Ken Banks

As the founder of kiwanja.net, Ken Banks focuses on the application of mobile technology for positive social and environmental change. His early research led to the development of FrontlineSMS, an award-winning text messaging system utilized in over 150 countries for diverse social change projects. His ongoing project, Means of Exchange, looks at how everyday technology can foster economic self-sufficiency and strengthen community bonds by promoting local resource use.

Over the past two decades, Banks has dedicated his career to the intersection of technology, anthropology, conservation, and development, primarily across the African continent. He has held positions such as the Ambassador for International Development at Sussex University and serves on the Digital Advisory Board of the UK Government’s Department for International Development. He also engages in mentoring roles, offering guidance to early-stage entrepreneurs as well as seasoned entrepreneurs within the Ashoka network.

In addition to his roles and projects, Banks has been widely recognized for his contributions to technology and social change. He is a recipient of several fellowships and awards including the Stanford University Reuters Digital Vision Fellowship, the PopTech Social Innovation Fellowship, and the Pizzigati Prize for Software in the Public Interest. His notable recognitions include being named a National Geographic Emerging Explorer and receiving the Curry Stone Design Prize for his work with FrontlineSMS. His book, "The Rise of the Reluctant Innovator," published in 2013 with a foreword by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, discusses his experiences and insights into social innovation. In June 2017, he was honored with the Eugene L. Lawler Award for Humanitarian Contributions to Computer Science by the Association for Computing Machinery in the USA.