Activation Early Access

Get connected to the Africa Compute Grid and run your first workload.

The Africa Compute Fund is building a compute utility: shared infrastructure that organizations can use without having to build and operate the full stack themselves. In the same way most businesses don’t build a private power plant or lay a national fibre network, most businesses shouldn’t have to assemble GPU infrastructure, orchestration, security controls, and operating processes from scratch to run serious AI workloads.

The goal is a grid: multiple locations, pooled capacity, and a consistent interface, so the same organization can run workloads reliably without needing to care which specific rack, room, or site is doing the work. Over time, the grid grows by adding more locations and more capacity, while the access experience stays consistent.

Many teams already know what they want to do with compute: train models, fine-tune, run inference, process data, or speed up iteration. The practical challenge is usually getting from intention to a working setup. There’s often a gap between "we want to run workloads" and "we have a working pipeline we can run again."

That connection step is what we call an Activation.

Activation

An Activation is a bounded install-and-commission step. You go from not connected to connected, and you can confirm it with a simple outcome: a first workload runs end-to-end and usage is metered. It’s not a long program and it’s not open-ended advisory. It’s a straightforward way to get connected, run something real, and establish an operational starting point.

Once you’re connected, you can keep using the grid in the way that suits you. Some teams will start small and scale usage over time. Others will want predictability and move toward reserved capacity. Some will build internal capability in parallel. The grid stays the same; your usage pattern becomes more mature as your needs grow.

The Process

Activation means connected and commissioned.

• Connected means you have real access and a defined way to submit work.

• Commissioned means a first workload has run end-to-end and produced an output, with usage measured.

Activation follows a simple sequence:

1. Scope the first workload
   Choose one initial workload and define one success metric, plus a single owner on your side. This is intentionally narrow. The goal is to establish one working line that can be reused and expanded.

2. Provision access
   Accounts, keys, permissions, and basic controls are set up so compute can be used safely and predictably. Metering visibility is included so usage is clear.

3. Commission the line
   A first run happens end-to-end. The output is produced. Usage is recorded. This is the moment the connection becomes real.

4. Handover
   We document what was connected, what ran, the success metric, and what the usage profile looked like, so your team can continue without restarting from zero.

Prerequisites to start Activation:

• One clear first job you want to run, and how you’ll judge success (one simple metric).

• One person on your side who owns the setup and can make decisions quickly.

• A way to access the data needed for the first run (either a small sample you share, or a controlled way to access it).

• A place to connect from your side (for example: a script, an app backend, a notebook, or a pipeline where the workload will be submitted).

Plans

Activation Early Access is offered in three plans. All plans connect to the same utility. The difference is how much help you want getting to the first commissioned workload.

Activation Free — $0

For teams that can integrate independently. Best if you already have an engineer who can ship. Includes:

• Monarch API documentation and onboarding instructions.

• Self-serve provisioning path (keys, access, standard submission method).

• You run your own first workload.

This is the fastest option if you already have engineering capacity and you want to move directly.

Activation Plus — $1,000

For teams that want the first workload commissioned cleanly. Best if you want a clean first run without losing weeks to setup friction. Includes:

• Everything in Activation Free.

• Assisted setup to connect your system to the grid (in a safe test environment where possible).

• One commissioning run of the first workload.

• Activation handover pack (commissioning output, usage metering summary, and next-step runbook).

• Typical commissioning window: 5–10 business days after prerequisites are ready.

This is the installer option: we handle the setup with your team, connect your system to the grid, and commission the first workload end-to-end so you can see a real run complete with metered usage.

Activation Pro — $10,000

For larger organizations that need stronger structure and governance. Best if your org has procurement, security reviews, or multiple stakeholders. Includes:

• Everything in Activation Plus.

• Support for connecting your codebase/pipeline to the grid.

• Clear setup of the first model/workload (training, fine-tune, or inference).

• A clear plan for using your dataset during commissioning.

• Tighter onboarding structure (roles, controls, audit expectations).

• Procurement-ready documentation (scope, responsibilities, acceptance test).

• Commissioning and handover packaged for internal stakeholders.

• Typical commissioning window: 10–20 business days depending on governance/procurement requirements.

This is for teams that want the first workload commissioned and packaged in a way that fits enterprise environments.

Usage

The commercial model follows how utilities typically work: the connection step is separate from ongoing usage.

• Activation is a one-time fee for connection-and-commissioning work.

• Compute usage is paid separately after you’re connected, either usage-based or through reserved capacity arrangements if you need guarantees or longer-term planning.

Activation covers the one-time work of getting you connected and commissioning the first workload, while usage covers everything you run afterward as you continue to operate and scale on the grid.

Availability

Activations are currently being rolled out in Kenya, with the first additional locations opening in Nigeria and South Africa. The initial rollout is intentionally limited while capacity is commissioned and the onboarding process is tightened, so service stays predictable as the grid expands.

Activation Early Access is intended for teams that already have a real workload in mind—research groups, startups, enterprises, and public institutions that want to run training, fine-tuning, or inference on reliable compute without building the full stack internally.

Choose a plan below to start Activation Early Access, and we’ll complete the install and handover.