At the head of an innovation center based in Mogadishu, he strives to build a robust technological ecosystem in Somalia. Balancing entrepreneurship and expertise in public policy, he embodies a new generation of change-makers.

Abdihakim Ainte (photo), a Somali-born tech entrepreneur, researcher, and analyst, is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of iRise Hub, a center dedicated to fostering innovation and technology.

Established in 2016 in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, iRise Hub aims to cultivate a local ecosystem capable of attracting international investment. The center targets entrepreneurs, developers, investors, technicians, innovators, and the broader Somali startup ecosystem, providing them with a collaborative workspace to share ideas and advance their projects.

iRise Hub offers training in design thinking, a user-centered innovation methodology, and develops customized programs to facilitate startups' swift entry into the market. Currently, the iRise Hub community encompasses over 40,000 members and 80 mentors. The center has implemented more than 20 programs, organized over 350 events, and supported over 3,000 startups to date.

Prior to launching iRise Hub, Ainte founded TransLink Advisory in 2014, a consulting firm specializing in security, socio-economic development, and institutional strengthening.

Ainte holds a bachelor's degree in political science and government, earned in 2017 from Linnéuniversitetet, a Swedish university. He also holds a master's degree in public policy analysis from the University of Bristol in England, which he obtained in 2020.

His professional journey commenced in 2011 at the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS), where he served as a researcher focusing on issues related to Somalia. In 2014, he became the director of the Somali Forum for Progress, an independent think tank uniting researchers, intellectuals, academics, policymakers, and journalists to contribute to the country's development.

By Melchior Koba,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji