Hassana Massaquoi

A Liberian social entrepreneur who revolutionized African tech ecosystems through her innovative AfriTech Hub initiative

Hassana Massaquoi is a visionary social entrepreneur from Liberia who has made significant contributions to advancing technology ecosystems across Africa. Born in 1985, she grew up witnessing the challenges of post-war reconstruction and the digital divide affecting her continent. This inspired her to co-found AfriTech Hub in 2012, an organization that provides training, mentorship, and funding opportunities for tech startups in sub-Saharan Africa.

Through her work, Hassana has helped over 3,000 entrepreneurs secure seed funding and launch scalable tech solutions addressing healthcare, education, and agriculture challenges. Her TechCrunch article highlighted how her platform connects African innovators with global investors, creating a $200 million impact by 2020. She also pioneered the AfriTech Women's Accelerator, increasing female founder participation from 12% to 38% in just five years.

Hassana's most impactful initiative was the Smart Village Project, which deployed solar-powered tech hubs in 45 rural communities. These centers provide digital literacy training and telemedicine services, directly benefiting over 500,000 people. Her TED Talk "Building Africa's Tech Future" has been viewed 2.3 million times, inspiring new generations of African innovators.

In 2019, she launched the Panafrican Tech Pact, a coalition of 15 governments and 200 companies to standardize regulations and infrastructure for cross-border tech solutions. Her work has been featured in Forbes Africa, Nature, and the World Economic Forum's Global Innovators list. Hassana's legacy is transforming Africa from a tech consumer to a global innovation leader.