Biography:Elly Savatia
Elly Savatia | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2001 Kenya |
| Nationality | Kenyan |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, innovator |
| Known for | Founder of Signvrse; creator of Terp 360 |
Notable work | Terp 360 |
| Awards | Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation (2025) |
Elly Savatia (born 2001) is a Kenyan entrepreneur and innovator, best known as the founder of the technology startup Signvrse and creator of Terp 360,[1] an artificial intelligence-powered application that translates speech and text into sign language using 3D avatars.[1] In 2025, he won the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation for his work on the project.[1][2]
Career
Savatia founded the Nairobi-based startup Signvrse in the early 2020s for digital accessibility for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community across Africa.[3] At the age of 24, he launched Terp 360, which has been described as a "Google Translate for sign language."[1] The platform uses artificial intelligence and motion-captured data to render real-time sign language translations via photorealistic 3D avatars.[1][4][5]
The app was developed in collaboration with deaf Kenyans, recording over 2,300 signs, including common phrases and words in Kenyan Sign Language (KSL).[6] According to Savatia, the AI is trained using motion sensors that capture a signer's hand movements and gestures in three-dimensional space.[1][7]
By mid-2025, Terp 360 reached over 2,000 users and was piloted in schools, hospitals, and workplaces to assist communication between deaf and hearing people.[1][8]
Recognition
In October 2025, Savatia was awarded the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation by the Royal Academy of Engineering in a ceremony held in Dakar, Senegal. He received £50,000 for winning the competition, which honours African entrepreneurs using engineering and technology to address local challenges.[9]
See also
- Kenyan Sign Language
- Assistive technology
- Royal Academy of Engineering
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Sykes, Jasmin (2025-10-22). "App that translates speech to sign language in real-time wins top innovation prize" (in en). https://www.cnn.com/world/africa/speech-to-sign-language-app-wins-africa-innovation-prize-spc.
- ↑ Initiative, Young African Leaders (2024-10-17). "Elly Savatia Bridges Communication Gaps in Africa Through SignVrse" (in en-US). https://yali.state.gov/elly-savatia-bridges-communication-gaps-in-africa-through-signvrse/.
- ↑ "Four African Innovators Compete for Engineering Excellence Prize | News Ghana" (in en-US). 2025-09-16. https://www.newsghana.com.gh/four-african-innovators-compete-for-engineering-excellence-prize/.
- ↑ Wachaya, Derrick (2025-08-22). "The Gen Z innovator changing lives across Africa, Elly Savatia" (in en-GB). https://thred.com/change/the-gen-z-innovator-changing-lives-across-africa-elly-savatia/.
- ↑ "Elly Savatia" (in en). https://africaprize.raeng.org.uk/2025-cohort/elly-savatia/.
- ↑ "Kenyan innovators behind an AI sign language app and EV battery hubs are up for a £50,000 prize - Techish Kenya" (in en-US). 2025-09-19. https://tech-ish.com/2025/09/19/kenyan-innovators-behind-an-ai-sign-language-app-and-ev-battery-hubs-are-up-for-a-50000-prize/.
- ↑ Wanzala, James. "Kenyan wins top Africa Prize for engineering" (in en-us). https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/sports/enterprise/2001532348/kenyan-wins-top-africa-prize-for-engineering.
- ↑ Nzomo, Brian (2025-10-22). "Kenyan Engineer Elly Savatia Wins Top Innovation Prize for AI Sign-Language App" (in en-US). https://kenyanwallstreet.com/kenyan-engineer-wins-innovation-prize-for-ai-sign-language/.
- ↑ "Kenyan AI app turning speech into sign language wins African award" (in en-KE). 2025-10-22. https://www.citizen.digital/tech/kenyan-ai-app-turning-speech-into-sign-language-wins-african-award-n371770.
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