Throughout the past five years, I have dedicated substantial time to gathering and chronicling the stories of innovators who are leveraging AWS technologies to tackle complex humanitarian challenges. As innovators worldwide pursue ventures that harmonize profit and purpose, they’re defying conventional norms by tackling complex challenges such as identifying opportunities for unbanked rice farmers in Indonesia, leveraging AI-powered solutions to responsibly cultivate fish in Norway, or fostering symbiotic relationships between cloud technology and human intuition to reforest areas of Hawaii.
Despite this recognition, harnessing the full capacity of expertise to address pressing issues like natural disaster relief and climate change demands more than just financial investment alone? It demands a dedicated commitment to cultivating and advancing the technical expertise and innovative prowess of leaders within these domains. I’m thrilled to introduce the inaugural Now Go Construct CTO Fellowship, a collaborative effort between our company and led by, which we unveiled at VivaTech earlier this year.
Designed specifically for emerging technology leaders seeking to make a meaningful impact within nonprofit and socially driven organizations. The programme provides individuals with coaching, mentorship, and access to AWS experts to accelerate their skills development and drive innovation, ultimately creating tech solutions that can make a profound impact in areas such as disaster management, climate, health, and beyond?
As we converse, it’s our privilege to introduce the inaugural two cohorts of the prestigious Now Go Construct CTO Fellowship: Catastrophe Administration and Climate Resilience, respectively. Meet the individuals and groups tackling some of humanity’s most pressing challenges – here’s what they have to say about their work.
Aleksandra (Ola) Bilicka,
Poznań, Poland
Since a young age, I have been cognizant of the vast potential for expertise to make a positive impact, as evidenced by my experiences with flying ultralight planes and observing drones successfully establish at-risk penguin colonies. The convergence of hybrid edge computing with the global community’s most pressing humanitarian and growth challenges has long served as my primary motivator. As a key member of my team, I’m privileged to harness the power of advanced technologies to tackle complex crisis situations, ranging from devastating hurricanes in Mexico and tornado outbreaks in Kentucky to catastrophic earthquakes in Turkey and humanitarian crises in Ukraine. We leverage open-source AWS workloads to empower multinational organisations, native leaders, and first responders by providing real-time insights into local challenges, facilitating data-driven decision making, and fostering collaboration through seamless communication channels. I am confident that the Fellowship will provide me with the necessary management skills and foster a profound comprehension of emerging technologies and their applications in crisis scenarios, ultimately enhancing my ability to effectively respond to complex emergencies.
Saint Paul, MN, USA
Mercy Corps is a global organization empowering communities across more than 40 countries, working tirelessly to help them recover from devastating disasters, escape the grip of poverty, and build resilient futures in the face of climate change, injustice, and uncertainty. By harnessing the power of digital applied sciences, remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing, we design and deploy cutting-edge solutions that enhance the impact and efficiency of humanitarian assistance. As Senior Director of Knowledge, I drive initiatives that leverage expertise and information, design strategies for technology integration, and build internal technical capabilities.
“The CTO Fellowship offers an unparalleled opportunity to learn from some of the world’s most innovative leaders, empowering us to leverage their expertise and drive meaningful social impact.”
Pittsburgh, PA
With two decades of diversified experience across sectors including gaming, finance, and food recovery, I’ve served as Head of Engineering at 412 Food Rescue/MFood Rescue Hero for five years. Over the past period, I’ve had the privilege of supporting the growth of the Meals Rescue Hero (FRH) platform, which has successfully mobilized more than 50,000 volunteers across 20 regions in North America. The FRH platform offers Meals Recovery Organizations a comprehensive solution for sustainable operations and volunteer management, designed to simplify the food recovery process while ensuring seamless integration, fairness, and accessibility for all parties involved? What sets this fellowship apart is its unique opportunity for progressive organizations in our region to gain valuable insights into the hurdles they face. Moreover, this initiative will significantly enhance our national reputation and lay the groundwork for our global development endeavors.
