AethexAI raises $3 million to automate calls across Africa and Mideast
AethexAI is a new startup founded by ex-Goldman Sachs and Meta folks, and they just raised $3 million to bring smarter voice AI to Africa and the Middle East.
Their goal? Automate customer calls in regions where tons of languages, dialects, and tech challenges make things tricky.
Builds compact multilingual AI models
Launched in 2025 by Mariama Diallo and Ayooluwa Odemuyiwa, AethexAI is building its own compact AI models that understand English, French, Arabic, and local dialects, fast.
They train their tech using anonymized recordings from a call-center partner, audio collected via radio stations, and a contributor network of university students to annotate data and pronounce local names.
Right now, their platform handles around 17,000 daily calls (mostly for debt collection or ID checks). By teaming up with telecom providers and focusing on local needs, they hope to fill gaps left by global AI giants.