Esther Olatunde

Nigerian edtech pioneer revolutionizing STEM education access in Africa

Esther Olatunde is a Nigerian entrepreneur and founder of Bridgist, an AI-powered platform connecting students with mentors across Africa's STEM fields. Since its launch in 2021, Bridgist has facilitated over 50,000 mentorship connections, addressing Africa's critical skills gap through innovative technology. Her work has been featured in TechCrunch and The Next Web. Olatunde's vision extends beyond mentorship to include free coding bootcamps through her STEMBridge initiative, providing scholarships to over 1,200 students annually. In 2023, she partnered with UNESCO to develop AI ethics curricula for African universities, influencing policy frameworks across 14 countries. Her TEDx talk "Bridging the Future of African Education" has garnered 2.3 million views, establishing her as a leading voice in educational innovation. Recent partnerships with Google for Startups and MIT Solve have expanded her impact to include infrastructure for rural STEM labs, directly serving 87 underserved communities by Q3 2024.