Layla El Nakib

Egyptian tech innovator creating AI solutions for refugee education

Layla El Nakib is an Egyptian software engineer and founder of LearnCrunch, an AI platform providing free education to refugees. Born in 1990 in Cairo, she witnessed the 2011 revolution's impact on education access. Her UNHCR-supported project now serves 200,000 learners in 15 countries through multilingual content. She developed the Smart Classroom app that uses facial recognition to adapt lessons to students' emotional states. As a Google Developer Expert, she mentors African startups through Startup Bootcamp. Her work was featured in WIRED's "Tech for Good" series. El Nakib also co-created Egyptian Scientists, a network connecting STEM professionals with schools. Her TEDx talk "Education Without Borders" advocates for tech solutions to global inequality.