Introducing Ona Insights: Building Data and AI Systems for Social Impact

A message from our CEO, Alessandro Pietrobon

Over the past decade, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the most forward-thinking organizations using data to improve lives across Africa and beyond.

Across projects in public health, education, climate resilience, livelihoods, and humanitarian response, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful data can be when it reaches the people who need it. I’ve also seen how often organizations struggle to unlock their full value.

One lesson has remained constant:

Insights don’t come from data alone. They come from people empowered with the right tools, the right systems, and the right questions.

Today, I’m excited to share the launch of Ona Insights, a Nairobi-based partner dedicated to helping mission-driven organizations unlock the power of data and AI for impact.

Why We Started Ona Insights

In the social impact sector, data is everywhere.

Programs collect surveys, administrative records, monitoring indicators, geographic information, and operational metrics. But too often, the systems meant to turn this data into insight fall short.

Organizations frequently face challenges such as:

• Data scattered across multiple platforms and spreadsheets

• Limited visibility into real-time program performance

• Reporting systems designed for donors rather than decision-makers

• Analytics tools that require technical expertise, most teams don’t have

• AI hype without practical pathways to real value

The result is a paradox: organizations collect more data than ever, yet struggle to translate it into better decisions.

At Ona Insights, we believe this problem isn’t fundamentally about technology.

It’s about designing systems that put people first.

Data should simplify decision-making, not complicate it. Analytics should empower teams, not depend on outside experts forever. AI should amplify human judgment, not obscure it.

Our goal is to help organizations build systems that turn data into everyday operational intelligence.

Our Roots

Ona Insights emerges from the analytics team at Ona, a company that spent more than a decade building digital tools for frontline workers and data collection in challenging environments.

During that time, we worked alongside governments, NGOs, UN agencies, and foundations around the world to help them not just collect data but use it effectively.

Through those collaborations, the analytics team developed deep expertise in:

• Designing large-scale data architectures

• Building monitoring and evaluation dashboards

• Integrating multiple program data sources

• Developing custom tools for case management and reporting

• Supporting teams to build their own data capabilities

As demand for these services grew, it became clear that this work deserved its own dedicated platform. That platform is Ona Insights.

What We Do

Ona Insights helps organizations across the full data lifecycle: from collection and integration to analysis and decision support.

Our work typically spans four key areas.

1. Modern Data Infrastructure

Many organizations operate with fragmented systems, making it difficult to answer basic operational questions.

We help design and implement modern data architectures to bring these systems together.

This includes:

• Data warehouses and integrated data platforms

• Automated data pipelines that combine multiple sources

• Structured data models that support analytics and reporting

• Systems that ensure data quality, governance, and reliability

The goal is to create a single, trusted foundation for decision-making.

2. Analytics and Decision Tools

Data only becomes valuable when it is translated into insights that teams can use.

We design analytics platforms and dashboards that help organizations understand what is happening in their programs in real time.

These tools may include:

• Operational performance dashboards

• Monitoring and evaluation analytics

• Spatial data and mapping tools

• Data storytelling and reporting platforms

Rather than building dashboards for reporting alone, we focus on systems that help teams ask better questions and act faster.

3. Digital Systems for Program Management

Many social impact organizations rely on manual processes or disconnected tools to manage programs.

We develop custom digital systems that streamline workflows and improve visibility.

Examples include:

• Case management systems

• Program monitoring platforms

• Integrated reporting tools

• Digital workflows that connect frontline data to management decisions

These systems are designed to support day-to-day operational decision-making, not just data analysis.

4. AI for Practical Impact

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how organizations interact with data.

But many AI initiatives fail because they are disconnected from real operational needs.

At Ona Insights, we focus on practical AI applications, such as:

• AI-assisted analytics and reporting

• Automated insights generation

• Natural language interfaces for data exploration

• Intelligent monitoring systems

Our goal is not to introduce AI for its own sake, but to use it where it genuinely improves clarity, efficiency, and decision-making.

How We Work

Technology alone does not create sustainable change.

One of the most important lessons we’ve learned over the years is that successful data systems are built collaboratively.

We work side by side with our partners through:

• Hands-on technical implementation

• Embedded collaboration with program teams

• Training and coaching for internal staff

• Documentation and knowledge transfer

By the end of an engagement, our goal is not just to deliver tools but to ensure that organizations have the capacity to maintain and evolve them.

In other words:

We don’t just build systems. We help organizations build data confidence.

Rooted in Kenya, Working Globally

Ona Insights is proud to be based in Nairobi, a city that has become one of the most dynamic technology and innovation hubs in Africa.

From this base, we work with partners across the continent and around the world.

We believe that solutions designed close to the contexts where programs operate are better positioned to address real-world challenges while still benefiting from global collaboration and expertise.

Continuing Our Partnerships

For organizations that have previously collaborated with the Ona analytics team, this transition does not change our commitment.

Our partnerships, projects, and shared goals continue as before.

We are deeply grateful for the trust our partners have placed in us over the years, and we remain committed to supporting the important work they are doing.

Looking Ahead

The need for better data systems in the social impact sector has never been greater.

Programs are growing more complex. Expectations for accountability and transparency are increasing. And the pace of technological change continues to accelerate.

Yet the core challenge remains simple:

How do we ensure that the people working to solve the world’s hardest problems have the information they need to make better decisions?

At Ona Insights, we are excited to contribute to that answer.

By combining modern data systems, practical AI tools, and human-centered design, we hope to help organizations turn data into one of their most powerful assets for impact.

Let’s Connect

If your organization is thinking about ways to improve its data systems, analytics capabilities, or AI strategy, for impact, we’d love to hear from you.

The future of data for social impact is not just about technology.

It’s about empowering people to ask better questions and act on better information.