Meet Our Team

Tomas Kessl’s experience in strategy consulting and his appreciation for cultural diversity have been invaluable in his role as EIDU’s Director of Partnerships. Fluent in multiple languages and an advocate for global education, Tomas is dedicated to building partnerships that bring EIDU’s mission to life in diverse settings. His work focuses on aligning stakeholders–from governments to NGOs–around the shared vision of improving education at scale, a goal he sees as both urgent and achievable.

By building strong, values-aligned partnerships, Tomas ensures that EIDU can deliver educational solutions that are sustainable, impactful, and far-reaching, driving systemic change for children worldwide.

Tobias Jonas draws on over 20 years of engineering and leadership experience to shape EIDU’s People and Culture. Known for his people-centred approach, Tobias focuses on creating a supportive, engaging work environment where each team member feels valued and motivated to make an impact. His technical background has given him a unique perspective on building cohesive teams, ensuring that EIDU’s culture fosters innovation and aligns with the organisation’s mission.

“I’ve seen firsthand that when people feel truly supported, they do their best work,” Tobias explains. His dedication to cultivating a positive workplace environment has been instrumental in empowering EIDU’s team to thrive, reflecting his belief in the importance of well-being and growth, both professionally and personally.

As CEO of EIDU, Arne Bleckwenn brings a wealth of entrepreneurial experience and a personal commitment to addressing the global learning crisis. Known for scaling ventures like Wimdu to over 15 countries, Arne now channels his expertise into EIDU’s mission, aiming to provide quality education to a billion children by 2030. His approach blends a deep understanding of business growth with a sense of purpose fueled by his role as a father, recognizing education as foundational for every child’s potential.

Arne’s leadership is characterised by a focus on empowerment and growth, both within the EIDU team and in its partnerships with government bodies. His vision is rooted in the belief that every child deserves access to education, and under his guidance, EIDU is expanding rapidly, proving its scalable impact across Kenya and beyond.

Harleen Thati leads EIDU’s fundraising efforts, blending her background in economic development and impact measurement with a passion for education. Her work with organisations like M-KOPA and 60 Decibels gave her a unique perspective on social impact. “Education is the foundation of progress,” she shares, a belief that fuels her dedication to securing support for EIDU’s mission. 

Harleen’s strategic approach to fundraising is integral to EIDU’s growth and sustainability. She is based in our Nairobi office.

Femi Awoyinfa brings a unique blend of experience in policy, partnerships, and development to his role as Head of Government Relations at EIDU. With over a decade of experience across Africa and Asia, Femi is driven by a belief that sustainable education reform requires strategic partnerships with government stakeholders. His background in building lasting partnerships with ministries of education has been key to EIDU’s successful government collaborations, providing a pathway for large-scale educational impact.

For Femi, the most rewarding part of his work is witnessing how collaborative efforts can drastically improve learning outcomes in under-resourced communities. His commitment to seeing education prioritised as a fundamental right is what fuels his dedication at EIDU, where he works closely with county governments to expand the organisation’s footprint across Kenya, Nigeria, and beyond.

Bernd Roggendorf, Founder and CTO of EIDU, combines technical innovation with a deeply rooted passion for social impact. After co-founding Ableton and leading it as CTO for 13 years, growing Ableton from 0 to more than 200 employees, Bernd moved his family to Kibera, one of Africa’s largest urban slums, to understand the unique challenges of underserved communities. Inspired by the resilience he witnessed there, Bernd founded EIDU, bringing together his software expertise and a mission to make quality education accessible to all. “My time in Kibera showed me both the challenges and potential for change,” he reflects. 

Bernd is driving EIDU’s vision and tech strategy to address the global learning gap sustainably and equitably.

Aidan played a pivotal role in developing EIDU’s initial MVP in Kibera, Africa’s largest informal settlement. He led the external validation of the EIDU platform as one of the most impactful educational interventions in the low- and middle-income space. 

His contribution at EIDU has continued to grow over the past seven years, in both development and leadership capacities. Most recently, Aidan led EIDU through an accelerator program with Google.org, which culminated in a mainstage demo at Google.org's inaugural Impact Summit. 

