Location: Kenya or Nigeria preferred (or remote with initial 3-month regional stay)

Commitment: 3–5 days/week for 6–12 months

About The Role

The AI Expert-in-Residence (AI-XIR) will play a central role in embedding hands-on AI innovation across Delta40’s studio, internal operations, and portfolio companies. Far beyond an advisory role, the AI-XIR will roll up their sleeves to prototype, pilot, and deploy AI solutions, working directly with founders, product teams, and studio staff to bring ideas to life. They will accelerate Delta40’s ability to leverage AI for real-world impact, especially in low-resource environments across Africa.

This role sits within Delta40’s broader Expert-in-Residence (XIR) Program, which brings experienced practitioners into our ecosystem to contribute through venture building, coaching, and strategic studio initiatives. AI-XIRs typically commit 3 to 5 days per week for 6 to 12 months, with flexibility around schedule. In addition to office hours and workshops, the AI-XIR will lead targeted AI development sprints and co-build MVPs with startups and studio teams.

This is an ideal opportunity for a technologist or builder with deep AI capabilities, particularly someone who thrives in fast-paced, ambiguous environments and is excited to create tangible solutions in sectors like climate, agriculture, mobility, and fintech. Preference will be given to candidates based in Kenya or Nigeria, or those able to spend the first 3 months immersed in-region.

About the Delta40 Venture Studio

Delta40 is a VC Fund, Venture Studio, and Ecosystem builder in Africa, growing and investing in innovative ventures led by top Founders that improve livelihoods, jobs, & planetary health.

• VC Fund - We invest equity in top founders on the frontlines building in key sectors that drive economic growth such as energy, agriculture & food systems and mobility. We also design, test, and launch new funds that fill critical gaps in the capital continuum.
• Venture Studio - Beyond capital, we have built a unique venture studio and innovation ecosystem in Africa to ensure our ventures have access to the experienced operators, strategic partners, corporates, and investors they need to build ventures from idea to pan-African scale, exits, and impact.
• Ecosystem Builder - We built an unparalleled venture studio ecosystem of Founders, investors, corporates, and universities partners in Africa. We curate and convene these trusted partners for intentional, focussed initiatives to create new innovations and then catalyze the capital and strategic partnerships needed to scale across this important market.

Over the past 3 years, we have grown Delta40 from an idea to a thriving portfolio and ecosystem with a world-class team of Founders and investors. We have invested in 7 ventures, provided venture studio support to 12 companies operating in 30 African markets, and created ecosystem programs for 1,500 entrepreneurs, corporates, investors, and partners.

Delta40’s 2030 vision is to build a best-in-class VC fund and venture studio in Africa with outsized impact. We aim to support 1,000 entrepreneurs and invest in a portfolio of 100 ventures that can impact 100 million lives, create 250,000 jobs, and catalyze $1B into the innovation ecosystem in Africa.

Key Responsibilities

Studio AI Strategy & Integration

• Conduct technical audits of Delta40’s internal workflows and tools to identify AI integration opportunities. Rapidly prototype and test AI applications to improve efficiency and decision-making.
• Equip the Delta40 team with AI toolkits, playbooks, and training, including direct implementation of tools that streamline operations.
• Translate regional AI governance frameworks into operational best practices for responsible deployment.
• Stay ahead of AI trends and translate frontier developments into tangible, testable studio initiatives.

Portfolio Company Support & Venture Building

• Work side-by-side with portfolio founders and teams to design, build, and test AI features, products, and services—from concept to MVP to pilot deployment.
• Serve as a technical co-founder for select studio initiatives, helping bring bold, AI-first startup ideas to life.
• Develop and run founder-facing workshops and hands-on build sessions, creating reusable resources for startups across the Delta40 portfolio.
• Identify high-impact use cases for AI across Delta40’s core thesis areas (e.g., precision ag, smart mobility, climate resilience) and support venture teams in building toward them.

Investment & Technical Evaluation

• Map the African AI landscape and help shape Delta40’s investment thesis by identifying where AI can drive disproportionate value.
• Lead technical due diligence of AI-focused startups and ventures, evaluating feasibility, scalability, and defensibility of their models and infrastructure.
• Advise on AI-focused investment strategy, partnering with other investors and providing support to AI-native startups preparing for funding.

Build & Launch Your Next Venture

• XIRs have the opportunity to incubate their own venture within Delta40. With access to studio resources, operational support, and strategic guidance, the AI-XIR can develop and test their next big idea - from AI-powered tools for African agriculture to infrastructure-layer innovations.

Required Qualifications

• Deep practical experience building and deploying AI solutions, including end-to-end model development, data pipelines, and integration into real-world systems.
• Proven ability to apply AI to solve business or societal problems, ideally with measurable impact in resource-constrained or emerging market settings.
• Strong knowledge of modern AI/ML tools and frameworks (e.g., Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, LLMs, RAG, computer vision, etc.) and how to apply them in production environments.
• Demonstrated experience in startups, venture studios, or innovation environments, ideally as a builder, technical founder, or product lead.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with non-technical teams and communicate AI concepts clearly to founders, operators, and investors.
• Familiarity with the unique constraints and opportunities of building solutions in emerging markets (especially in Africa).
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the drive to prototype quickly, iterate fast, and ship in imperfect conditions.
  

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Computer Science, AI/ML, Data Science, or a related field. Equivalent hands-on experience is also welcome.
• Exposure to Delta40’s core focus areas: climate, agriculture, energy, mobility, or fintech.
• Experience advising, mentoring, or coaching early-stage founders or product teams.
• Familiarity with the African tech ecosystem, regulatory frameworks, and AI-relevant data availability.
• Strong understanding of AI ethics, governance, and responsible deployment.
• Prior involvement with venture capital, incubators, or innovation labs is a plus.

Commitment & Compensation

• Duration: 6-12 months (Preferred for a year, open to shorter for exceptional candidates).
• Location: Nairobi or Lagos preferred. Remote candidates must spend the first 3 months in Kenya or Nigeria.
• Compensation: Competitive and based on experience
• Benefits: Access to Delta40 Studio Space, Partnerships, Board Roles, Delta40 toolkit, & Delta40 Ecosystem