Mariam Adeyemi is a dedicated tech enthusiast and founder of TechaVilly, a remarkable technology training platform that aims to empower the black community through skills and knowledge transfer. Alongside her college friend,Omotoyosi Ogunbanwo, also a tech enthusiast working at Amazon USA, Mariam launched TechaVilly in 2020. Since then, the platform has trained over 10,000 individuals, equipping them with the necessary skills to thrive in today’s dynamic job market.
A Pandemic Pivot
Amidst the challenges brought by the pandemic, Mariam rolled out TechaVilly’s very first training program in 2020. Choosing that period to give back, she offered knowledge-sharing for free, giving people hope for a better future. Despite the lockdown, thousands of individuals were trained, and some even secured promising job opportunities. This act of generosity and determination to make a positive impact in the lives of others sets Mariam apart as a visionary leader.
A Journey of Professional Excellence
Mariam’s journey in the tech industry is marked by notable achievements. Having worked in reputable companies like Nestle, she has managed globally recognized brands such as Nescafe and Indomie Noodles. Recognizing the importance of continuously improving her skills, Mariam relocated to the United States in 2017. There, she pursued a master’s degree in Business Analytics from Texas A&M University and gained valuable experience working with companies like Samsung Electronics America and other mid-sized firms.
Revolutionizing Education with EdTech
Beyond her impactful work with TechaVilly, Mariam Adeyemi has also made significant strides in the field of Educational Technology (EdTech). She proudly holds the title of being the first female EdTech founder to launch an educational communication app in Africa. The app, called Discorz, focuses on bridging the communication gap between parents and teachers while simultaneously nurturing and transforming children. With a long-term vision to expand its reach across African schools, TechaVilly aims to integrate technology into the school curriculum and revolutionize education on the continent. Discorz App is steadily gaining popularity and is currently available for download on Google Play and the App Store.
Mariam Adeyemi’s journey as a tech enthusiast and founder of TechaVilly showcases her unwavering commitment to empower the black community through technology. With a focus on knowledge transfer, job market readiness, and educational transformation, she continues to make a significant impact in the lives of thousands. As TechaVilly expands its reach and Discorz App revolutionizes parent-teacher communication, Mariam’s vision of a digitally empowered future for Africa is coming to fruition. Through her relentless efforts, Mariam Adeyemi is truly shaping the landscape of tech education and inspiring others to unlock their full potential.
These womenare working their way to the top and constantly improving themselves. While bias and opposition exist in the tech industry, they rise regardless and allow their creativity, innovation, and contribution to the industry to speak for them.
These exceptional women of color have instilled the mindset that though the Tech pathway might be difficult to ply, they are willing to work as hard to stroll that path and leave an imprint for the younger generation to follow.
Here are 15 exceptional black women in tech we admire;
Aisha Bowe
Aisha Bowe is a former rocket scientist, entrepreneur, and founder/CEO of STEMBoard. STEMBoard has been recorded as one of America’s growing industries. Her enterprise empowers her student to pursue STEM careers.
In 2022, Bowe utilized Venture Capital to earn close to $2 million for LINGO; a coding kit that helps individuals practice technical concepts from the ease of their homes.
2. Bozoma Saint John
Bozoma Saint John is a former chief brand officer at Uber where she was responsible for projecting the stories of different riders and drivers in over 600 cities. She is also an authority in numerous fields such as fashion, sports, consumer packaged goods, sports, automotive, digital music, and entertainment.
Saint John worked as Head of Global Consumer Marketing for iTunes and Apple Music where she created policies to advertise their services and increase brand-loyal consumers around the world. Presently, she serves as a CMO on Netflix.
Bozoma Saint John
3. Damilola Odufuwa
Damilola Odufuwa is the CEO and Co-founder of Backdrop, a social network, and app that allows users to find and share beautiful spaces around the globe. She is a women’s rights advocate and tech executive whose work cuts across communication, women’s rights, and cryptocurrency.
Damilola is the co-founder of the FeministCoalition, an activist denomination consisting of young Nigerian feminists advocating equality for women in Nigeria, with a focus on financial liberty, politics, and education. She also leads Public Relations and Communications for Africa at the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance.
