Dr. Augustina Amakye, the Lead Consultant of Prime Communication Consulting, holds a BA in Communications from Luther College, Iowa, USA, an MA in Linguistics form Syracuse University, in New York, USA and a Doctorate in Communications from Regent College, Virginia, USA.
Ms. Pauline Koelbl is the Founder and CEO of AfriProspect GmbH and ShEquity, Pauline is an Innovation Expert in Developing & Emerging Economies, impact investor and seasoned impact-driven Team Leader with over 20 years’ experience in international affairs and philanthropy industries.
Dr. Erick Tambo is an Associate Academic Officer at the United Nations University in Bonn, at the institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) and leads the program on Pan African Cooperation and Educational Technologies (PACET) at UNU-EHS.
Mr. Efosa Ojomo was selected as one of 30 thinkers in the 2020 Thinkers50 Radar list, the world’s most reliable resource for identifying, ranking, and sharing the leading management ideas of our age. He researches and writes about how innovation can transform organizations and create inclusive prosperity for many. In January, 2019, alongside Harvard Business School professor, Clayton Christensen, he published the book, The Prosperity Paradox: How innovation can lift nations out of poverty.
Dr. Faten Attig Bahar is an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow for the International Climate Protection Program (2019 -2020), hosted at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Marine Technology, University of Rostock, Germany. She Obtained submitted her Ph.D. from the University of Carthage, Polytechnic School of Tunisia.
Dr.Yacouba Diawara is a Physicist and Research Scientist who has led several R&D or Engineering Groups for different organizations such as the Montréal Ecole Polytechnique (1992-1996), National Optics Institute (Quebec, 1996-1997), Bruker AXS (Madison, WI. 1997-2009 as detector group leader) and the Spallation Neutron Source (ORNL, TN. 2009-2013 as neutron detector group leader).
Ms. Akosua Bame-Ashiagbor is the Founder and Managing Director of AKOAMA Ltd, a Management Consultancy Practice specialising in new business incubation and development, strategic commissioning, large-scale organisational transformation and strategic change management.
Ms. Rachel A. Aron is a seasoned Social Development Specialist. Rachel currently works as the Director of Business Development for Africa Sports Ventures Group. Rachel has immense experience in identifying, analyzing, managing, monitoring and evaluating, and reporting on social considerations in programmatic, project, and policy interventions. She has conducted social due diligence for private sector and public sector projects and programs covering diverse sectors in all regions of Africa.
Ms. Satu Järvinen an education professional, especially in developing innovative new learning solutions for skills development internationally, for the past years solely in Africa.
Mr Ephraim Daka has more than 14 years of experience in multi-disciplinary program management, development economics, research, and technology field. Expertise in project cycle management, Science, Technology & Innovation (STI) policy, commercialisation & governance. Processes sound knowledge in private-public sector partnership, institutional strengthening and governance, international trade policy, SMEs through inclusive innovation.
Ms. Pauline Akolo is a seasoned strategic Communications expert with close to 10 years of International experience, strong oral and written Communications skills and a solid understanding of International Development Communication.She is a proactive committed client focused practioner with a passion to deliver and a broad in-depth knowledge of all components of media and communications, including Strategy Development, Research and content Development, Editing, Social Media Management, External and Media Relations and Branding.
Mr. Felix Bright is a Cash Management, Trade, Finance and Digital Banking expert with over 30 years experience and a strong entrepreneurial background. Felix has held various key positions at Citibank Abidjan and ECOBANK as Cash Management and E-banking manager, Cash Management Director, Western Union product Head, Deputy Group Head Transaction Services, Regional Head Transaction Banking for West and Central Africa.
Ms. Margitta Engström an international strategist with extensive experience working with global life sciences and technology companies across Europe, both in academia, corporates and in consultancy. Track record of identifying and delivering growth and revenue opportunities in new markets for technology SMEs and investors.
Mr Julien Achille is the Founder and Chairman of EIC Corpration, an international platform for shareholder’s Assocation, promoting financial inclusion, training of investors, portfolio management and economic intelligence. He is a member of MEDEF, lLex4.com, a digital platform, roviding 360 ° legal support for business leaders to ensure adherence to legal guidelines and in-house policies to maintain the company’s legality and business ethics.
Mr. Reggie Mark-Hansen is a consummate HR-Business professional/Executive Coach with a passion for the adaptation of the people metrics/insights to ‘Inspire Optimal Business Performance’. His over 30 years’ corporate experience of which 24 years has been at the management and executive levels has seen him head & lead Global and Pan African HR Teams for blue-chip organizations such as the International Finance Corporation, Shell Oil Petroleum Africa (SOPAF), British-American Tobacco and Exxon-Mobil.
