In the world of data science, Celina Lee stands as a visionary, leading the charge in Africa’s data revolution through her groundbreaking platform, Zindi. Inspired by the quote, “One cannot discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore” by André Gide, Celina’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of perseverance and innovation.
Born and raised in San Francisco with roots in Hawaii, Celina now makes her home in Cape Town, South Africa, where she has dedicated herself to building Zindi, the first data science competition platform on the continent.
But her path to entrepreneurship was not a conventional one. Before Zindi, this mother of two had forged a career in international development, traversing Latin America, Asia and Africa, where she witnessed firsthand the potential of data to drive meaningful change and improve lives.
Leveraging Data To Solve Real Problems
Zindi, a social enterprise with a mission to build Africa’s data science ecosystem, serves as the culmination of Celina’s passion for leveraging data to solve real and pressing challenges. With a global community of over 70,000 data scientists, Zindi acts as a bridge, connecting organizations with the talent and expertise needed to tackle complex problems using machine learning and artificial intelligence.
The Zindi platform offers a myriad of challenges in the form of online competitions or hackathons from predicting customer behavior to tackling urban air pollution, providing data scientists with opportunities to showcase their skills, learn and grow. These challenges not only offer cash prizes but also serve as avenues for learning and professional development.
However, Zindi is more than just a competition platform; it’s a community-driven initiative aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation. Through events, learning resources and job boards, Zindi empowers data scientists to push the boundaries of creativity and problem-solving.
The Best Brains In The Data Science World
Despite its humble beginnings, Zindi has quickly gained momentum filling a much-needed gap in the African continent. It has, attracted attention from businesses, non-profit organizations and government institutions seeking data-driven solutions and has quickly become a talent pool pipeline offering up some of the best brains in the data science world.
With challenges ranging from credit risk modeling to sentiment analysis, Zindi is at the forefront of Africa’s data science revolution, driving pragmatic transformation based on data that is wholly African and showcasing the continent’s immense talent and intelligence to the world.
Says Celina, “I believe in the power of data to tell stories, drive better decisions and improve lives. At Zindi we have created a space for 70,000+ data scientists committed to solving some of the world’s most pressing problems using machine learning learning and artificial intelligence.”
A More Equitable & Inclusive AI Market
Her vision extends beyond Africa. With a dream to take Zindi worldwide, Celina aims to create a more equitable and inclusive AI market, one where emerging markets are empowered to harness the power of data for the greater good.
Celina draws inspiration from the strong women in her life, including her mother and grandmother. In addition to her role at Zindi, Celina finds solace and joy in the simple act of running, a daily ritual she faithfully maintains. Her dedication to both her passion project, Zindi, and her family is evident, as she takes immense pride in building the platform while simultaneously nurturing and raising her children.