Impact Stories from Economic Impact Policy Area

Fellow showcases digital health Innovation at GITEX Europe

Fellow(s): Elmira Obry

Country: Kazakhstan

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development, Public Health

Fellow Elmira Obry (Kazakhstan, 2022), founder of Foody.AI, represented Kazakhstan’s growing tech ecosystem at GITEX Europe, May 21 to 23 in Berlin, Germany. Foody.AI, a digital health platform that integrates artificial intelligence with nutrition science, was featured among global startups and presented directly to investors, partners and ecosystem leaders — including Zhaslan Madiyev, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry.
Backed by local accelerators such as Astana Hub and MOST Ventures, Foody.AI is part of a new wave of tech solutions designed to meet global health challenges through personalized, preventive approaches. It uses AI-driven tools to deliver customized nutrition guidance, helping users make data-informed decisions about their daily wellness. Already gaining early traction in five countries, the platform is preparing for broader international expansion.
“We’re proud that our product was born in Kazakhstan — a country that is now laying the foundations for the next generation of the digital economy,” said Elmira, who also represented Foody.AI earlier this year at Central Asia Startup Cup in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Report Date...: 07/14/2025

Fellow Forges New Collaboration Linking Water Research to Community Impact

Fellow(s): Marwa Ali

Country: Egypt

Cohort: 2024

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

Fellow Marwa Ali (Egypt, 2024), director of International Sponsored Projects at Egypt’s National Water Research Center (NWRC), was instrumental in the recent signing of a formal protocol between NWRC and BENAA Foundation—marking a pivotal step in connecting scientific research to community-centered development efforts. BENAA Foundation is a youth-led non-profit organization focused on capacity building to enable and advance the realization of sustainable development projects in the MENA region.
This milestone marks a pivotal step in applying water research to real-world sustainability efforts, as NWRC celebrates its 50th anniversary. In her role as project leader, Marwa emphasized the importance of connecting knowledge to impact. “This is not just a collaboration—it’s the beginning of a meaningful path where water research directly supports people and sustainable development.”

Report Date...: 04/28/2025

Fellow-founded Green Watech featured by Africa’s Business Heroes and MEDI1TV for eco-friendly water filtration system

Fellow(s): Salma Bougarrani

Country: Morocco

Cohort: 2020-2021

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

Fellow Salma Bougarrani (Morocco, 2020–2021), co-founder and CEO of Green Watech, was recently spotlighted in a video produced by Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) as well as in an interview by MEDI1TV Africa for her groundbreaking sustainable water purification system. Since delivering her winning pitch at the ABH semifinals in Cairo last September, Salma’s Green Watech has gained increased funding, visibility and access to a global network of support.
Her company’s low-tech, solar-powered filtration system—FISO—treats wastewater for reuse in agricultural irrigation, offering a clean, cost-effective and decentralized solution for remote areas. Built from locally sourced filtration bricks and designed to last up to 20 years, the system has already treated more than 400 million liters of wastewater, enabling the production of over 80,000 tons of food in water-scarce Moroccan communities.
“Innovation can be born where we least expect it” Salma shared in her MEDI1TV interview, where she reflected on her mission as a Moroccan scientist, entrepreneur and mother: She emphasized the power of accessible technology to improve lives in underserved areas—and the importance of purpose-driven leadership.
“This is the future,” she said, closing her winning ABH pitch. “Without water, we cannot survive. I am a mother and I don’t want my children to feel that they need to immigrate one day because of water scarcity or food insecurity.”

Watch Here

Report Date...: 05/12/2025

Fellow hosts Innovation Unleashed for Central Asian youth

Fellow(s): Ainur Kuanyshbayeva

Country: Kazakhstan

Cohort: 2020-2021

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development, Youth Engagement

On May 10, fellow Ainur Kuanyshbayeva (Kazakhstan, 2020–2021), founder of Qabi Tech, co-hosted Innovation Unleashed, an international webinar designed to empower young innovators across Central Asia.
Organized in partnership with TechDev Academy, the event welcomed 82 students live, with over 200 participants engaging online. Timed to accommodate students across multiple time zones—from the U.S. to Mongolia—the event featured five global experts across technology, entrepreneurship, fintech, mental health and biotech. Topics ranged from startup strategy to authentic leadership and navigating the path to funding. It also included a coding challenge and scholarship prizes to support continued learning.
“Innovation Unleashed,” Ainur shared, “was a powerful reminder of what happens when we bring together passionate youth and world-class mentors.”

