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| Erik Hersman | |
|---|---|
| Name | Erik Hersman |
| Occupation | Technology entrepreneur, engineer, blogger, investor |
| Known for | Ushahidi, iHub, iRevolution, appAfrica |
Erik Hersman is a technology entrepreneur, engineer, blogger, and investor known for founding platforms and communities that intersect humanitarian response, mobile technology, and African innovation. He co-founded Ushahidi and the iHub, helped catalyze crowdsourced crisis mapping, and has been a visible commentator on technology ecosystems across Africa, the Middle East, and global humanitarian networks. Hersman’s work links software development, geospatial tools, venture networks, and media platforms to influence disaster response, civic tech, and startup culture.
Hersman was born in the United States and raised with a childhood that included time in Saudi Arabia and the United States, experiences that influenced interests in Africa and Middle East technology landscapes. He attended schools associated with expatriate communities and later studied engineering and technology, in contexts that connected him to institutions and peers at University of California, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and other engineering hubs via conferences and collaborations. Early exposure to platforms like AOL, Yahoo!, and communities around Linux and Open Source shaped his trajectory toward web development, mapping, and online community building.
Hersman’s career spans roles as a software developer, entrepreneur, investor, and advisor, intersecting with organizations including UNICEF, World Bank, Google, and Microsoft. He co-founded Ushahidi with collaborators who were engaged in civic tech networks similar to ThoughtWorks, Kenya ICT Board, and Nairobi Garage, leveraging technologies comparable to Google Maps API, OpenStreetMap, and Twilio for crisis data aggregation. His advisory and investment roles connected him to accelerators and funds such as Y Combinator, Techstars, 500 Startups, Norrsken Foundation, and regional investors like Safaricom and Kenya Commercial Bank affiliates. Hersman has served on boards and advisory councils for entities linked to United Nations Development Programme, Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, and regional incubators in Nairobi and Cape Town.
Hersman helped build and engage networks of entrepreneurs, investors, and technologists through initiatives related to Geeks on a Plane, regional tour programs similar to Seedstars World and Startup Grind, and community spaces like iHub, Nairobi Garage, and Gearbox. These efforts tied into conferences and gatherings such as TechCrunch Disrupt, TEDGlobal, South by Southwest, AfricaCom, and Web Summit, fostering exchanges among actors from Silicon Valley, London, Johannesburg, Lagos, and Kigali. Community building extended to collaborations with universities and research centers like University of Nairobi, Aga Khan University, Makerere University, and think tanks such as Brookings Institution and Chatham House.
Hersman co-founded Ushahidi, a platform influential in crises like the 2007–2008 Kenyan crisis and disasters monitored during events involving Haiti earthquake response and Arab Spring uprisings. Ushahidi’s model integrated mapping, SMS aggregation, and crowdsourcing, drawing on tools from FrontlineSMS, RapidSMS, Sahana Software Foundation, and mapping platforms like MapBox and CartoDB. He launched and supported projects at the iHub, incubating startups that worked with APIs from Facebook, Twitter, Google, and payment integrations used by M-Pesa and financial services linked to Equity Bank. Hersman’s work emphasized open data and interoperability with standards promoted by Open Knowledge Foundation, World Wide Web Consortium, and data initiatives associated with Open Government Partnership and Global Pulse.
Hersman maintains a prominent blog and has written for and been featured in outlets including TED, CNN, The New York Times, The Guardian, and Wired. He has spoken at forums such as TEDGlobal, Davos, Web Summit, and RSA Conference, and participated in panels convened by United Nations, World Economic Forum, and Clinton Global Initiative. His commentary has intersected with journalists and thinkers from Al Jazeera, BBC, Reuters, and The Economist, and he has appeared on podcasts and video series alongside figures associated with Ben Horowitz, Marc Andreessen, Chris Anderson, and researchers from Harvard University and Stanford University.
Hersman’s work has been recognized by awards and listings from organizations like Time Magazine lists, Fast Company innovation features, and acknowledgments from MIT Technology Review and African Leadership Network. He has received fellowships and invitations from institutions such as TED Fellows, Ashoka, Skoll Foundation, and mentorship programs connected to Echoing Green and Ford Foundation. Regional honors and citations have come from bodies including Kenya ICT Authority and networks like Corporate Council on Africa.
Category:Technology entrepreneurs Category:Civic technology