Dr. Abdigani Diriye, a Somali computer scientist and entrepreneur, has made groundbreaking contributions to artificial intelligence (AI) and financial technology (FinTech) in Africa.

Born in 1986, Diriye moved to the United Kingdom at the age of five due to civil unrest in Somalia.

He pursued higher education in the UK, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from Queen Mary University of London, a Master’s in Advanced Computing from King’s College London, and a PhD in Computer Science from University College London in 2012.

His doctoral research, under the guidance of Prof. Ann Blandford and Dr. Anastasios Tombros, focused on the role of search interfaces in information seeking.

Diriye gained valuable industry experience through internships at Microsoft Research and Fuji-Xerox Palo Alto Labs.

After completing his PhD, he worked as a post-doctoral researcher at Carnegie Mellon University’s Human-Computer Interaction Institute, where he developed innovative methods to improve information retrieval on the internet.

In 2012, Diriye co-founded Innovate Ventures, Somalia’s first technology incubator and startup accelerator, designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship.

Through collaborations with organizations like Oxfam and VC4Africa, Innovate Ventures has played a pivotal role in developing Somalia’s tech ecosystem by supporting numerous startups.

Diriye’s professional journey also includes significant roles at leading tech companies, including IBM Research Africa, where he led efforts to develop machine learning solutions for evaluating financial profiles and credit scores in Africa, making substantial strides in financial inclusion across the continent.

In recognition of his work, Diriye has received prestigious accolades, including being named a TEDGlobal Fellow in 2017, an MIT Technology Review “Innovator Under 35,” and a Next Einstein Forum Fellow.

These awards underscore his transformative impact on leveraging technology to tackle Africa’s challenges and drive innovation.

Dr. Diriye’s journey from a young refugee to a prominent figure in AI and FinTech highlights his resilience and commitment to creating technological solutions that foster economic growth and development in Africa.