Report Date...: 05/19/2025

Fellows launch seed-grant funded MentorMatch Kenya to connect talented women in STEM

Fellow(s): Tima Ali, Eunice Allela, Doreen Irungu, Auma Harriet, Naima Ibrahim

Country: Kenya

Cohort: 2024

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth

On July 6, 2025, the fellows of 2024 Team Kenya — Tima Ali, Eunice Allela, Doreen Irungu, Auma Harriet and Naima Ibrahim — officially launched MentorMatch Kenya, their seed grant-funded initiative designed to connect women STEM graduates with professionals across the globe for mentorship, peer learning and career support.
Hosted at Safaricom PLC’s Michael Joseph Centre in Nairobi, the launch event featured a keynote address, a panel discussion and a high-energy speed mentorship session. The launch brought together mentors, mentees and STEM professionals to engage in dialogue, build community and share insights on the transition from academia to industry.
MentorMatch Kenya aims to close the mentorship gap for women pursuing STEM careers by offering tailored programs that include academic support, job readiness training, and access to tools, resources and networks. The initiative also includes a growing online community via Discord, fostering peer-to-peer networking and learning opportunities.
“Our mission is to create a scalable model of mentorship and support that empowers women in STEM to navigate their careers with confidence,” the team shared. “We’re building something transformational, and we’re thrilled to have our community with us on this journey.”

Report Date...:

Fellow forges partnerships at major Middle East AI summit

Fellow(s): Aisuluu Kozhomkulova

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Cohort: 2023

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Fellow Aisuluu Kozhomkulova (Kyrgyzstan, 2023), regional director of StrategEast Central Asia, recently executed the role of partnerships director for Machines Can See 2025, the largest annual AI summit in the Middle East. Held at Dubai’s Museum of the Future and Emirates Towers, the event convened over 3,000 global attendees, generated more than 7 million views on social media and earned coverage from Bloomberg, CNBC and other top media outlets.
In her role, Aisuluu led strategic engagement with high-level delegations from ministries across Southeast Asia, Africa and the Gulf. She facilitated key bilateral meetings and supported the signing of memoranda of understanding between countries—paving the way for future collaboration in artificial intelligence, the digital economy and innovation.
Her work bridged and deepened global ties between countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt and the UAE, leveraging diplomacy and connection to shape tangible, cross-border impact.

Report Date...: 05/26/2025

Mentor(s): Jeannice Fairrer-Samani

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Mentor Jeannice Fairrer-Samani, a digital technologist and founder of the Fifth Wave STEAM Initiative, recently presented a workshop, “AI for Impact: Empowering Innovation Across Industries,” for IIE’s Alliance of Saudi Women Active in Tech (ASWAT) fellowship program. In her session, Jeannice explored how artificial intelligence is transforming STEM fields, entrepreneurship and global problem-solving.
ASWAT brings together rising Saudi women professionals in cybersecurity, biotech, electric vehicles, energy and beyond for a three-week program based in Austin, Texas. Activities include job shadowing, site visits, professional networking and the creation of action plans for impact.
Through ASWAT, Jeannice advances a growing movement of mentors who are helping to shape technology-driven, cross-sector solutions to today’s biggest challenges.
“AI has the power to drive innovation across industries,” she shared, “and I’m honored to welcome this extraordinary cohort of women in tech to explore that potential together.”

Report Date...: 06/02/2025

Mentor(s): Cassi Janakos

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Mentor Cassi Janakos, COO of Healthy Horizons, was recently named to Inc.’s 8th Annual Female Founders 500 list, alongside her mother and co-founder, CEO Sheila Dukas-Janakos. The honor recognizes 500 trailblazing women whose innovations are redefining industries and solving critical challenges across the globe.
Cassi and Sheila were recognized for their groundbreaking work expanding workplace lactation support across 130 cities in the U.S. and Canada, a mission rooted in maternal health, family well-being and employee retention. Under their leadership, Healthy Horizons has become a national leader in corporate lactation services, designing and maintaining lactation rooms, offering breast milk shipping, new parent resources and Lactation Room Servicing™ that supports millions of working parents.
“This recognition significantly elevates awareness of the critical need for comprehensive workplace lactation programs,” Cassi shared, “empowering us to partner with more employers and foster truly supportive, family-friendly workplaces.”
In addition to this honor, Healthy Horizons has earned spots on the Inc. 5000 list, the San Francisco Business Times’ 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies, and was named one of America’s Top 100 Small Businesses by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Report Date...: 06/09/2025

