South African artificial intelligence startup Certus AI has joined the ranks of Y Combinator-backed companies, a rare feat for an African-founded venture. The Cape Town-based company, co-founded by 19-year-old CEO Gurveer Singh alongside Adam Gamieldien and Isaac Nichols, leverages advanced AI to streamline restaurant bookings, orders, and deliveries. The achievement underscores the growing presence of young African entrepreneurs on the global tech stage.
From Family Business to Global Ambitions
The inspiration for Certus AI originated from Singh’s experience working in his parents’ restaurant chain, Punjab, during the post-COVID recovery period. He noticed that many restaurants were losing business due to missed phone orders, often caused by the inability to manage multiple calls efficiently. This challenge sparked the idea of using voice-based AI to automate the process, reducing human error and improving customer experience.
Building a Smarter Restaurant Assistant
Together with Gamieldien, a former classmate, and Nichols, whom he met at a gym, Singh developed Certus AI to act as an intelligent assistant for restaurants. The system, built using technologies from OpenAI and Google, automates calls, manages reservations, and processes food orders with 98.6% accuracy. It also integrates with major delivery platforms such as Uber Eats and DoorDash, allowing seamless handoffs from order placement to kitchen preparation and delivery.
Y Combinator Recognition
The startup’s innovative approach caught the attention of Y Combinator, which accepted Certus AI into its accelerator program on the team’s second application. The acceptance came with a multimillion-rand early-stage investment, positioning the startup for international expansion. For Singh and his co-founders, joining the same accelerator that supported OpenAI and Airbnb marks a significant validation of their vision and technological capability.
Global Footprint with South African Roots
Although the company was founded in South Africa, it is now registered in the United Kingdom and the United States to better serve its growing international investor and customer base. Singh, originally from Durban and now based in the UK, plans to relocate with his team to San Francisco to work closely with Y Combinator mentors and potential investors. Despite this move, Singh emphasized his commitment to maintaining ties with South Africa and promoting local talent within the tech ecosystem.
Technology Designed for Every Restaurant
Certus AI’s solution caters to both high-tech and traditional restaurants. For establishments lacking digital infrastructure, the company offers a simple hardware setup using a Raspberry Pi to print receipts directly from orders. By combining AI voice processing with real-time order management, Certus helps restaurants reduce missed calls, boost order accuracy, and increase overall sales efficiency.
Future Plans and Vision
The founders see the Y Combinator program as a launchpad to scale globally and further refine their technology. Their long-term vision includes creating a fully autonomous AI system that can handle customer service end-to-end, from answering calls to managing deliveries. Singh believes that voice-based AI has the potential to transform the restaurant industry, making it more efficient, data-driven, and customer-focused.
Certus AI’s success marks a breakthrough moment for African innovation, showing that world-class technology can emerge from the continent’s youngest entrepreneurs. Backed by Y Combinator, Singh and his team are poised to bring their AI-driven restaurant solution to global markets while proudly maintaining their South African identity. Their journey from a local restaurant challenge to Silicon Valley recognition captures the growing potential of Africa’s next generation of tech leaders.
Source: Techcentral