localized digital infrastructure designed for Africa’s realities. Through AI-powered tools, accessible digital systems, and language-first experiences, Gebeya makes technology more usable, relevant, and inclusive for individuals, businesses, and institutions across the continent.

About IREX

IREX, the International Research & Exchanges Board, Inc., is a forward-looking global solutions provider that partners with communities, governments, institutions, funders, donors, and businesses to empower people to learn, lead, and thrive. Building on decades of trusted experience, IREX delivers world-class, evidence-informed approaches that help leaders bridge divides, learners succeed in the world of work, and people thrive in a world increasingly shaped by technology, AI, and data. With a commitment to continuous improvement, IREX strengthens performance, supports responsible innovation, expands opportunity, and creates lasting value with partners.