Glovo Champions AI and Awards Global Barcelona Residency to Kenyan Startup at GITEX Kenya 2026

Glovo, the leading multi-category technology platform operating across Europe, Central Asia, and Africa, has concluded its participation at GITEX Kenya 2026 by reinforcing its vision for a more practical and inclusive approach to artificial intelligence — one rooted in solving everyday operational challenges for local businesses, independent riders, and customers.

Held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), the Summit brought together startups, investors, policymakers, and technology leaders shaping the future of Africa’s digital economy. During the event, Glovo also awarded a Kenyan startup a fully funded residency at its global headquarters in Barcelona through the Glovo Kenya PowerUp Award 2026.

Speaking during the flagship panel discussion, “Smarter Informal Markets: AI for the Everyday Economy,” Caroline Mutuku, Managing Director of Glovo Kenya, said the future of AI in Africa will depend on whether technology delivers measurable value to the people powering the real economy.

“For an everyday economy to thrive, technology must act as a bridge that helps solve the daily operational challenges experienced by local merchants, riders, and customers,” said Mutuku. “The informal economy will only truly benefit from AI if it creates reliable and useful opportunities for the workers and businesses generating value every day.”

Mutuku explained that Glovo’s approach to AI is focused on practical deployment across the platform’s ecosystem to ensure a positive impact on the users of the Glovo apps. The company outlined how data and predictive intelligence are already helping merchants better anticipate demand, improve operational planning, reduce waste, and identify peak trading periods.

For riders, Glovo said predictive operational models are helping reduce idle time, improve delivery efficiency, and stabilise earning opportunities. The company also highlighted its ongoing collaboration with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), including a voluntary in-app rider safety technological feature that provides driving analytics designed to encourage safer road behaviour.

On the customer side, Glovo said AI-driven personalisation enables them to receive more relevant recommendations based on order history, location, and time-of-day trends, creating a more tailored, localised and thus better experience across the platform.

Beyond customer-facing operations, the company noted that AI tools are also supporting internal productivity across engineering, operations, customer support, finance, and legal teams through automation and workflow optimization.

In parallel with its AI focus, Glovo took part in the GITEX Supernova Startup Challenge as a strategic ecosystem partner and official judge. During the event, the company presented the Glovo Kenya PowerUp Award 2026 to Geoinfortrak International Limited, recognising the startup’s potential to scale innovative solutions from Kenya to international markets.

As part of the award, Geoinfortrak International Limited will participate in Startup Campus Week this October at Yellow Park, Glovo’s headquarters in Barcelona, Spain. The residency will provide direct mentorship from Glovo leadership, exposure to the Barcelona startup ecosystem, strategic networking opportunities, and investor pitch sessions designed to support long-term scaling and international expansion.

Looking ahead, Glovo said it remains committed to supporting Kenya’s growing digital economy by investing in local partnerships, entrepreneurship, and technology solutions designed to create more inclusive economic opportunities.

Read Also: Glovo And NTSA Partner To Launch Rider Safety Initiative