Limor Fried

Pioneer of open-source hardware and female tech entrepreneurship

Limor 'Ladyada' Fried (born 1982) is an American electrical engineer and founder of Adafruit Industries, a leading open-source hardware company. She emerged as a key figure in the maker movement during the early 2000s, advocating for accessible electronics education and transparent engineering practices. Her commitment to sharing designs and tutorials has democratized hardware development, inspiring countless DIY projects and创客 communities worldwide.

Fried's work challenges traditional tech industry norms by prioritizing collaboration over patents. Adafruit's products like the Flora wearable electronics platform and CircuitPython programming language have become staples in maker culture. She also founded Adafruit Learning System, offering free educational resources that have reached millions of learners.

As a vocal advocate for women in STEM, Fried has broken barriers in male-dominated tech spaces. Her TED Talk 'Why I share everything' (2013) encapsulates her belief that open knowledge accelerates innovation. Her contributions have been recognized by MIT and the White House, cementing her role as a transformative force in modern technology education.