Ms. Amini Kajunju is the executive director of the IUGB Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to empowering students and helping to procure the necessary resources to make the International University of Grand-Bassam (IUGB) a center of excellence for higher education in West Africa.Ms. Kajunju joins the Foundation from Africa Integras, where she served as director of strategic partnerships. Africa Integras, a New York-based firm, invests in the development of education infrastructure, including academic facilities, student hostels and faculty housing at African universities.
Mr. Mark Skews is a seasoned entrepreneur with close to 30 years in the technology industry. His experience covers areas such as Innovation of business through software, Business management, Software development, Database development and management, Network creation, and Network administration.
Ms. Noora Frelander is a startup expert from Finland. For the past three years, she has been working in tens of different projects in Finland and abroad, especially in crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. She is one of the leading crowdfunding experts in Finland.
Dr. Tidiane Ball is a Medical practioner with a with a PhD. With his passion to support health care system in Mali, Tidiane has been at the forefront of integrating ICT tools into health care delivery. Noticing the urgent problems in the health sector in Mali, he created the portal website www.malisante.org in 2009. The portal provides medical information and directory of health professionals in Mali. He also launched Doctix, a start-up specialized in making medical appointments online.
Mr. Chris Mawuli Hlovor is a member of International Association of Innovation Professionals, an innovation management expert, in the financial sector modelling financial products suitable for all level income groups in Bank/Non-Bank financial sector. Chris Has over 20 years of experience in sector and have worked with several financial giants in Ghana such as GCB Bank, OminiBank (OmniBSIC Bank Ghana Limited), and CDH Financial Holdings.
Ms. Sarah Kiden is a technologist and researcher, working at the intersection of technology and society. As a Marie Curie Research Fellow on Open Design of Trusted Things (OpenDoTT), a joint programme between Northumbria University Newcastle and Mozilla, her research focuses on the impact of technology and the Internet for grassroots communities and neighbourhoods.
Mr. Gameli Adzaho is focused on ‘shaping Africa and shaping young people’. He curates Global Lab Network, a community of learners, educators, researchers, and innovators interested in applying science and technology for social impact. He is a Steering Committee Member of Africa Open Science & Hardware.
Mr. Alberto Gonzalez is an experienced manager, qualitative researcher and lecturer currently working as Innovation Ecosystem Manager at EIT InnoEnergy (Spain) and as a visiting lecturer at Turku University of Applied Sciences (Finland). His fields of expertise revolve around Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship and range from Sustainable Development to Design Thinking and from New Product/Service Development to Creativity Tools.
Mr. Kobby Andah has over 35 years experience in the finance and banking industry. He has Ghanaian and international experience having worked for KPMG, Securities Discount Company Ltd, The Trust Bank in Ghana and for Belgolaise Banque in London and Brussels, Sterling Bank Plc, Nigeria and Bank of Africa Tanzania Ltd.
Ms. Lise Birikundavyi is the deputy country director and impact finance investment manager for the TRECC program in Côte d’Ivoire, an initiative started by the Jacobs Foundation. In this role, she is in charge of identifying and driving value from investments in the education technology space that can improve the quality of education in Côte d’Ivoire.
Ms. Linda Baa-Mintah is the CEO of Startup Marketing Consult.An entrepreneur with over 10 years of experience in corporate communications implementing strategies for some of the world's most respected agencies and brands. With great insight and experience in software development, innovation management, branding & marketing communications.
Mr. Mohamed Tarek El-Fatatry is award-winning serial entrepreneur with a background in Computer Science and International Business with experience of more than 10 years in high growth businesses. Previously he has won the President of Finland’s Internationalization Award and has built a company that reached 190 countries globally.
Ms. Nahed Bedir Eletribi, award-winning Egyptian social entrepreneur with a background in Political Science. Nahed has been recognized by President Barack Obama at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2016 and has previously run several social enterprises focused on environmental restoration, women's health issues and income inequality.
Ms. Charlette Desire N’Guessan is a co-founder and CEO of BACE GROUP, a disruptive startup that provides AI-based facial recognition services for online identity verification. Certified digital identity specialist, she believes that the uniqueness of the individual is at the heart of good management of digital identity. Charlette has been recognized by global shapers as one of the 50 African innovators to watch in 2020. ( https://globalshakers.com/world-shakers/charlette-desire/ )
Ms. Joelle Sow is a Pan-Africanist, active in the diaspora as a champion for the co-development of the African continent and, as a woman in the field, Joelle's primary mission is to pass on her experience, inspire and develop potential.
Dr. Frank Ofori is retired US Army veteran with over 13 years of experience in both IT and Cyber Security. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at Stratford University with concentration in both Offensive and Defensive Cyber Security. Frank specializes in corporate and enterprise security, development of cyber defense programs, and business operations protection for both US Federal and commercial clients.
Dr. Suvi Nenonen is a Future Learning and Working Environments expert, with research interest in people, spaces, places and realities. She has been working with the topics like: usability of the built environment, co-creation, change managment and co-creation methods to develop future learning and working environments - both digital and physical spaces, places and realities.