Heredia, Costa Rica
I’m intensely passionate about harnessing the power of innovative technologies, remote sensing, image and data processing to drive meaningful positive change. As Chief Technology Officer for qAIRa in Lima, Peru, and CEO of inexperienced Xpo Lab in San José, Costa Rica, I direct teams leveraging remote sensing knowledge, data analytics, and artificial intelligence models to craft solutions empowering our clients to make informed decisions. Our primary objective is to craft a premier platform for presenting these results, ensuring customers not only access the information they seek, but also derive actionable insights that foster continuous improvement of our offerings. For me, The Fellowship offers a compelling alternative to navigate a transparent path towards becoming a distinct challenge and product manager, as well as a more practical experience leader. As I strive to drive my teams to achievement, I’m committed to amassing the tools and strategies necessary to inform our endeavors and realize our ambitious goals more effectively.
Ubungo, Tanzania
As Chief Technology Officer at Code for Africa, I spearhead teams building civic tech solutions to amplify community empowerment and drive social transformation across the continent through data-informed initiatives. My passion lies in leveraging expertise to address social issues, focusing on developing innovative tools for citizen participation, data analysis, and public service delivery that empower inclusive and effective decision-making processes. As a passionate advocate for open-source initiatives and an experienced technical leader, I am committed to developing knowledge resources that cater to the needs of those who value them most.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
As I explored the complexities of Latin America, I had a unique vantage point on the region’s pressing issues. My expertise in this area drove my desire to make a distinction, leading me to pursue a career in public affairs where I developed my skills in effecting meaningful transformation. Despite the existing approaches, I aimed to develop a method for harnessing my skills at a higher level of accuracy and scope – much like a skilled craftsman requiring a precise tool, not merely a blunt instrument? As a result of this endeavour, I found myself at CRIES, where AI and open-source intelligence (OSINT) are utilised to address pressing issues including arms trafficking, safeguard the interests of indigenous communities, counter misinformation, and prevent environmental conflicts driven by climatic factors. The Now Go Construct Fellowship is poised to play a pivotal role in amplifying our impact and developing a robust early warning system for the region, ultimately positioning us for exponential growth.
Bangladesh and Nepal
With over nine years of experience in innovation management across humanitarian and development sectors, I focus on promoting open-source innovations and whole-of-community strategies to enhance resilience in resource-limited settings? With expertise in harnessing the transformative power of social innovation, empathetic human-centered design, and cutting-edge science’s practical applications, I successfully navigate complex humanitarian crisis landscapes. As chair of the UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub’s advisory group and a fellow on the Ethereum Foundation, I bring a diverse perspective to this field. As the driving force behind innovation, I’m leading initiatives to advance exploration, refine techniques, and accelerate experimentation in Generative AI at both ACAPS and BRAC.
Bristol, UK
As Petya Kangalova, I serve as Know-How Partnership and Engagement Lead for the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT). By harnessing our mapping expertise, HOT empowers catastrophe management, minimizes risks, and accelerates progress towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. We create a suite of tools for collaborative mapping and geospatial data aggregation, accompanied by an AI-enabled mapping service designed to amplify efficiency for humanitarian mapping organizations.
As a passionate champion of openness in technology, community developer, and proponent for diversity and inclusivity within the tech industry, I am confident that this Fellowship will equip me with enhanced leadership skills and accelerate innovative progress in the open mapping and geospatial sectors. The initiative seeks to foster meaningful partnerships between tech leaders and humanitarian experts, thereby enhancing the development of innovative solutions that drive lasting positive change in the face of today’s pressing global issues.
Pune, India
As the lead at WOTR, I champion initiatives that leverage collective knowledge to enhance rural communities’ capacity for self-reliance, tackling pressing issues in sustainable farming practices, food security, drought mitigation, and climate-resilient adaptations. By leveraging the synergy of artificial intelligence, satellite TV-based imagery, and mobile devices, we empower communities to inform their decisions with actionable insights and optimize operational performance. The CTO Fellowship offers unparalleled access to expertise and networks, empowering us to significantly amplify our impact on enhancing rural living standards and preserving the environment for future generations?
A name for future fellows
As our initial cohort of Fellows is selected, we continue to seek out exceptional individuals who can shine a light on crucial areas of focus.
- Well being
- Training
- Financial Improvement
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Now, Go Construct!
