Erik Hersman
Founder of BRCK | Connecting Africa Through Emerging Tech
About
Erik Hersman is a technologist and entrepreneur dedicated to connecting Africa to the digital world. As the founder of BRCK, he created a rugged, solar-powered WiFi device to provide reliable internet access in remote areas.
Hersman also co-founded Ushahidi, a non-profit tech company that specializes in developing free and open-source software for information collection, visualization, and interactive mapping. With a focus on emerging technologies, his keynotes explore how Africa is leapfrogging traditional infrastructure to harness the power of connectivity, data, and innovation.
Talks1
Reporting crisis via texting
At TEDU 2009, Erik Hersman presents the remarkable story of Ushahidi, a GoogleMap mashup that allowed Kenyans to report and track violence via cell phone texts following the 2008 elections, and has evolved to continue saving lives in other countries.
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