Samrawit Fikru

Samrawit Fikru (Amharic: ሳምራዊት ፍቅሩ) is an Ethiopian computer scientist, entrepreneur, and businesswoman who is the founder and CEO of Hybrid Designs, a software development company which produces the most popular ridesharing app in the country, RIDE.[1]

Samrawit Fikru
ሳምራዊት ፍቅሩ
Born
Asella, Ethiopia
NationalityEthiopian
Education
OccupationSoftware developer
Known forFounder and CEO of Hybrid Designs

Early life and education

Fikru was born in Asella, Ethiopia. She received her diploma in software engineering from MicroLink Information Technology College in 2004. She graduated with a BSc in computer science from the HiLCoE School of Computer Science and Technology in 2006.[2] Prior to coming to Addis Ababa when she was 17, she had never seen or used a computer.[3]

Career

Fikru founded the software development company Hybrid Designs in 2014.[2] The same year, Hybrid Designs released RIDE as an SMS-based ridesharing service. It was relaunched as a mobile app with a backing call center in July 2017.[4] RIDE was inspired by the difficulty Fikru experienced trying to hire a taxi cab after late nights at work.[5] She also wanted to create a service to address the safety concerns felt by herself and others in trying to find a taxi, and developed RIDE to help address these gaps.[2]

As of 2020, the app has tens of thousands of users and has been downloaded over 50,000 times.[6] The development staff for the app is 90% female.[7] Fikru aims to inspire other women with her work: "Women-owned business are growing in number; now we need more young girls to access the finances to make their creative ideas happen."[8]

In 2022, Fikru released Sewasew, a streaming platform for Ethiopian music.[9]

Honors and awards
  • Fikru was recognized as one of the Rest of World's 100 Global Tech Changemakers[10]
  • Fikru's success as a tech entrepreneur and her inspiration to young women were recognised by her inclusion on the BBC's 100 Women list in 2022.[8]

References
  1. Aidoo, Theodora (28 November 2019). "Samrawit Fikru, the tech genius behind Ethiopia's version of Uber whose staff is 90 percent female". Face2Face Africa. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  2. Berhane, Samson (15 April 2019). "Samrawit Fikru". Ethiopian Business Review. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  3. "Ms. Samrawit Fikru". telegra.ph. 7 March 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  4. "RIDE, Ethiopia's version of Uber, is opening up for women in male-dominated taxi business". Semonegna. 25 August 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  5. Adeyooye, Oluwafisayo Dorcas (8 February 2021). "Meet Samrawit Fikru, The Tech Genius Reforming Ethiopia's Transport Sector". BuiltInAfrica.io. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  6. Moore, Janet (27 May 2020). "Ethiopian Entrepreneurs: Five Inspiring Women and Men to Watch". distant-horizons.com. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  7. "Samrawit Fikru". RestOfWorld.org. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  8. Koba, Melchior (6 December 2022). "BBC 100 Women 2022: Who is on the list this year?". BBC. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  9. "Teddy Afro Joins Samrawit Fikru's Streaming Platform Sewasew". Shega. 24 November 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  10. "Samrawit Fikru contributes to safer mobility with RIDE". WeAreTech.Africa. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
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