Founder of Ambessa Play recieves Oxford Purple Commemorative Plaque and Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award; building a social enterprise creating DIY toy kits to demystify and diversify STEM.

Challenge

There are currently 4m+ displaced children out of school with little to no learning opportunities. On the other hand a growing number of parents are looking for screen-free educational toy kits.

Solution

We’re building screen-free toy kits that encourage children to learn through play, developing their cognitive and motor skills. Because we believe Einsteins are everywhere, with every kit purchased in the UK, a displaced child out of school, receives a free STEM toy kit.

Achievements

  • Purple commemorative plaque at the University of Oxford – Honouring Sara Berkai as an Oxford alumna
  • Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award – £50,000 grant
  • Forbes 30 Under 30 – Social Impact
  • Over 5,000 DIY STEM kits sold globally
  • BBC 100 Women 2024
  • Innovate UK Young Innovator Award 2020 (prize: £5k) 
  • Courier Fresh Fund 2021 (prize: £3k) 
  • Kwanda Business (prize: £1k) 

“I joined the OIC during my MSc and was fortunate to be matched with an amazing mentor, Hema, who was incredibly supportive. Hema helped educate us about fundraising as an experience founder and her mentorship was indispensable as a solo founder running my first start-up.”

– Sara Tinsaew Berkai, Founder of Ambessa Play 
Young Leader of the Year (Norway) and founder of Brighter Tomorrow, improving access to literacy in Afghanistan through offline, game-based edtech applications.

Young Leader of the Year (Norway) and founder of Brighter Tomorrow, improving access to literacy in Afghanistan through offline, game-based edtech applications.

Education

Loop Cushion is a non-profit organization developing low-cost inflatable wheelchair seat cushions for pressure sore prevention in low resource contexts.

Loop Cushion is a non-profit organization developing low-cost inflatable wheelchair seat cushions for pressure sore prevention in low resource contexts.

Health

Founder of Ambessa Play recieves Oxford Purple Commemorative Plaque and Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award; building a social enterprise creating DIY toy kits to demystify and diversify STEM.

Founder of Ambessa Play recieves Oxford Purple Commemorative Plaque and Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award; building a social enterprise creating DIY toy kits to demystify and diversify STEM.

Economic inclusion, Education

Seedloans, winner of the Global Social Innovation Challenge, secures $25,000 to support female farmers through collateral-free loans for seeds and agricultural inputs.

Seedloans, winner of the Global Social Innovation Challenge, secures $25,000 to support female farmers through collateral-free loans for seeds and agricultural inputs.

Agriculture, Economic inclusion