Artificial intelligence has gained enormous ground in recent years, enhancing the power of existing tech solutions. In Africa, Dumebi Okwechime leverages that technology to develop affordable and flexible banking products for all types of businesses. 

Dumebi Okwechime (photo) is the founder and Chief Data Scientist of Izifin, a provider of integrated finance solutions that enable all businesses to harness data to serve their customers better. 

The Nigerian-born founder has an impressive academic and professional background in artificial intelligence and data science. In 2011, he got his PhD in Computer Vision from the University of Surrey in the UK and an MBA from Imperial College London, in 2015.

During his doctoral studies, he created an artificial intelligence platform that determines how interested participants are in analyzed conversations based solely on their non-verbal social signals. 

He founded Izifin in 2021. Through that company, he offers flexible and affordable embedded banking products to all types of businesses, whatever their size or sector.

The company offers three main products. The first is IZI KYC, which enables fintechs to validate their users through facial detection, proof-of-life, facial matches, and identity verification. The second is IZI BNPL, which enables companies to offer Buy now, pay later (BNPL) services to their clients.  The third product is IZI MERCHANT, an embedded banking solution that enables businesses to digitalize processes, easily manage inventories, perform cashier services, and manage customer portfolios.

On October 5, 2023, Izifin and 10 other startups were selected to join the Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First program. The company will benefit from $350,000 in Google Cloud credits and access Google's expertise and support in artificial intelligence.

Prior to founding Izifin, the entrepreneur worked for major companies such as Siemens, where he was a technical consultant and software engineer between 2003 and 2004. After years in academia, he worked for companies such as fintech Renmoney, where he was Chief Decision Scientist (2019-2020), and logistics startup Kobo360, where he was Chief Data Officer (2020-2021).

Melchior Koba