Damilola Odufuwa
4. Annie Jean Baptiste
Annie Jean-Baptiste is the director and co-founder of Product Inclusion at Google where she promotes inclusion innovation across their corporation. From extensive research initiatives to communication and consultation, she spearheads movements that would ensure people from underserved users are considered during product setup procedures.
Jean-Baptiste is committed to enabling Google products to be useful to underrepresented societies, and regardless of the status quo or background everyone can thrive in the organization.
Annie Jean Baptiste
5. Dr. Adeola Olubamiji
Dr. Adeola Olubamiji is a Portfolio Professional – she is a Digital Transformation Leader and Additive Manufacturing subject matter expert, the Founder of STEMHub Foundation, Canada, the Founder of D-Tech Centrix Inc. Canada and USA, and a Real Estate Investor with over 10 properties within her portfolio.
Dr. Olubamiji became the first Black person to obtain a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan in 2017 and inspired us all through her humble beginnings and trailblazing journey.
Her passion is for helping others and she believes that people can’t be what they can’t see. As such, she founded STEMHub Foundation, Canada in 2017. STEMHub foundation is a Canadian Charity Organization that provides free hands-on experiments and unique learning programs that engage black youths in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), mentorship programs to visible minority professionals, and provide free industry 4.0 to professionals to pivot into the technology space in Canada.
Dr. Adeola Olubamiji
6. Solape Akinpelu
Solape Akinpelu is a member of the Personal Finance Speakers Association and a certified financial education instructor. She is the founderand CEO of HerVest, an inclusive fintech and women-centered platform for underrepresented women in Africa. HerVest helps women to partake in credit, savings, and investments, especially smallholder female farmers in Nigeria.
Solape Akinpelu
7. Kamilah Taylor
Kamilah Taylor is the head of financial products engineering at Gusto where she develops robotics and mobile apps. Jamaica-born who resides in San Francisco is a public speaker, entrepreneur, writer, and engineer.
Over the years she co-authored books such as Swift For Good and Women in Tech. Kamilah advocates for the underserved to enter STEM fields.
Kamalah Taylor
Jewel Burks Solomon
Jewel Burks Solomon is the Head of Google for Startups in the Us and is committed to giving underserved startup founders opportunities to obtain Google’s products, best practices, and people.
Jewel’s role cuts across providing many more avenues into the technology invention ecosystem, thereby establishing a level ground of success for all. Her remarkable assistance in tech has won her various awards: Atlanta’s 100 Most Influential People, Ebony Magazine’s Power 100, and Forbes 30 Under 30.
Jewel Burks Solomon
Damilola Olokesusi
Damilola Olokesusi is the CEO and Co-founder of Shuttlers, Nigeria’s top transportation startup. Under her supervision, Shuttlers generated $1.6 million in seed allocation, with expansion projects across various African urban areas.
Damilola founded an all-female shuttle service, Shemoves sponsored by Ford Motors Company in 2020 that has influenced more than 600 female experts by imbibing learning as they commute.
Olatokunbo Ogunlade
Olatokunbo Ogunlade is a DevOps Engineer at Ventures Garden Group using her expertise in automation processes and cloud monitoring.
The computer science graduate from Olabisi Onabanjo University was a senior loan officer at Microfinance Bank Nigeria before transitioning into the tech industry by first volunteering at Eduaid as an education facilitator.
Olatokunbo Ogunlade
Tyrona Heath
Tyrone Heath is the Director of Market Engagement for the B2B Institute at Linked In. She is an exceptional B2B keynote speaker and marketer who creatively blends topics of diversity, equity, behavioral science, transformation, and inclusion.
Tyrona is also the co-founder of TransformHer, a committee that’s devoted to competent black women in tech. To stir development and facilitate growth, she connects with renowned authorities within her field like IPA, ANA, and Cannes Lions for research functions and marketing insights.
Honey Ogundeyi
Honey Ogundeyi served as the CMO of Kuda Bank before launching Edukoya, an educational platform created to help students prepare adequately for exams. Edukoya generated 3.5 million dollars in pre-seed which is one of the highest amounts attained for a women-owned startup in the edutech domain.
