UrbanGeekz 50 2025: AI & Machine Learning

Joseph Rutakangwa is the visionary founder and CEO of Rwazi, a global market intelligence platform transforming how companies understand and respond to consumer behavior in real time. Built to bridge the data gaps between developed and emerging markets, Rwazi enables businesses to make smarter, faster decisions grounded in authentic, on-the-ground consumer insights.

The idea for Rwazi emerged from Rutakangwa’s own frustration with the lack of reliable, actionable data across global markets. Rather than seeing this limitation as a barrier, he recognized it as a shared challenge—and an entrepreneurial opportunity. That insight shaped Rwazi’s mission: democratizing access to consumer intelligence at scale.

Throughout his journey, Rutakangwa has navigated high-pressure environments defined by uncertainty, rapid change, and complex decision-making. His ability to absorb volatility, interpret human behavior, and adapt quickly has been instrumental in building a platform that thrives in fast-moving competitive ecosystems. He understands that in today’s data-driven economy, hesitation can be costly—and agility is everything.

That vision has translated into tangible success. Under his leadership, Rwazi secured $12 million in Series A funding, accelerating platform development, expanding its global workforce, and scaling customer adoption. His work has earned recognition from the Los Angeles City Council and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, where he received the Innovator in Trade Award, along with a nomination for the Global Startup Awards People’s Choice.

Today, Rwazi supports data collection opportunities for more than 100,000 businesses worldwide, with ambitions to reach 10 million within five years and 100 million by the end of the decade, including expanded mapping initiatives across India.

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Nathaneo Johnson is a rising force in AI and social technology, redefining how digital connections translate into real-world opportunity. As co-founder and CEO of Series Technologies, Johnson is building a platform that moves beyond vanity metrics to prioritize depth, purpose, and authentic human connection.

In a remarkable milestone, Johnson and co-founder Sean Hargrow raised $3.1 million in pre-seed funding in just 14 days, backed by Parable VC, Pear VC, and Draper Goren Blockchain—an achievement made even more striking while the founders were still students. The raise positioned Series as one of the most promising early-stage social platforms emerging from a new generation of builders.

Series has already mapped over 300,000 user profiles and facilitated more than 500,000 meaningful message exchanges, proving strong demand for intention-driven networking. Powered by AI, the platform enables real-time, purpose-aligned connections—supporting mentorships, collaborations, and friendships that mirror the spontaneity and energy of real-life interactions.

Johnson is a vocal advocate for a human-first philosophy in tech. By rejecting shallow engagement metrics, he has led the development of features like “async mode,” which removes friction and empowers users to connect without delay. The result is a social experience rooted in growth, alignment, and opportunity rather than passive consumption.

Recognized as one of the most influential Gen Z founders in AI and social tech, Johnson balances academic rigor with entrepreneurial ambition. His journey reflects resilience, clarity of vision, and a belief that the right connection—at the right moment—can change everything.

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Timnit Gebru is a fearless leader at the forefront of ethical AI, reshaping global conversations around accountability, equity, and community-centered technology. As founder and executive director of the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR), she champions research that prioritizes social impact over corporate incentives.

After fleeing political violence in Ethiopia, Gebru sought asylum in the United States at just sixteen. She later earned a PhD from Stanford’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, forging a path that blends technical excellence with moral clarity. She co-founded Black in AI, creating a global community that supports and advances Black researchers in a field long marked by exclusion.

Gebru rose to prominence as co-lead of Google’s Ethical AI research team, where she exposed bias embedded in large language models and pushed for transparency in AI development. Her eventual termination for challenging internal practices sparked global outrage and helped catalyze labor organizing within Big Tech, contributing to the formation of Google’s first workers’ union.

Through DAIR, Gebru advances a bold alternative to corporate-led AI research—one grounded in global inclusion, community accountability, and ethical governance. Her work engages policymakers, civil society, and academics, producing research that informs regulation and reshapes how AI systems are built and deployed.

Widely recognized for her pioneering contributions to algorithmic fairness, Gebru has secured funding and positioned DAIR as a credible, independent research institution. Her leadership demonstrates that ethical, globally conscious AI is not aspirational—it is necessary, achievable, and transformative.

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Fai Nur: CEO & Co-Founder, WishRoll