The data science expertise that Aidan brings to EIDU–spanning more than a decade and multiple industries–is grounded in his Msc in Mathematics and Economics. A career break in 2011 led him to volunteer as a teacher for street children in Tanzania, a move which ignited his passion for social change and opened his eyes to education’s role in it. And so began his commitment to enhancing education in LMICs: the years that followed saw him join EIDU, build production-quality AI solutions to enhance education outcomes, and produce multiple peer-reviewed publications on Artificial Intelligence in Education. 

Aidan's GenAI educational projects were showcased at this year’s United Nations General Assembly.

Charlotte Ness is the strategic force behind EIDU’s expansion, ensuring the organisation’s growth is backed by solid, scalable systems. With a background in operational strategy and a dedication to streamlining processes, Charlotte has been integral to EIDU’s success in scaling digital learning to thousands of schools across new regions. She finds immense reward in co-creating efficient systems that empower local teams and directly impact their ability to deliver quality education.

Charlotte’s experience has shown her the power of collaboration and cross-functional alignment, two values she brings into every project. Her work at EIDU is a blend of her skills in operational efficiency and her passion for making a real difference in education access. “It’s fulfilling to build structures that directly support digital learning in new regions,” she shares.

Clara Ruiz brings her consulting background and experience with high-impact projects to her role as Head of Government Strategy & Support at EIDU. Having guided regional governments at McKinsey & Company and scaled digital transformation at One Acre Fund, Clara’s strategic insight and hands-on approach are essential to EIDU’s mission. “Education can transform lives,” she reflects, a conviction that drives her dedication to project success.

Based in our Nairobi office, Clara ensures that our government strategy aligns with the organisation’s mission and provides key support to our team of experts to succeed in government engagements.

With a strong background in People Operations, Faith Kibui is the heart of EIDU’s commitment to fostering an inclusive, empowering workplace. After discovering her passion for human resources at Bridge International Academies, Faith’s journey took her through roles that emphasised the importance of building resilient, motivated teams. At EIDU, she has launched impactful programs, including the “HR Caravan,” which brings HR directly to field staff to address concerns and reinforce engagement.

Faith’s goal is to make EIDU a place where every employee feels heard and supported, knowing that a positive internal culture translates to stronger impact in the field. Her dedication to people-centred operations is key to EIDU’s mission, creating an environment where staff feel empowered to contribute to a purpose that extends far beyond the organisation itself.

Felix Engelhardt, Head of Engineering at EIDU, combines technical precision with a forward-thinking approach to software development. His experience with mature software products at Amazon and ImmobilienScout24 reinforced his belief in team alignment and vision. 

“Building for education means designing tools that are reliable and adaptable,” he explains. Felix’s passion for educational technology drives him to lead the technical development of EIDU’s solutions

Fredrick Seda’s journey at EIDU has been one of transformation and scale. Based in Nairobi, he has led the organisation’s operations from a pilot phase to an impactful reach across more than 7,000 public schools in Kenya. With over 15 years of experience in project management and digital transformation, Fredrick’s strategic oversight has ensured that EIDU’s digital tools are not only deployed effectively but integrated meaningfully into classrooms, supporting nearly half a million learners.

For Fredrick, the drive to scale EIDU’s mission is personal: growing up, he witnessed the power of education to uplift communities, and he has dedicated his career to making it accessible for every child. Under his leadership, EIDU’s reach in Kenya continues to expand, with plans to impact over 1 million children by 2026. His hands-on approach to building operational processes has set a solid foundation for EIDU’s growth across Africa.

Henry Were’s journey in operations has been shaped by a commitment to excellence and impact. With nearly a decade of experience in field operations across East Africa, he has honed his expertise in optimising processes, reducing response times, and enhancing operational efficiency. Henry’s approach combines his strong background in commerce and business administration with a hands-on, results-oriented style.

At EIDU, Henry spearheads initiatives that streamline operations, enabling impactful educational outreach to thousands of learners. His success in creating a data-driven strategy for optimising field operations significantly improved both speed and effectiveness, cementing his belief that streamlined processes are the backbone of high-performing organisations. For Henry, operational efficiency is about more than processes; it’s about unlocking the full potential of educational programs and driving tangible impact for learners in underserved communities.

With a career built on finance and legal expertise, James Farquharson guides EIDU’s financial strategy with a clear focus on sustainable growth and impact. Having supported high-stakes organisations across the world, James brings both strategic insight and hands-on experience in managing finance and legal frameworks, crucial for EIDU’s work. His experience with Fonkoze and Engie Mobisol demonstrated to him the power of well-managed resources in social ventures.

