Wangari Ndirangu

Kenyan agri-tech innovator revolutionizing smallholder farming through mobile technology

Wangari Ndirangu is a visionary entrepreneur from Kenya whose company FarmDrive has transformed agricultural financing for smallholder farmers. Launched in 2021, her platform uses mobile data and AI to assess creditworthiness of farmers traditionally excluded from formal banking systems. By analyzing crop patterns, weather data, and mobile transaction histories, FarmDrive has provided over $12 million in loans to 15,000+ farmers across East Africa by 2023. This innovation directly addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goal 1 (No Poverty) and 2 (Zero Hunger), making her a key figure in fintech for social impact. Ndirangu's TED Talk "How I Made Finance Work for Smallholder Farmers" has reached 2.3 million viewers. She also co-founded the AfricaGrows initiative connecting female farmers with agribusiness opportunities, empowering over 3,000 women by 2024. Her work was recognized through the 2022 World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer Award and inclusion in Forbes Africa's 2023 30 Under 30 list.