Global
Leadership
Program

We are excited to welcome the fourth cohort of ALU students to Silicon Valley for our annual Global Leadership Program in April 2025! Each year, 20 exceptional ALU students are selected for a transformative, month-long leadership and entrepreneurship immersion at the Carnegie Foundation and Stanford University. Throughout the program, students engage with Silicon Valley leaders, explore around 20 top tech companies, participate in workshops, an industry mentor program and series of networking events, attend networking events and experience the vibrant innovation cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Overview

Since its launch four years ago, the Global Leadership Program has provided ALU students with invaluable opportunities to visit world-renowned organizations headquarters such as Microsoft, Intel, AWS, Google, X, Verily, IDEO, Uber, Lyft, Blue River Technology, Y Combinator, Alchemy, Coursera, Netflix, and OpenAI. In addition, students have engaged with foundations dedicated to fostering social entrepreneurship in Africa, including the Skoll Foundation, Mulago Foundation, Emerson Collective, and Rippleworks.

Beyond these immersive company visits, the Global Leadership Program has also provided ALU students with the opportunity to engage with prominent leaders, including Sheryl Sandberg, Reed Hastings, Mayor Karen Bass, Mayor Willie Brown, and President Clinton, gaining valuable insights and inspiration for their leadership and entrepreneurial journeys.

Our Goal

To accelerate students’ ability to solve Africa’s grand challenges and capture its greatest opportunities by gaining hands-on experience with technology companies in Silicon Valley and learning from the region’s spirit of innovation and disruption.

Global Leadership Program

Each year, 20 ALU students travel to Stanford, California, as part of the Silicon Valley Program. Students engage with top industry and academic experts and tour cutting-edge companies to witness firsthand how innovation is nurtured. They participate in lectures, workshops, fireside chats, company visits, cultural events, and an industry mentorship program.

Program Overview

Talks and panels with technology leaders are organized at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching two days a week and then three days a week students are onsite at leading tech companies participating in hands-on workshops, employee panels and networking events. Students meet with their industry mentor remotely before the program and then in person at least once a week for their time in the US for coaching on their venture and career. At the end of the program students pitch their venture ideas in a VC pitch night and receive feedback from investors.

Stanford University Experience

Students engage in immersive workshops and activities across Stanford University’s premier institutions, including the School of Engineering, the School of Design (d.school), the Graduate School of Business, and Stanford Seed.

Los Angeles Leadership Masterclass

The program concludes with an exclusive leadership and global policy masterclass in Los Angeles, hosted by The Path to Prosperity Foundation. Students gain insights from distinguished leaders across business, government, and entertainment, expanding their understanding of leadership on a global scale. Select students are then invited to attend the Milken Global Conference.

Creating Lasting
Impact

Following these transformative learning experiences, our students return to ALU armed with fresh perspectives and a deeper understanding of leadership and entrepreneurship. ALU students are already underway leveraging learnings from Silicon Valley to create bold solutions for Africa’s most pressing challenges, extending the impact of the program across the continent.

2025

Participants

Audry Ashleen Chivanga

ALU

Audry is a visionary changemaker dedicated to harnessing technology to revolutionize healthcare in Africa by crafting tailored Healthtech solutions that address the continent’s unique challenges.

Paul Dominion Ladi

ALX and ALU

Paul Dominion Ladi founder and CEO LadX mission to create 50,000 in Africa through building and scaling ventures.

Theodora Ngozi Egbunike

ALU

Theodora Ngozi Egbunike is a Nigerian social entrepreneur and software engineering student dedicated to breaking the silence around menstrual health through digital innovation and education with a focus in digital marketing and social media. As the founder of Swift Haven, she is dedicated to empowering women across Africa by creating accessible health resources and fostering equitable opportunities.

Stanley Chidubem Anigbogu

ALU

Stanley Anigbogu is a Nigerian creative technologist and social entrepreneur, pioneering waste-to-energy solutions to tackle energy poverty and plastic pollution. As the Founder & CEO of LightEd, he has impacted over 30,000 people by transforming plastic waste into solar-powered infrastructure, bringing clean energy, sustainability education, and economic empowerment to underserved communities.

Hakim Nakaana Kakooza

ALX

Hakim Kakooza is a final-year student at the African Leadership University, pursuing a Bachelor’s in Entrepreneurial Leadership, with a mission to leverage technology, community, and business to democratize access to quality healthcare in under-resourced African communities. As Founder & CEO of MariTest, he is developing AI-powered, non-invasive malaria diagnostics to improve early detection and treatment.

Branice Kazira Otiende

ALU and ALX

Branice Kazira is a social entrepreneur and software engineering student at ALU, passionate about leveraging technology for social impact. As the co-founder of Signvrse, she is dedicated to bridging communication gaps for the Deaf community through AI-powered 3D sign language avatars.

Yvone Khavetsa

ALU

Yvone Khavetsa is a passionate advocate for healthcare access and nutrition equity, leveraging AI-driven solutions to combat maternal and child mortality across Africa. With expertise in Entrepreneurial Leadership and Public Policy, she pioneers sustainable, data-driven interventions to improve health outcomes and build resilient food systems.

Don Daniel Mikenze

ALU

Don Daniel Mikenze, Bachelor's in Entrepreneurial Leadership, Founder of Sprint, Public Speaker and Tanzanian

Sarabel Akinyi odero

ALU

Sarabel Odero is a civic advocate committed to strengthening democracy and good governance through youth engagement and technology-driven solutions. As the founder of Demotrack and an active leader in regional youth parliaments, she champions transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement in governance.

MALIHA MEHBOOB SUMAR

ALU

Maliehaa is on a mission to transform natural resource use in East Africa by adding value to regenerative resources like seaweed, bees, raffia and kapok. Through her social enterprise, The People and Planet Co., she’s creating green jobs and challenging the export of raw materials by transforming these resources into high-value, sustainable goods.

Olivier Itangisha

ALX

Olivier Itangishaka is a cybersecurity enthusiast and entrepreneur, leading Paroteen Inc., a company focused on ethical innovation to enhance life on the planet. He is the founder of IntelliScan, an AI-powered health platform, and is passionate about digital forensics, law enforcement, and ethical technology.

Lavender Birike Otieno

ALX

Lavender Birike is an experienced leader in building technology-driven solutions to Africa’s emerging markets, leveraging her strong background in science and engineering. She is currently developing solutions that enhance financial inclusion and economic stability across the continent.