Ivorian Charlette N’Guessan has won the 2020 Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation. The 26-year old is the first woman to win the award.
Charlette N’Guessan and her team won about US$33,000 for the BACE API they built. BACE API is a digital verification system that uses Artificial Intelligence and facial recognition to verify the identities of Africans.
The solution could revolutionise cybersecurity and help mitigate identity fraud on the continent. On receiving the award, she hopes to use the achievement to encourage more women to consider Tech/STEM related careers.
“I will be happy of people are inspired by my story, eing the first woman to win the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation and by my work as a woman in tech.”
Currently, Africa has about 9% female tech startup founders.