Honey Ogundeyi
13. Mariam Adeyemi
Mariam Adeyemiis a passionate tech enthusiast committed to unlocking potential, transferring knowledge, and transforming lives through digitalization and tech training. She is the founder of TechaVilly, a technology training platform aimed at empowering the black community through skills and knowledge transfer. She founded the company alongside her college friend, Omotoyosi Ogunbanwowho is also a tech enthusiast and currently works at Amazon USA.
Techavilly was founded in 2020. Currently, it has trained over 10,000 black people from 2020 to date, helping them to fit into today’s dynamic job market.
Joyce is an enthusiastic Tech leader who is passionate and committed to closing the gender gap for women of color in technology. She is a Technical Program Manager Lead at Microsoft with over 7 years + of experience in e-commerce sectors.
She is also the Co-Founder of the Black Woman Paving Ways, a platform that aims at closing the digital divide and increasing the percentage of women in STEM, through building initiatives to help women upskill for the future and Matching newbies to their dream Mentors across different Fortune 500 companies.
Joyce Agbanobi
15. Yanmo Omorogbe
Yanmo Omorogbe is a driving force to be reckoned with in various sectors. After obtaining a degree from Imperial College, as a chemical engineer she served as assistant to the Minister of Power, Works, and Housing.
Yanmo transitioned to the private sector and afterward, into the tech industry. She a the chief operating officer and co-founder of Bamboo, a setting that enables Nigerians to trade assets on the US stock exchange market.
Mariam Adeyemi and Omotoyosi’s passion and commitment to unlock potential is admirable. With their technology-training platform; TechaVilly, they are breaking stereotypes.
Both Co-founders of TechaVilly, a technology training platform aimed at empowering the black community through skills and knowledge transfer. Mariam founded the company alongside her college friend, Omotoyosi Ogunbanwo who is also a tech enthusiast and currently works at Amazon USA.
Since 2020, Techavilly has trained over10,000 black people from 2020 till date, helping them to fit into today’s dynamic job market. They rolled out the company’s very first training in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic. According to Mariam they chose that period to give back by sharing knowledge for free and giving people hope for a better life.
In 2021, , TechaVilly provided scholarships for girls to cover their exam fee, transcripts, visa, Sevis fee and flight ticket to the United States for their masters and PhD respectively.
Omotoyosi had this to say about the feat; “Our scholars are currently in the University of Colorado, Oklahoma and Jefferson university – all studying tech related degrees. Techavilly helped these scholars to achieve their study abroad dreams. We believe there are thousands of people who want to take this bold step to improve their lives and get an international degree but don’t know how or where to get started. We guide people in this category through the process, helping them with the information they need and holding them by the hand through the process to ensure a smooth sail all through.”
Omotoyosi Ogunbanwo – Co-founder, Techavilly
Speaking further on their journey so far, Mariam said ; “It’s been amazing. I never thought people are this hungry for knowledge and are willing to pay hundreds of dollars to acquire new tech skills and knowledge. It’s been rewarding I must say. One thing that makes technology evergreen is INNOVATION. Nigeria needs to embrace technology and its benefits to the generations unborn. We would do our part to change people’s orientation about tech. Yes, it has its bad side, but there is always a good side to every story.
Mariam Adeyemi, Co-founder, Techavilly
Mariam, who has worked with reputable companies, moved to the United States of America in 2017 to improve her skills, and remain relevant in the job market. She got her master’s degree in Business Analytics from Texas A&M University and was privileged to work with organisations such as Samsung Electronics America and other mid-sized companies in the United States. Mariam is the first female EdTech (Educational Technology) founder to launch an educational communication app in Africa. She is committed to bridging parent-teacher communication while developing and transforming the child in the process.
According to her, the goal is to expand across African schools and integrate technology into the school curriculum. Discorz App, which is gradually expanding, and penetration is improving, is currently available for download on Google Play and App Store.
Omotoyosi Ogunbanwo is a Finance and Data Expert, DeFi enthusiast, passionate about emerging technologies in consumer finance. She currently works at Amazon – Physical Stores Tech and she is the co-founder of TechAvilly, where she leads some projects. Omotoyosi is a mentor to tens of young women, helping them get into tech and scale their career effectively. She is the Co-Founder of Local.y a blockchain payments platform redefining the future of DeFi and how SMB’s in sub-sahara access funds.
