Ayaan Mohamed Ali

Ayaan Mohamed Ali is a technology entrepreneur and social innovator whose work focuses on artificial intelligence, industrial automation, and inclusive economic development. As founder and CEO of Digitech Oasis, a Manchester-based AI and robotics company, Ali has developed a platform that enables businesses in more than 68 countries to predict, improve, and automate critical operations. She established Digitech Oasis to address industrial inefficiency and the gender gap in the technology sector, building a team that is 80 percent women and promoting diversity in STEM leadership.

Under Ali's leadership, Digitech Oasis has reached a $50 million valuation and helped clients save an estimated $28 million in inefficiency costs. The company has received the King's Award for Enterprise in International Trade and was recognized as KPMG's Most Promising Large Business. Ali has been named to Business Insider's "42 Under 42" list and honored as Northern Power's Entrepreneur of the Year. She also received the top prize at the Stelios Awards for Young Entrepreneurs in the UK, securing a £150,000 grant from the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation after Digitech Oasis was selected from 180 applicants.

Ali's professional background spans international development, finance, and technology, with previous roles at IOM – UN Migration, Barclays Corporate & Investment Bank, and Google. She launched a nonprofit organization focused on digital literacy training for marginalized communities in East Africa, impacting more than 5,000 individuals. Her academic background includes studies at the University of Oxford and an MSc in entrepreneurship and innovation from the University of Essex. Ali serves on the advisory board of University Academy 92 and as a foreign investments manager at Innovate UK Business Connect.

Ali is a public speaker and mentor, delivering keynote addresses on topics such as the role of AI in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. She has appeared on panels including the Prolific North "Founder F*ck Ups" series and the Northern Power Women conference. Ali was named a finalist for the Milken-Motsepe Prize in AI and Manufacturing, a $2 million competition recognizing companies advancing innovation in Africa's manufacturing sector. Through her work, Ali addresses policymakers, investors, and emerging female founders, bringing technical expertise, entrepreneurial experience, and a commitment to inclusive technology leadership.