Featured Speakers

Paul Akwabi

CEO

Pwani TechKidz

Akwabi Paul is an EdTech and Technology Innovation Specialist and the founder of Tech Kidz Africa, where he champions digital skills development and technology-driven learning across Kenya. As a techpreneur, he brings strong expertise in leveraging innovation to create market advantage and scalable impact. Passionate about empowering young people through STEM and emerging technologies, Akwabi focuses on building sustainable education models that bridge skills gaps and prepare learners for the digital economy. Through strategic thinking and ecosystem collaboration, he continues to position technology as a catalyst for inclusive growth, innovation, and long-term transformation in Africa’s education landscape.

Paul Odhiambo

Directorate of ICT

Ministry of Education

Paul Odhiambo is a Kenyan ICT and EdTech strategist with over 15 years of experience driving digital transformations, e-learning initiatives, and EMIS strengthening across education systems. Currently serving as Ag. Head of ICT at the Ministry of Education, Kenya, he specializes in ICT capacity building, project planning, and technology-driven policy implementation. Paul leverages design thinking, operational excellence, and cross-team collaboration to deliver scalable innovations that enhance equity and access in learning. Passionate about evidence-based interventions and sustainable digital ecosystems, he is committed to empowering educators and learners through technology-enabled education solutions.

Kawira Gikambi

Directorate of Policy, Partnerships and East African Affairs

Ministry of Education

Dr Kawira Gikambi from the Ministry of Education, Kenya, champions inclusive and responsive ICT policy in Kenya’s learning ecosystem. She is a strong advocate for incorporating learner voices into digital learning design and implementation, ensuring that policy is grounded in real classroom experiences. Dr. Gikambi works to bridge the gap between strategy and practice by aligning national ICT frameworks with the evolving needs of students and teachers. Passionate about equitable access and meaningful technology integration, she promotes evidence-informed policymaking that strengthens digital transformation across Kenya’s education system.

Ciku Mbugua

CEO

EdTech East Africa

Ciku Mbugua is a Kenyan education leader and social impact strategist working at the intersection of technology, evidence, and systems change across Africa. An Acumen Fellow and Technical Advisory Board Member at Dignitas Project, she currently serves as CEO of EdTech East Africa, where she champions inclusive, locally driven innovation in education. With over a decade of experience strengthening ecosystems, convening stakeholders, and amplifying African EdTech voices globally, Ciku is passionate about democratizing access to quality learning, empowering teachers as digital champions, and building collaborative platforms that shape resilient, future-ready education systems across the continent.

Ruth Kaveke

Co-Founder and Executive Director

Pwani Teknowgalz

Ruth Kaveke is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Pwani Teknowgalz, a women-led nonprofit transforming the digital landscape for girls and young women in Kenya’s coastal region. She co-founded the organization with a bold mission: to ensure that young women from marginalized communities are not merely consumers of technology, but creators, leaders, and innovators in technology. Through her leadership, Pwani Teknowgalz established the first girls-only tech space in Kenya’s coastal region creating a safe, supportive environment where young women can explore technology, build confidence, and develop employable digital skills without barriers. Over the past decade, Ruth has led programs that have impacted more than 6,000 young women equipping them with coding skills, digital literacy, and pathways into the online workforce through flagship initiatives such as CodeHack, Technovation, Mombasa Girls In STEM, STEM Cafe Kenya, and Women In Tech Accelerator. Her work goes beyond technical training. Ruth is intentionally building an ecosystem of mentorship, leadership, and economic opportunity by connecting schools, universities, industry partners, and global allies to create sustainable and scalable pathways for women in technology.

Jenniifer Otieno

Executive Advisor

EdTech East Africa

Jennifer Cotter Otieno is a leading African EdTech innovator and education strategist dedicated to improving learning outcomes and youth employment across East Africa. Founder and CEO of Education Design Unlimited, she designs evidence-based, user-centered learning experiences that empower educators and learners. Jennifer co-founded and currently serves as the Executive Advisor for EdTech East Africa. She also serves on boards such as Team4Tech, advancing digital equity and inclusion. With experience in policy engagement, research translation, and ecosystem building, she bridges evidence, practice, and innovation to foster resilient, technology-enabled education systems across the continent.