Tennsa is developing AI tools designed to help businesses reduce the time spent managing day-to-day operations.
Its first product, Tennsa OS, connects with the software businesses already use and brings information from those systems into one place. The platform is designed to identify issues that need attention, explain why they matter, and help businesses make decisions faster.
The startup has received more than ZAR1 million (about $61,000) from Oakvale Invest, making Tennsa the investment firm’s first portfolio company.
Rivar Maharaj, Tennsa’s founder, said the company wants to use AI to give business owners more time to focus on their work instead of constantly keeping track of every part of the business.
“Artificial intelligence is supposed to give people easier lives and more time to be human,” Maharaj said. He added that Tennsa is focused on building AI that supports people rather than replacing them.
Oakvale Invest said it was created to invest in African AI startups, particularly at stages when they struggle to attract funding.
“We built Oakvale Invest to back AI companies on the African continent where capital is hardest to find,” said Herman Ekdahl of Oakvale Invest.
He said Tennsa stood out because it has an African founder, is building a product for the local market, and is moving quickly to get the product into the hands of businesses.