When two young veterinary medicine students in Nigeria noticed that their peers and loved ones were losing access to education because of visual impairments, they knew something had to change. What began as a small idea in medical school gradually evolved into Vinsighte, a social impact startup that uses artificial intelligence to make learning and everyday life more accessible for visually impaired people.
Founded by Oluwatomisin Kolawole, Co-founder & CEO, and Olarinde Olakuntoye, Co-founder & Director, Vinsighte was born out of lived experiences and close observations. The duo had seen firsthand how visual impairment often forced students to drop out of school, stripping them of opportunities for growth and dignity. Even someone close to them struggled to keep up with studies due to vision-related challenges. These moments of helplessness turned into sparks of inspiration. Instead of waiting for the world to adapt, they decided to build a solution that could bridge the gap.
“Lots of people were losing out on education due to visual impairment. Someone close to my heart, at that point in time, was struggling with visual impairment. And we just came together to brainstorm around it and see how we could actually provide solutions for the condition. That’s how I came up with the idea of building Vinsighte,” explains Oluwatomisin.
At the core of Vinsighte is an AI-powered mobile application that combines optical character recognition with text-to-speech technology. Users simply place a book under the phone’s camera, and the app scans the text and reads it aloud.
For visually impaired individuals, this simple act transforms inaccessible printed text into a gateway of opportunity. The product also extends to audiobooks and PDF reading capabilities, ensuring that users can learn on the go, access novels, or listen to study materials without barriers. The team is now working on incorporating AI-driven summarisation tools to make studying even more efficient.
Built at a time when AI was still nascent in Africa
But like most early-stage ventures, the journey was far from smooth. Building a robust and efficient AI product in the early days was a steep challenge. AI was still nascent in Africa, with limited resources and knowledge pools.
“At the time, AI wasn’t as widespread or well understood, so we had to go into in-depth research and run multiple iterations before arriving at the right product. Developing the AI technology was one of the biggest challenges we faced in the beginning,” notes Oluwatomisin.
Funding was another mountain to climb. Initially bootstrapped, Vinsighte sustained itself through grant funding, which has been the primary source of capital to date.
Accessing impact-focused investors has often been difficult, as social ventures in Africa still struggle with limited channels of funding and questions about monetisation. According to Oluwatomisin, many visually impaired individuals, who make up the core user base, belong to low-income backgrounds, making it challenging to convert them into paying customers.
Despite these hurdles, Vinsighte has crossed significant milestones. To date, over 15,000 people across Nigeria have benefitted from the solution. The app has made its way into schools for the visually impaired, with nearly ten institutions already using it to empower students.
Beyond visual impairment, the solution is also finding relevance among communities living with albinism, who often face similar challenges with sight. The startup is now working to expand its offerings for people with dyslexia and ADHD, and over the next few years, it hopes to scale into other African markets such as Kenya and Ghana.
The impact is not only reflected in adoption but also in the validation the company has received through funding. Vinsighte has secured more than $200,000 in grant support, helping the founders build, refine, and distribute their solution to the communities that need it the most. This capital has allowed them to introduce new product lines like PDF readers and audiobook platforms, ensuring that users have multiple avenues to access content.
Path ahead
Looking ahead, the founders believe that artificial intelligence can become a cornerstone of accessibility and inclusion in Africa. As Tomi and Pola explain, AI has the power to democratise access to education, employment, and opportunities for people who have traditionally been excluded.
They envision a future where technology doesn’t just level the playing field but creates an environment where everyone, regardless of disability, can thrive. By offering tools that improve accessibility, AI can be a force for empowerment rather than exclusion.
“I believe AI is going to transform every aspect of life across Africa. Our goal is to provide accessibility to tools that can empower people who are disadvantaged or excluded,” Olawutomisin emphasizes.
“AI will significantly increase accessibility and inclusion, which is especially important in the disability space. For visually impaired individuals, for instance, I believe we’ll see more tools, resources, technologies, and apps that can enhance their well-being and improve access to education, employment, and ultimately, a more comfortable way of life.”
The road to building a social impact startup in Africa has taught the duo several lessons. Patience, they say, is perhaps the most important. Developing products for underserved communities takes time, iteration, and resilience. They’ve also learned that solutions must always be built from the customer’s perspective.
Countless surveys, conversations, and interactions with users have shaped their product, reminding them that innovation only matters when it directly addresses real pain points. Lastly, they stress the importance of building relationships—with stakeholders, funders, customers, and even friends. A strong network, they believe, can open doors to funding, partnerships, and distribution opportunities that might otherwise remain elusive.
For aspiring social entrepreneurs, Vinsighte’s journey is a reminder that impact-driven ventures can create ripples of change, even in the face of daunting challenges. The advice the founders offer is straightforward yet powerful: be patient, build for the user, and nurture relationships that can help sustain your vision.
In their own story, these principles have guided them from the early days of brainstorming in medical school classrooms to impacting thousands of lives across Nigeria.
As Vinsighte looks to the future, the company’s vision is expanding. Beyond visual impairments, they want to reach people with learning difficulties and even those without disabilities who may face barriers in accessing education or personal development.
Their long-term goal is to make learning and inclusion seamless for anyone who faces obstacles, regardless of where they live or what challenges they face.
From a small idea rooted in empathy to a growing enterprise with continental ambitions, Vinsighte represents the spirit of African innovation—solutions built by young entrepreneurs who are not only dreaming of a better world but also building the tools to make it possible.