SA Startup Launches Africa’s first GPU Cloud AI Marketplace

As artificial intelligence adoption accelerates worldwide, a South African-founded startup is seeking to make AI infrastructure more affordable, accessible, and sustainable.

Supascale AI has officially launched its cloud AI marketplace, a platform that enables businesses, developers, and creators to access leading AI models at significantly lower costs while allowing GPU owners to monetize unused computing power. The company claims to offer the world’s fastest GPU onboarding process, making it easier than ever for individuals and organizations to contribute idle computing resources to the growing AI economy.

The launch comes at a time when demand for AI computing power is surging globally. Traditional AI data centres are facing increasing scrutiny over their environmental impact, including high electricity consumption, water usage for cooling, and noise pollution. Supascale AI aims to provide a greener alternative by leveraging underutilized GPUs found in laptops, personal computers, and existing data centres.

By tapping into distributed computing resources, the platform creates an opportunity for everyday users to participate in the AI boom while helping reduce the need for additional energy-intensive infrastructure.

Building an Inclusive AI Economy

Supascale AI was founded by Aaron Bornmann, who developed the platform’s initial concept in 2025. He later brought on long-time friend Bongani Duma and cousin Clayton Bornmann as co-founders, creating a leadership team with expertise spanning engineering, cloud infrastructure, and international business growth.

“The AI economy needs to be accessible to everyone, not just large hyperscalers,” said Aaron Bornmann, Founder and CEO of Supascale AI. “We’re building the infrastructure that allows businesses, developers, creators, and innovators to access world-class AI capabilities while enabling everyday GPU owners to participate directly in the AI economy.”

The company’s vision is centered on democratizing access to AI infrastructure, a market traditionally dominated by large cloud providers and technology giants.

Aaron Bornmann serves as Founder and CEO of Supascale AI. An Embedded AI Innovation Engineer and BEng Mechatronics Engineering graduate from the University of Pretoria, Bornmann previously founded 123tutors while still a university student. The platform went on to impact more than 10,000 students and tutors across South Africa, earning recognition as AfricArena’s Most Innovative Startup in Africa in 2021. He also participated in the Grindstone Accelerator programme in 2022.

Clayton Bornmann, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer, relocated from Canada to South Africa to help scale the business. Previously a Sales Manager at TELUS, one of Canada’s largest telecommunications providers, he brings extensive go-to-market expertise and experience leading revenue-generating teams.

Meanwhile, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer Bongani Duma contributes significant enterprise infrastructure expertise. A Senior Cloud Engineer with experience in South Africa’s banking sector, Duma has played a key role in ensuring the platform is designed for secure, reliable, and scalable AI workloads.

Positioning Africa in the Global AI Landscape

Beyond building a commercial platform, Supascale AI aims to position Africa as an active participant in the global AI economy.

The company believes distributed AI infrastructure can unlock opportunities for businesses and individuals who may otherwise face barriers to accessing advanced AI technologies. By combining affordability, sustainability, and accessibility, Supascale AI hopes to create a model that benefits both AI users and GPU owners while supporting broader digital innovation.