For James, working at EIDU is the continuation of a personal commitment to triple-bottom-line impact. His focus on aligning financial health with EIDU’s mission allows the organisation to scale responsibly while ensuring long-term viability. His efforts to build a robust finance function align with his belief that impactful change must also be financially sound, ensuring EIDU can support its mission sustainably for years to come: “Keeping EIDU financially robust means more children can access quality education,” James reflects.

With a background in brand strategy and a passion for social impact, Marie Vorbrodt leads EIDU’s brand strategy and communications with the goal of amplifying the organisation’s mission. Her approach to storytelling is shaped by years at share, where she helped build the #1 German Startup brand – a brand known for linking consumption with philanthropy. Marie believes that impactful communication is about resonating with people on a personal level, and she brings this philosophy to her work at EIDU.

For Marie, education is foundational to global equity, and EIDU’s mission aligns perfectly with her commitment to fostering a more just world. Her work ensures that EIDU’s voice is clear, authentic, and accessible, drawing attention to the global learning crisis and EIDU’s role in solving it.

Max Dohna’s expertise in education and development has been instrumental in shaping EIDU’s partnerships with government entities. From establishing EIDU’s initial operations in Kenya to fostering meaningful relationships with local stakeholders, Max has proven his dedication to building educational systems that truly serve children’s needs. His academic background in Economics and Developmental Psychology, combined with on-the-ground experience, provides a unique perspective in aligning EIDU’s offerings with national education priorities.

For Max, education is a driver of societal change, and he is motivated by the belief that government collaboration is essential for sustainable impact. His commitment to supporting governments to transform education reflects his vision for lasting change, one that empowers communities and future generations alike.

Philine Partsch transforms EIDU’s ambitious vision into actionable strategies. Drawing on her experience in management consulting – where she advised governments and organisations on education strategies – and her tenure as EIDU’s Chief of Staff, Philine blends analytical precision with a deep dedication to the organisation’s mission.

For Philine, education is the cornerstone of societal progress, and she finds purpose in crafting strategies that serve this vision. Her ability to break down complex challenges into strategic initiatives ensures EIDU remains adaptive and impactful, even within a fast-paced startup environment.

Salome Mwaura leads Government Relations in EIDU, driving partnerships with government and sector stakeholders to integrate innovative digital learning into education systems. With expertise in public policy and advocacy, she champions the digitization of local curricula to expand access to quality education for all learners.

With a proven track record in shaping strategic initiatives across different sectors in diverse geographies, Salome is dedicated to creating long-term, transformative change in the education sector. Passionate about leveraging technology to ensure equitable education, she is committed to empowering communities and unlocking the potential of every child. 

Salome believes that EIDU’s partnerships with governments are crucial to sustainable change, helping to embed EIDU’s solutions into public education systems to create lasting impact. Guided by her belief that “education isn’t a privilege; it’s a right,” Salome continues to build partnerships that address immediate needs while laying the groundwork for a brighter, more inclusive future.

With a strong foundation in child psychology and early education, Nina Bolte ensures that EIDU’s learning solutions are both effective and developmentally appropriate. Passionate about early childhood education, Nina is particularly drawn to the potential impact of high-quality educational experiences in a child’s formative years. Her approach to learning design at EIDU balances rigorous educational frameworks with an understanding of children’s holistic needs.

Nina is motivated by the opportunity to scale education where it’s most needed, and she finds fulfilment in knowing that EIDU’s digital tools reach children in underserved communities. Her work at EIDU is the realisation of a longstanding commitment to helping young learners thrive.

Ana Moga, Director of Product and Engineering at EIDU, channels over 17 years of expertise in engineering and product management into advancing EIDU’s mission. Her background spans startups like Coya and Luko, where she led critical data migration projects, to industry leaders like Facebook, where she honed a focus on impact and adaptability. Moving so fast in an ever-changing environment taught her  the importance of focusing on impact and building excellence within the team. This approach has become a cornerstone of her leadership style at EIDU, where she is inspired by the mission to make a meaningful impact in educational technology.

Joining EIDU, Ana is inspired by the power of educational technology to bring meaningful change, saying, “Working at EIDU, with its purpose-driven mission, is genuinely inspiring.” Driven to create accessible, effective education solutions, she views her role at EIDU as a unique opportunity to apply her strategic skills to an area of immense social impact.