In early 2023, Meriam Bessa, co-founder and CEO of Hypeo AI, suffered the kind of blow that can end a career. Her digital agency, L’Atelier Digital, lost its biggest client; a $600,000 annual contract with L’Oréal, because one employee forgot to tell an influencer to post a single Instagram story.
The mistake made nearly half of her 30 staff members laid off. But instead of retreating, Bessa began to rethink influencer marketing from the ground up.
“One of my employees forgot to tell an influencer to post a story,” Bessa told Technext. “She was managing 50 influencers on an Excel sheet, and all communication with the brand and the influencers was done through WhatsApp. That’s why she forgot.”
That moment set the stage for Bessa to birth artificial intelligence ventures rooted in redefining how technology serves Africa’s creative economy and digital future.
Returning Home to Build Something New
After studying in Paris, Bessa says she made a deliberate choice at just 22 to return to Morocco, even as many of her peers settled into careers in France.
“I felt I had to be part of my country’s development,” she says. “For me, it’s very important to give back to my country.”
She worked at L’Oréal, Unilever, and Haven, but then, in 2011 at age 27, she joined a venture to launch Morocco’s first French-language online newspaper in partnership with Le Figaro.
Bessa built the operation from the ground up, developing the website, recruiting staff, forging partnerships, and driving sales. But once the platform gained traction, she said she was dismissed.
Launching Kenza AI Before Hypeo AI
After the loss of L’Oréal’s contract, Bessa says she spent seven months of what she calls “isolation,” determined to find a radical solution. The result was that she created Kenza AI, the first AI influencer in Morocco, Africa, and the Arab world.
“I realised I was doing the same thing as before, just with AI instead of humans. The core problem was still not solved; we were still working manually,” she admits.
Kenza AI quickly captured global attention. In July 2024, Bessa won the Miss AI prize for best AI influencer worldwide, amassing over 200,000 followers.
In a twist of fate, the same L’Oréal that once walked away from Bessa’s agency later approached her new company, Hypeo AI, for collaborations with its AI influencers.
With its platform capable of launching influencer campaigns in under 15 minutes through AI-powered matching and automation, the startup says it recently secured funding from Renew Capital, Digital Africa, and Madica Ventures, to expand its features.
The Hypeo AI Solution
According to the startup, Hypeo AI automates every stage of influencer marketing: campaign briefs, influencer matching, content approvals, and performance tracking. Brands can launch campaigns in under 15 minutes.
- AI Matching: The system recommends creators based on data-driven accuracy scores.
- Workflow Automation: From script generation to approvals, everything is managed inside the platform.
- Marketplace Access: Smaller businesses can browse influencers and apply directly for campaigns.
- Transparency: Subscriptions and 5–15% commissions replace the opaque pricing common in the industry.
Currently in beta, the team says Hypeo AI has 500 influencers and 18 brand partners on board.
Bessa is joined by Salah Eddine Mimouni, who brings expertise in data analytics, and Oussama Sekkat, a senior software engineer from Meta. Together, the trio forms the founding team behind Hypeo AI.
Riding the Influencer Marketing Wave
Global social media advertising reached $247 billion in 2024 and is forecast to hit $267 billion by 2025, according to industry estimates.
“Our region has no shortage of talent,” Bessa says. “What’s been missing is smart infrastructure.”
Hypeo AI aims to fill that gap. The startup says it plans to scale first in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, before targeting Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Senegal, and Ivory Coast.
It is also betting on the rise of AI-generated virtual creators, having developed 13 AI characters so far. The company says it’s also building a B2C AI-powered coaching companion for wellness and lifestyle users.
Industry experts say Hypeo AI is tackling a clear gap in how influencer marketing works in Africa and beyond, and reflects broader investor interest in African startups that use AI to solve market inefficiencies.
Now, with investor backing and a strong founding team, analysts say Hypeo AI can transform how brands and creators collaborate across Africa and the Middle East.
Talking Points
It is impressive that Meriam Bessa turned the loss of a $600,000 L’Oréal contract into the spark for creating Kenza AI and later, Hypeo AI. That resilience shows the kind of leadership African founders need to push through industry setbacks.
Kenza AI’s global recognition, including winning the Miss AI award in 2024, demonstrates that innovation born in Africa can compete and win on the world stage.
At Techparley, we see how Hypeo AI’s automation of influencer marketing, from matching to campaign launches in under 15 minutes solves inefficiencies that have long slowed down brands and creators in the region.
By combining AI, data analytics, and engineering talent, Meriam Bessa and the founding team is building not just a tool, but the kind of infrastructure Africa’s creative economy has been missing.
