Sheilah Birgen is the CEO of The CoRD, an innovation ecosystem-building, Digital strategy creation, and entrepreneurship support agency based in Nairobi. She has over 14 years of experience in Africa and is a seasoned leader in the field of open internet advocacy and ecosystem building. She has served as the Country Lead for Innovate UK KTN Global Alliance Africa, Entrepreneurship Director at iHub, and Managing Director of Founder’s Institute Kenya. Sheilah has been instrumental in leading the development and execution of mLab East Africa’s acceleration programs, which targeted East African entrepreneurs, iHub Fellows, and mLab incubated startups, showcasing her commitment to cultivating innovation on the continent. Sheilah has coached and mentored over 1,000 entrepreneurs across Africa and is a guest lecturer on Entrepreneurship at the Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communications. She holds an MBA in Global Business & Sustainability: Impact Entrepreneurship from the Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Milan, and a Master’s Degree in Management from Tangaza University. Additionally, she possesses certificates in Investing in Early-Stage Growth Companies from the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business, Access to Finance, and Startup Valuation and Financial Modeling. Sheilah’s leadership has garnered global acclaim, and she was recognized as one of the top six black women leading the charge to grow the technology sector across the African continent by Root magazine in 2016. Under her guidance, m:Lab was listed among the top 10 best global accelerators

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As the Country Lead for Innovate UK KTN Global Alliance Africa, Sheilah Birgen is a seasoned leader in the field of open internet advocacy and ecosystem building. With over 14 years of experience in Africa, Sheilah is dedicated to co-creating digital policies and programs, fostering innovation exchange, convening innovation communities, and nurturing entrepreneurship.

Previously serving as the Country Lead for Innovate UK KTN Global Alliance Africa,  Entrepreneurship Director at iHub and Managing Director of Founder’s Institute Kenya, Sheilah has been instrumental in leading the development and execution of mLab East Africa’s acceleration programs. These programs targeted East African entrepreneurs, iHub Fellows, and mLab incubated startups, showcasing her commitment to cultivating innovation on the continent.

Sheilah’s impact extends beyond organizational leadership. Having coached and mentored over 1,200 entrepreneurs across Africa, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the entrepreneurship landscape. As a guest lecturer on Entrepreneurship at the Aga Khan University Graduate School of Media and Communications, Sheilah actively contributes to shaping the next generation of entrepreneurial minds.

Sheilah holds an MBA in Global Business & Sustainability: Impact Entrepreneurship from the Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Milan, and a Master’s Degree in Management from Tangaza University. Additionally, she possesses several certificates that include Investing in Early-Stage Growth Companies from the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business, Access to Finance, and Startup Valuation and Financial Modeling to mention a few.

Recognized as one of the top six black women leading the charge to grow the technology sector across the African continent by Root magazine. Sheilah’s leadership has garnered global acclaim. Under her guidance, m:Lab was listed among the top 10 best global accelerators 2015-2017 in the world by UBI Global Benchmark, a remarkable achievement for an accelerator based in a developing country.

A sought-after speaker, Sheilah has shared her insights at over 150 international conferences in 36 countries worldwide. Her passion lies in supporting impact-driven businesses and harnessing technology as a multi-sectoral tool to enhance processes, increase efficiencies, promote collaboration, ensure accountability, and drive societal impact.

Connect with Sheilah Birgen as she continues to shape the innovation landscape in Africa and beyond.