Sara Wahedi

Sara Wahedi is the CEO of Civaam, an AI startup advancing innovation in crisis-affected regions, and the founder of Ehtesab, Afghanistan’s first civic-technology startup. Ehtesab’s flagship platform, the Ehtesab App, enabled communities to report and receive real-time alerts on civic issues across Afghanistan.

Her work in crisis regions has been recognized by TIME Magazine as a 'Next Generation Leader', MIT Technology Review 'Innovators under 35', Forbes '30 under 30', BBC's 'Top 100 Women' and in 2023, she was named One Young World's Entrepreneur of the Year. She is also a Woman for Woman Global Ambassador.

Alongside her work as a technologist, she is a consultant and advisor to private companies, public institutions, and organizations such as the UN, various governments, and NGOs specializing in civic tech and human-centered design. She provides counsel on the fundamental human right of 'access to information,' advocating for its protection and implementation globally.

Wahedi is currently based at Oxford University's Blavatnik School of Government, where she focuses on technology’s role in governance and accountability, specifically on the use of AI in crisis regions for humanitarian services, urban monitoring, and technological interventions in law, governance and accountability. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies with a concentration in Architecture and minor in Data Science from Columbia University..