SME Partner AI was founded by Charmaine Mbatha in Cape Town, South Africa. We work remotely with growth-stage businesses globally, building invisible AI infrastructure that amplifies what you already do well.
AI Engineer | Gen AI for Business Transformation Specialist | Software Engineer (Back-end)
I build AI systems that know what your business needs and then build systems that fulfil those needs.
Not flashy tools. Quiet, intelligent infrastructure that scales what’s already working and exposes what isn’t.
Before I became an AI engineer, I was a business transformation strategist. Before that, I was the one called in when everything broke, when income hit a ceiling, and when the team was not producing results.
I’ve lived the chaos behind the charts. I’ve felt the weight of visionary pressure with limited operational support. I know how to turn ideas into systems.
I believe in AI yes, but I believe most in people. We are irreplaceable. I build the system underneath your success.
We do AI to support people who want to continue doing what they enjoy and are good at.
Make no mistake, just because we are Pro AI, does not mean we are Anti-Human, quite the opposite.
Honestly, it's a secret... but you can know this part.
We don't guess what you need. We don't rely on generic solutions.
Our methodology comes from over a decade of consultation calls, 37+ business simulations, and proven systems built for real companies facing real challenges.
We've reverse-engineered what works and created a proprietary diagnostic framework that identifies:
When we meet, it's for decisions and implementation. Not back-and-forth discovery.
We're strategic advisors first, AI implementers second.
Many AI consultants start with technology and try to fit it to your business. We start with your business reality and determine if AI is even the right solution.
Sometimes the answer is AI automation. Sometimes it's pricing strategy. Sometimes it's process optimization. We recommend what actually solves your problems.
We've been where you are.
Charmaine built SME Partner AI using the same principles we teach clients. We've experienced the pricing struggles, the scaling challenges, the operational bottlenecks. Our solutions work because we've lived the problems.
We don't sell AI to businesses who aren't ready. Ever.
We'd rather tell you the truth than sell you something that won't work. Our diagnostic process ensures perfect alignment between your needs and our solutions.
If you're not ready for AI transformation, we'll tell you what needs to shift first. If you need something other than AI, we'll recommend that instead.
This isn't about selling services. It's about creating lasting transformation.
While we're based in Cape Town, South Africa, our work spans continents. We've built invisible AI infrastructure for:
Our remote-first approach means you get world-class expertise without geographic limitations.
If you're a growth-stage SME hitting capacity constraints but not ready for enterprise-level complexity, we'd love to understand your challenges.
[Start with our Complete AI Diagnostic Suite →]
Let's see if we're the right fit for your transformation journey.
SME Partner AI - Founded by Charmaine Mbatha, Cape Town, South Africa Building invisible AI infrastructure for businesses worldwide