Erik Hersman is the CEO of Gridless, a company pioneering decentralized

energy solutions through bitcoin mining to electrify off-grid communities across

Africa. With active renewable-powered sites in Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia,

Gridless uses bitcoin mining to monetize excess energy and build a financially

sustainable path to rural electrification for the continent’s 600 million

unconnected people.

Previously, Erik founded BRCK, a rugged connectivity device and Africa’s

largest public WiFi platform, and the iHub, Nairobi’s influential innovation hub

that helped shape the region’s tech ecosystem. He also co-founded Ushahidi,

the groundbreaking crisis-mapping platform used worldwide. A lifelong builder

of tech and infrastructure for Africa, Erik lives in Nairobi with his family.