Geoffrey Wanyoike

Kenyan innovator who developed affordable solar solutions and mobile learning platforms for rural education

Geoffrey Wanyoike (b. 1985) is a Kenyan engineer and entrepreneur whose work has transformed access to education and energy in Africa. Inspired by his childhood experiences in rural Kenya, he co-founded Eneza Education in 2009, a mobile learning platform that provides SMS-based educational content to over 1 million students across 10 African countries. His solar energy initiatives through SolarNow have brought clean energy to 100,000+ households in East Africa using innovative pay-as-you-go models.

Wanyoike's most iconic project was the "Windmill Project" he built at age 14, which powered his village's first computer lab using bicycle parts and scrap metal. This early innovation earned him a scholarship to study engineering in the US. Returning to Kenya, he combined tech innovation with social impact, creating solutions that bypass traditional infrastructure limitations. His TED Talk "How I built a windmill at 14" has over 2 million views.