Dr. Laura Strömberg is the co-Founder and CEO of Dagsmark Petfood Ltd. a fast growing pet food company, Dagsmark produces ecological, traceable and healthy dry food for dogs, reaching a turnover of 3 million euros in the first 3 years. Laura is a serial entrepreneur and an innovation expert, with rich experience in commercialization of innovations.
Dr. Erkki Sutinen is Professor of Computer Science (Interaction design) at the University of Turku since 2015. He moved to Namibia in 2019 to set up the first overseas campus of University of Turku, located currently at the premises of University of Namibia, in its main campus in Windhoek.
Dr. Susana Muñoz Hernández is an Associate Professor of Computer Science School at Technical University of Madrid (UPM), a position she has held since 1998. She has a PhD in Computer Science from the Technical University of Madrid, Master in Management of Information Technologies from the Ramón Llull University of Barcelona and graduate in International Affairs from the Society of International Studies of Madrid. She is a member of the BABEL Research Group, conducting research in the area of programming and specification languages, including foundations, design, semantics, implementation, applications and teaching.
Dr. Leendert de Bell is professor of sustainable labor participation of refugees at University of Applied Sciences Utrecht and is academic staff member at Utrecht University Centre for Entrepreneurship, where he teaches on entrepreneurship in various Master's programs.
Dr. Andy Kusi-Appiah is a demographer/social geographer by training; and an adjunct professor at Carleton University’s Department of Geography & Environmental Studies since 2005. His academic research interests are located within the domain of social geographies of resource access and the political ecology of water access in sub-Saharan Africa. His research seeks to provide a clearer understanding of water governance mechanisms that shape access to water in urban informal settlements, and how the resulting inequities shape the political ecology of disease in these urban areas.
Professor Noel Tagoe is a Professor at Nottingham University Business School. He is also the Chief Executive of Noel Tagoe & Company, a start-up firm that provides advisory, research and training services in Finance, Education, Strategy and Technology.Until recently Prof Tagoe was the Executive Vice President, Research & Curricula at AICPA-CIMA. Working with partners across the world he developed competency frameworks to ensure the continuing employability of professionals through reskilling and upskilling.
Ms.Naana Halm is currently an Associate Program Officer at the Technology and Innovation Support Centre (TISC) Development Section at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland. She has worked extensively in the IP field in areas such as IP management, valuation and commercialisation and technology transfer, with organisations such as the African Regional Intellectual Property Organisation (ARIPO) and the European Union as well as in the private sector, having over 18 years’ experience in the IP field.
Dr. Anathi Njokweni is an Intellectual Property specialist, with special focus on patent examination at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, CIPC in South Africa. She holds a Master’s Degree in Micro-biotechnology from Stellenbosch University and completed her PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Western Cape and her a postdoctoral fellowship at the Agricultural Research Council in South Africa.
Dr. Kobena T. Hanson is an international development practitioner with invaluable experience in managing complex development research and capacity-building initiatives. His areas of expertise include public policy, evaluation capacity development, knowledge management, natural resources governance and regional development. He is an astute leader, a brilliant trainer, and a goal-getter who is highly responsive to achieving targets, and learning from evidence.
Ms. Helene Aminata Charpentier specialises in social - economic development, inclusion, gender and corporate social responsibility. She coordinated Kosmos Energy's social investment program, Kosmos Innovation Center in Mauritania, which aims to promote entrepreneurship among youth and women. She has trained 80 start-ups working in the agricultural and environmental sectors, in access to market, market research and business concepts. In 2019, 10 start-ups were successfully supported and received a total of US$180,000 in seed funding.
Mr. Saah N’Tow is currently Program Lead for the Carter Center’s Rule of Law Program in Liberia. He has more than 12 years’ experience specializing in youth and community development, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, and rule of law in Liberia, the UK and the United States.
Ms. Evelyn Agyepong is an Educator with over 27 years experience as a teacher, education administration and leadership. She was an Education Director in a Private Basic school, in Accra, Ghana from 2017 - 2020. Evelyn has vast experience as a mentor/ coach of teachers and trainee teachers (and now School Leaders). She is also an independent education consultant and the owner of STEAMBoxGh. Evelyn is an alumni of South Bank University, University college and King's college, all in the United Kingdom. She has a Masters degree in Education, a BSc (Hons.) in Biotechnology and a HND in Applied Biology.
Ms. Wambui Karanja is the Founder and CEO, LEA Client Services Ltd. She is a fundraising and resource mobilization specialist. Her focus is on Corporate fundraising, Startup fundraising, high growth, early stage tech innovations in Agritech, Fintech, Mediatech & Meditech and Charity fundraising. She has over 10 years experience in business development, marketing, innovations management, and financial proposal and grant writing. She is well versed in sponsorship, fundraising models and creation of winning value propositions.