About
Kathleen Siminyu is a researcher at The Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR), where she works on natural language processing, focusing on speech recognition technologies for African languages including Kiswahili, and on data governance and licensing models. She collaborates with African AI communities on capacity building and serves as a trustee of the Deep Learning Indaba and chair of the board of directors of the Masakhane Research Foundation. In venture capital, she is a technology specialist at Atlantica Ventures and an angel investor with the Nairobi Business Angel Network.
Experience
- The Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR)Researchercurrent2024 — present
- Nairobi Business Angel NetworkAngel Investorcurrent2022 — present
- MasakhaneSecretary Board of Directorscurrent2022 — present
- Atlantica VenturesTechnology Specialistcurrent2020 — present
- Deep Learning IndabaSteering Committee Membercurrent2017 — present
- MozillaMachine Learning Fellow, Kiswahili2021 — 2024
- African Union Development Agency-NEPADArtificial Intelligence Policy Expert2022 — 2023
- Artificial Intelligence for DevelopmentRegional Network Coordinator (Africa)2019 — 2021Africa
- Broadband Commission for Sustainable DevelopmentExternal Expert2020
- Carnegie Mellon University - School of Computer Science - Language Technologies InstituteResearch Intern2020
- (WiMLDS) Women in Machine Learning & Data ScienceCo-Founder & Co-Organiser, Nairobi Chapter2016 — 2019
- Africa's TalkingHead of Data Science2018 — 2019Nairobi, Kenya
- Africa's TalkingData Scientist2016 — 2018Kenya
- Intel CorporationIntel Student Partner - Intel at JKUAT2015 — 2016
- Ralphowino ConsultingIntern Software Developer2015Lavington
- AIESEC in JKUATLocal Committee Vice President - Communication and Information Management2014
- Trinc Ltd.Internship2014Nairobi, Kenya.
- Africa's TalkingIntern2012Nairobi, Kenya
- Tangara School for Girls (Sydney, Australia)Teacher's Assistant2012
Skills & more
Public Policy1Policy WritingSocial Media10Teaching11Public Relations11Social Networking10Fundraising4Non-profits2Event Management5Marketing Strategy5Research20Data Analysis13
+11 more
NonprofitsCustomer ServiceMicrosoft OfficePowerPointMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelPhotoshopPublic SpeakingTeam LeadershipPeople SkillsTeamworkLanguages English · French · Spanish · Swahili
- Duolingo Spanish Fluency: Intermediate (Estimated) — Duolingo
- edX Honor Code Certificate for Introduction to R — edX
- edX Honor Code Certificate for Scalable Machine Learning — edX
- edX Honor Code Certificate for Introduction to Big Data with Apache Spark — edX
- edX Honor Code Certificate for Effective Thinking Through Mathematics — edX
From Kathleen's professional profile.
Colleagues at Atlantica Ventures
Alicia Lambo
Senior Associate at Atlantica Ventures
Aniko Szigetvari
Founding Partner at Atlantica Ventures
Ik Kanu
Founding Partner at Atlantica Ventures
Juliana Rotich
Venture Partner at Atlantica Ventures
Nnamdi Nwanze
Data Scientist at Atlantica Ventures
Rajeev Kalra
Partner at The Rohatyn Group
Sarah Wanjohi
Senior Associate at Atlantica Ventures
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Kathleen Siminyu?
- Kathleen Siminyu is a researcher at The Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR), where she works on natural language processing, focusing on speech recognition technologies for African languages including Kiswahili, and on data governance and licensing models. She collaborates with African AI communities on capacity building and serves as a trustee of the Deep Learning Indaba and chair of the board of directors of the Masakhane Research Foundation. In venture capital, she is a technology specialist at Atlantica Ventures and an angel investor with the Nairobi Business Angel Network.
- Where does Kathleen Siminyu work?
- Kathleen Siminyu is Technology Specialist at Atlantica Ventures.
- Where did Kathleen Siminyu go to school?
- Kathleen Siminyu studied at University of Pretoria (Master of Science - MS, Computer Science); Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) (Bachelor of Science (BSc), Mathematics and Computer Science).
Same school
Also attended University of Pretoria20
Christopher NorthPartner, Co-Head of Climate Investments at Helios Digital VenturesIrene VaksmanManaging Partner at LaunchBay CapitalNzwisisa ChidemboCTO in Residence at Enza CapitalJared MagnusAssociate at Claret Capital PartnersJoost LoebInvestment Manager at Colesco Capital CollectiveEdward PitsiNon-Exec Director at Crossfin Technology
+ 14 more
Also attended Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)9
Charly MwangiPartner at Eclipse VenturesKeith AmaniPeople, Culture & Networks Senior Officer at Goodwell InvestmentsLisa KimondoDirector of Academy at Founders Factory AfricaLilian WangariEntrepreneurship Community Officer at JasiriMelissa ShangInvestor at Left Lane CapitalRobert NyangateFounder at Boya
+ 3 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Mozilla42
Austin HayInvestor at Khosla VenturesEmily MoskowitzEntrepreneur in Residence at Storm VenturesUlili OnovakpuriManaging Partner at Kapor CapitalMarco DeMirozGeneral Partner & Co-founder at The Venture Reality FundPramit SinghiAssociate at Titan CapitalNaveed IhsanullahTechnical Partner at Eterna Capital
+ 36 more
Also worked at Carnegie Mellon University - School of Computer Science - Language Technologies Institute3
Also worked at Intel Corporation353
Jim GoetzPartner at Sequoia CapitalSundeep PeechuGeneral Partner at Felicis VenturesKarim FarisInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Viswa SankaranarayananVenture Partner at Monta Vista CapitalJob SimonVenture Partner and CTO at Monta Vista CapitalAssaf ArakiInvestment Director at Intel Capital
+ 347 more