Speaker Bio
Betelhem Dessie is a 25-year-old Ethiopian technology education entrepreneur known for her transformative work in the country’s emerging tech scene. Recognized by major outlets like CNN and BBC as a young pioneer, Betelhem has also been featured on Quartz's list of African innovators to watch. Her journey highlights a deep curiosity about technology and its power to drive positive change. Growing up in Harar, Ethiopia, Betelhem developed an early fascination with computers, starting at just 8 years old. By 10, she was learning to code, and as a teenager, she explored various aspects of computer science and robotics. Partnering with iCog Labs, Ethiopia's rst AI and robotics lab, she launched the iCog initiative, driven by her vision to provide children in developing regions with the same opportunities she had to explore technology. Currently, Betelhem serves as the Chief Advisor at iCog Labs and CEO of iCog, focusing her eorts on community outreach and research, emphasizing access to technology and tech education. Her projects aim to decentralize technology and empower young people with the essential skills needed to innovate with emerging technologies.
Under Betelhem’s leadership, iCog has introduced over 30,000 students to coding, opening up new opportunities for Ethiopian youth. She also oversees research projects that address critical challenges in agriculture, healthcare, and education, such as using articial intelligence to optimize fertilizer recommendations based on satellite data and analyzing social media to improve youth communication on sexual reproductive health. Leading a team of 60, Betelhem’s organization equips young people with essential skills to succeed in the 21st century, fosters local capacity, and inspires homegrown solutions. Programs like "for(her)," a coding initiative for girls in public high schools, reect her commitment to closing the gender gap in STEM elds. Other impactful projects include Digitruck, a mobile, o-the-grid classroom reaching remote areas, and Leyu, a project crowdsourcing data for low-resource languages to power AI tools while creating job opportunities for marginalized communities. Betelhem Dessie’s contributions have earned her international recognition. Her story was featured in the “Rebel Girls 100 Change Makers” children’s book, and she was awarded the "Young Technologist Award" by Booking.com's Tech Playmakers Awards. Her inspiring work not only lights up the aspirations of Ethiopia's youth but also helps position the country as a rising force in the global tech landscape.