The mission to democratize artificial intelligence (AI) is moving from the neighborhoods of Indianapolis to the heart of West Africa.
Following the successful completion of a year-long project to train 1,000 Indiana residents in AI literacy, InnoPower Indy is now pivoting to a global scale, with a goal once unthinkable: reaching one million learners.
The announcement, made on April 15, centers on a partnership between the Indianapolis-based InnoPower and Luma Learn AI. The collaboration aims to provide free, accessible education to students in communities that have been historically sidelined by the digital divide.
The architect of this expansion, Emil Ekiyor, built a career on bridging disparate worlds. A former NFL player who spent six seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons, Ekiyor eventually settled in Indianapolis, where he transitioned from professional sports to community-centered economic development.
As the CEO of InnoPower Indy, Ekiyor spent much of 2025 focusing on the “Hoosier AI 1000.” The initiative used a train-the-trainer model to ensure that small business owners, educators and formerly incarcerated individuals were not left behind as AI technology reshapes the workforce.
With the Indiana proof-of-concept secured, the organization now applies those same principles to a continent where teacher shortages and infrastructure gaps are a daily reality.
“This is what the transition from aid to investment looks like,” Ekiyor said. “Two Nigerians who built their lives in America, using American networks to solve African problems. Indianapolis is part of that story.”
The technical backbone of the new venture builds on simplicity rather than high-end hardware. Luma Learn AI, co-founded by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Chris Folayan, operates through WhatsApp.
In rural West Africa, where high-speed broadband is a luxury and legacy devices are the norm, the choice of platform is strategic. By delivering tutoring in 11 different languages through a common messaging app, the partnership bypasses the traditional barriers to entry that have stalled previous technological waves on the continent, according to a press release.
To support the expansion, InnoPower utilizes its American networks to raise $250,000 in capital. These funds are designated to subsidize access for families and schools that lack the financial resources to participate in the burgeoning digital economy.
For Ekiyor, the project represents a shift in the philosophy of international outreach. Rather than a traditional aid model, the partnership is being framed as a strategic investment in human capital — led by individuals with deep ties to both the United States and Nigeria.
By connecting the professional networks of Indianapolis to the educational needs of rural Africa, the initiative seeks to create a self-sustaining ecosystem of literacy. While the local focus remains on empowering Hoosier business owners and students, the mission now includes ensuring that a million voices across the Atlantic are also prepared for the technological shifts of the future.
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Contact multimedia reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more news, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
Noral Parham is the multi-media reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
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