Brand Engagement Network (NASDAQ: BNAI) ("BEN"), a provider of secure, governed conversational AI solutions for regulated industries, announced it has finalized a strategic partnership with Valio Technologies to establish an exclusive AI licensing framework for government and commercial markets across Africa. The deal is anchored by a $2.05 million preferred equity contribution recognized as intellectual property licensing revenue.
Under the agreement, BEN will hold a 25% common equity stake and a board seat in a newly formed South Africa-based entity. BEN will also receive a 35% revenue share across software, SaaS, services, and subscriptions, and grant an exclusive, perpetual license with right of first refusal for African markets. The partnership also includes a memorandum of understanding with Nelson Mandela University to deploy a regulated, institution-approved AI pilot focused on student wellbeing, utilizing BEN’s proprietary Engagement Language Model and retrieval-augmented generation technologies within a secure, closed-loop environment aligned with data sovereignty and governance requirements.
This partnership marks a significant step for BEN in expanding its footprint into emerging markets, particularly Africa, where demand for AI solutions in regulated industries is growing. By securing an exclusive license and equity stake, BEN positions itself to capture a share of the government and commercial AI market in the region. The collaboration with Nelson Mandela University further underscores BEN’s commitment to deploying AI in education, a sector that increasingly relies on technology to support student mental health and engagement.
BEN’s technology, including its Engagement Language Model (ELM), is designed for regulated and high-impact industries, offering natural conversations, workflow automation, and multimodal experiences within secure, closed-loop environments. This approach aligns with data sovereignty and governance requirements critical for government and educational institutions.
For more details, the full press release is available at https://ibn.fm/9diIU. About Brand Engagement Network, Inc.: BEN is a provider of secure, enterprise-grade artificial intelligence solutions that enable natural conversations, workflow automation, and real-world execution across text, voice, and avatar-based experiences. For more information, visit www.brandengagementnetwork.com.