Fellow gives TEDx talk on resilient innovation at University of Bourmedes in Algeria

Fellow(s): Imene Ferhat

Country: Algeria

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

On April 26, Fellow Imene Ferhat (Algeria, 2016) took the TEDx stage at the University of Boumerdes in Algeria to share her personal and professional journey in a powerful talk titled “The Resilient Innovator: From Playing It Safe to Breaking New Ground.” Drawing from more than a decade in the energy sector, Imene spoke candidly about stepping out of her comfort zone, transitioning from engineering into business leadership, and the mindset shifts that shaped her growth.
In her talk, Imene challenged the audience to rethink their relationship with time—arguing that effective time management isn’t about discipline alone, but about deeply understanding one’s purpose and making every decision count. She reflected on the courage it takes to evolve from being “a simple engineer” to a strategic leader, especially in male-dominated industries.
“Some people say they started from zero, but their zero was really a million,” she explained in a post-talk interview. “My zero was worth negative 100.”
Now serving as North Africa Business Development Manager at GOWell International, Imene blends technical expertise in geomechanics with business strategy to drive innovation and cross-industry collaboration. Her academic path—from PhD to MBA—underscores her belief in lifelong learning as a vehicle for transformation.

Report Date...: 06/09/2025

Fellow(s): 21 TechWomen mentors and fellows organize impact trip to Lebanon to implement international collaboration in STEM

Country: Lebanon, United States

Cohort: 2014, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

TechWomen mentors and fellows organize impact trip to Lebanon to implement international collaboration in STEM

From May 31 to April 8, 2025, TechWomen mentors from Silicon Valley journeyed to Beirut for a powerful week of knowledge exchange, mentorship, and community building led by Lebanese TechWomen fellows who co-organized a series of high-impact events. U.S. mentors Jill Finlayson, Kathy Giori, Rekha Pai, and Terri Khonsari joined Lebanese fellows Aseel Honein (2013), Christelle Bou Harb (2024), Claudette El Hajj (2022), Diala Al Samarani (2022), Ghiwa Haddad (2022), Hala Awkar (2024), Lara Chikhani (2017), Lara El Khoury (2014), Nisrine Bou Ghannam (2024), Noura Al Merhabi (2024), Rola El Hafi (2022), Sabine El Kahi (2014), Sawsan AlJamal (2023), Sawsan Sleiman (2024), Talar Kichian (2023), Zahraa Sweidan (2024) and Zeina Farah (2022) in orchestrating this impactful series of events that brought together a variety of institutions, students, entrepreneurs and local changemakers in an inspiring journey to advance international and local innovation, mentorship and STEM excellence.

Highlights included a high-level AI and Entrepreneurship forum at the American University of Beirut, featuring guests from the U.S. Embassy of Lebanon and speakers from the National Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (NCEI). Another standout event was hosted at Lebanese American University (LAU) in partnership with the LAU Innovation Center, where mentors met with computer science students and faculty to explore the intersection of entrepreneurship, startups, and global collaboration. Additionally, a panel titled “AI Tools: Accessibility, Ethical Use, and Impact was organized in collaboration with LAU Libraries, Arab Union for Specialized Women, and others. At Beirut Digital District, the event “Connect & Elevate: Lebanese Women” welcomed leaders in STEM from across the country for an evening of community networking and mentorship with the visiting U.S. STEM pioneers. These mentors also met with entrepreneurs at the Chamber of Commerce in Tripoli (Lebanon) and delivered sessions at Lebanese University Roumieh, supported by partners such as IEEE Lebanon Joint Chapter, EdTech Syndicate in Lebanon, and the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut and Mount Lebanon. Mentors also brought their STEM expertise and leadership to youth, delivering inspiration and hands-on physical computing workshops to students at the American High School in Lebanon, girl scouts from the AGBU – AYA Antranik Antelias Scouts, and more.

“Let’s keep bridging global wisdom with local talent,” reflected fellow Zahraa Sweidan on the powerful week of events.

Report Date...: 04/07/2025

1 2 3 … 42 Next »