Barbara (Birungi) Mutabazi (born 7 August 1986) is a female technologist. She is a co-founder and founding manager of HiveColab in Kampala, Uganda. [1] She is the founder of Women in Technology Uganda, an initiative aimed at helping women and girls pursue technology careers. [2] Prior to Hive Colab, Mutabazi was a member of staff at the African technology firm Appfrica. [3]
Barbara graduated with honors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management, where she earned her MBA. She also holds a master's degree in Information Systems Management from the University of Salford in Manchester, UK, and a bachelor's degree in Business Computing from Makerere University. Additionally, she received a postgraduate degree in Project Planning and Management. While at Makerere, she volunteered at an orphanage, teaching basic ICT skills and providing career guidance to high school students, many of whom have become tech professionals. Barbara is deeply passionate about ICT for Development (ICT4D), innovation, artificial intelligence, and supporting women and girls in Uganda. She has mentored and taught over 300 young girls, aiming to increase female participation in STEM fields, and is committed to the advancement of Innovation Ecosystems and Financial Inclusion.
She won the Anita Borg Change Agent award in 2014 an award that recognizes outstanding international women (non-US residents with an emphasis on developing countries) who have created opportunities for girls and women in technology. She has spoken at several international events including at UNESCO, the United Nations, Motorola, the United Nations Development Programme, and ITU[ clarification needed ] on the importance of closing the gender technology gap in sub-Saharan Africa over a period of 5 years. On 26 February 2013, she was one of several speakers invited by UNESCO to describe how e-science was being used in their country to strengthen the interface between science, policy, and society. [4]
In 2015, Women In Technology Uganda was awarded the project inspire grand prize, which is awarded to outstanding organizations supporting that enable and empower women economically. [5]
Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) also known as Women of Uganda Network Development Limited is Ugandan non-governmental organization that aids women and women's organisations in the use and access of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to share information and address issues their concerns such as gender norms, advocating for their rights and building communities and businesses through education.
Dorothy Okello is a Ugandan electrical engineer, and professor known for founding the Women of Uganda Network or WOUGNET. In 2016, she became the first female president of the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers
Makerere University Business School (MUBS) is the school of business of Makerere University, Uganda's oldest university. MUBS provides business and management education at the certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Jennifer Semakula Musisi is a Ugandan lawyer and public administrator. She is the first City Leader in Residence at Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative at the Ash Center of the Harvard Kennedy School, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. She was appointed to this position in January 2019.
Hayat Al Sindi is a Saudi Arabian biotechnologist and medical scientist who is one of the first female members of the Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia. She is famous for making major contributions to point-of-care medical testing and biotechnology. She was ranked by Arabian Business as the 19th most influential Arab in the world and the ninth most influential Arab woman. In 2018, she was listed as one of BBC's 100 Women.
Appfrica is a market research and technology firm founded by current CEO Jon Gosier in 2008 in Kampala, Uganda. The firm has been responsible for a number of technology initiatives responsible for promoting Africa's technology sector including HiveColab, Apps4Africa, HiveColab, QuestionBox and for helping Google Africa translate its page for Ugandan audiences.
HiveColab is an innovation hub and startup incubator in Kampala, Uganda. The space was founded in 2010 and is noted as being one of Africa's first innovation hubs of note along with the IHub. HiveColab was founded by African technologist and Appfrica CEO Jon Gosier, Senegalese Born, British Businesswoman Marieme Jamme, Daniel Stern, Teddy Ruge and supported by Director Barbara Birungi. The space is funded by Appfrica, IndigoTrust and Dutch NGO Hivos. HiveColab is one of the founding members of Afrilabs a network of African innovation hubs across the continent. Barbara Birungi has stated she's passionate about how technology can change the future of Africa, for women in particular.
AfriLabs is a pan-African innovation-focused organisation that works with over 400 innovation hubs in 53 countries and other stakeholders to raise successful startups and entrepreneurs that are developing and deploying innovative solutions to African problems through the adoption of technologies.
Mary Jossy Nakhanda Okwakol is a Ugandan university professor, academic administrator, zoologist and community leader. She is the current chairperson of the Uganda National Examinations Board.
Kiira Motors Corporation or KMC is a State Enterprise in Uganda established to champion the Development of the Domestic Automotive Value Chain for job and wealth creation and commercialize the Kiira Electric Vehicle Project. The Equity Partners are the Government of the Republic of Uganda represented by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Office of the President holding 96% of the initial stock and Makerere University holding 4%.
Oreoluwa Somolu Lesi is a Nigerian social entrepreneur and UK-trained economist and information technology expert. She is the founder and executive director of Women's Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC), a non-profit organisation that empowers women and girls socially and economically through education in Information technology. W.TEC was established in the year 2008. She is a fellow of Ashoka and a recipient of the Anita Borg Institute (ABIE) Change Agent Award.
Science and technology in Uganda examine government efforts to develop a national innovation system and the impact of these policies.
Akaliza Keza Gara is a Rwandan IT activist and entrepreneur. She is active in promoting the field to girls and has been recognised for her activism by awards from the Rwandan government and the International Telecommunication Union. Gara has founded a technology consultancy and website design company and an animation studio. She has been described as "one of the few young Rwandan women who have made significant strides in changing the face of technology in the country" and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community.
Rose Peter Funja is a Tanzanian software engineer and developer. She was a dean at the College of Science at the University of Bagamoyo, lecturing on ICT.
Rehmah Kasule is a Ugandan social entrepreneur, public speaker and author. She is the founder of CEDA International a non-profit organization in Uganda.
Olive Birungi Lumonya, is a Ugandan businesswoman and corporate executive who serves as the deputy director general of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, effective 15 November 2021. Immediately before her current assignment, Birungi was the National Director of SOS Children's Villages Uganda, a non-government organization, that focuses on the needs of children.
Consolata Kabonesa is an Ugandan gender activist with a specialised experience in the women and gender programming, gender training, project and research within the decentralized system. She is also an Assoc. Prof at the School of Women and Gender Studies, Makerere University.
Rowena Turinawe, is a Ugandan information technology professional and corporate executive, who works as the head of Innovation and Digital Services, at Centenary Technology Services Limited, the technology subsidiary company of the Centenary Group. Before that, she served as business transformation manager at National Information Technology Authority Uganda (NITA-Uganda), a government parastatal organization.
Alice Norah Nabatanzi, is a Ugandan researcher and academic scientist at Makerere University, Uganda's oldest and largest public university, where she earned a doctorate degree at age 28.
Evelyn Namara is a Ugandan technologist, technology entrepreneur and corporate executive who founded Vouch Digital in 2017. She serves as a non executive director on the KCB Bank Uganda Board of Directors, MTN Mobile Money Uganda Limited Boards of Directors and also serves on the Refactory Advisory Board. She is first Ugandan to win the Anita Borg Change Agent Award Winner in October 2012. She is the founder of Innovate Uganda