[email protected]
As the founder of kiwanja.net, Ken Banks leverages mobile technology for positive social and environmental change in the developing world. His early research helped establish FrontlineSMS, one of the most effective text messaging field communication systems available. His most recent project, Means of Exchange, uses everyday technology to promote the use of local resources.
Banks has worked at the intersection of technology, anthropology, conservation and development for the past twenty-five years and, during that time, has lived and worked across the African continent.
He is a PopTech Fellow, a Tech Awards Laureate, an Ashoka Fellow and a National Geographic Emerging Explorer, and has been internationally recognized for his technology-based work. In 2013 he was nominated for the TED Prize, and in 2015 was a Visiting Fellow at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. In late 2015 Ken was appointed CARE International’s first Entrepreneur in Residence.
Banks' book “The Rise of the Reluctant Innovator”, was published in 2013.
In recognition of his pioneering work in mobile, in June 2017 Ken was presented with the Eugene L. Lawler Award for Humanitarian Contributions to Computer Science by the Association for Computing Machinery in the USA.
Videos
Speech Topics
portugal
india africa mobile forest technology regulation people understanding rural
ideas
thought change power start understanding build human future open
global
system cities greece mobile growth government china ountries euro
consumption
industrial companies business markets change brands people cars customers
News
Related Speakers View all
Eric Schmidt
Co-Founder of Schmidt Futures and Former Executive C...
|
|
Scott Dinsmore
Founder of Live Your Legend
|
|
Eric Lefkofsky
Founder and CEO at Tempus, Inc.; Co-founder of Light...
|
|
Peter Diamandis
Founder & Executive Chairman of the XPRIZE Foundatio...
|
|
Sir Richard Branson
Businessman & Founder of Virgin Group
|
|
Dan Ariely
Behavioral Economist; Professor at Duke University; ...
|
|
Hiroki Takeuchi
CEO of GoCardless
|
|
Tim O'Reilly
Founder & CEO of O'Reilly Media
|
|
Edward Tenner
Smithsonian Institution Distinguished Scholar & Auth...
|
|
Mike Matas
While at Apple, Mike Matas helped write the user int...
|
|
Reid Hoffman
Co-Founder & Former Executive Chairman of LinkedIn; ...
|
|
Jimmy Wales
Founder of Wikipedia & Wikitribune
|
|
Ted Turner
Media Mogul & Philanthropist
|
|
Ray Kurzweil
Chairman of Kurzweil Technologies, Inventor & Futuri...
|
|
John Chambers
Former Chairman & CEO of Cisco Systems; Named One of...
|
|
Ryan Steelberg
President at Veritone, Inc.
|
|
Jon Steinberg
CEO of Future Plc., Founder of Cheddar; Former Presi...
|
|
Anthony Saladino
Co-Founder & CEO of Kitchen Cabinet Kings
|
|
Avi Rubin
Professor of Computer Science & Technical Director o...
|
|
Kevin Allocca
Head of Culture & Trends at YouTube
|