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Noluvuyo “Nolu” Gqadu is an award-winning technology leader, social entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and Associate Economic Developer with over 15 years of experience driving innovation across banking, mining, consulting, and education sectors. She is recognised for her work at the intersection of technology, education, and economic development, where she leverages digital innovation, data, and emerging technologies to expand access to opportunity across Africa.
She is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of CodeNgwana, a nonprofit organisation that introduces children as young as three years old to coding and computational thinking. Through CodeNgwana, she has developed early childhood coding curricula, built educator training models, and designed digital learning tools that strengthen foundational digital literacy and future-ready skills for learners in underserved communities.
Nolu is also the Founder of African Data 4 Impact, a research-driven initiative focused on strengthening data systems and analytics capacity within African nonprofits and education organisations. The initiative supports organisations in using data for evidence-based decision-making, programme optimisation, and improved social impact.
She is currently pursuing a Master of Commerce in Information Systems at the University of Cape Town, where her research focuses on computational thinking in early childhood education. She also contributes to global technology discourse as an expert member contributing to the Global AI Index under the World Innovation, Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), providing insights into AI readiness, digital ecosystems, and inclusive technology development across emerging markets.
In addition to her entrepreneurial and academic work, Nolu holds the Associate Economic Developer (AED) designation awarded by the Economic Developers Association of South Africa (EDASA), reflecting her professional grounding in economic development practice and systems-level thinking. She also serves in board and advisory roles across organisations including Waves for Change, TeamPact, DlalaNje, and EdTech Global Africa, where she contributes to governance, strategic oversight, and social impact leadership across education, youth development, and community transformation initiatives.
Her professional background includes senior leadership roles in IT and project management, notably at Glencore South Africa, as well as consulting engagements across Africa where she led enterprise IT initiatives, managed cross-functional teams, and delivered complex technology transformation projects.
Nolu is an internationally recognised speaker who has delivered keynotes and talks at platforms including TEDx, the World Technology & Innovation Congress, Bank Vontobel (Switzerland), and other global forums. Her talks focus on coding for children, inclusive technology, data for social impact, digital transformation in Africa, and building purpose-driven organisations.
She is the author of the Mini Coding Encyclopaedia for Kids, published in multiple African languages to promote inclusive access to early digital education and computational thinking. Her work has been recognised through multiple awards, including Sunday World STEM Heroic Woman (2024), TransUnion Rising Star – Entrepreneur of the Year (2023), and News24 Young Mandela of the Future (2023).
Nolu is available for keynotes, panel discussions, workshops, and masterclasses, offering practical insights on technology leadership, AI and digital transformation, education innovation, gender equity in tech, data-driven development, and building scalable, impact-led organisations.
1 Coding for the Future Workforce: Digital Literacy & Innovation
• Format: Keynote (45–60 min) / Half-Day Workshop
• Audience: HR, L&D, Innovation Teams, Corporate Leaders
• Focus: Learn how early computational thinking drives future workforce skills, creativity, and innovation culture, preparing teams for the digital economy.
2. Making Technology Inclusive: Bridging the Digital Divide
• Format: Keynote / Panel Session (45–60 min)
• Audience: CSR Teams, Executives, Tech Leadership
• Focus: Gain strategies to implement digital inclusion initiatives that create social impact while strengthening corporate reputation.
3. Leading Purpose-Driven Organizations in the 21st Century
• Format: Keynote / Interactive Workshop (45–60 min / Half-Day)
• Audience: Executive Teams, Managers, Innovation Officers
• Focus: Explore frameworks for building sustainable, impact-oriented organizations by combining strategy, innovation, and social responsibility.
4. Technology & Innovation for Social Impact
• Format: Keynote (45–60 min)
• Audience: Leadership Teams, Corporate Innovation Summits
• Focus: Understand how technology and data-driven strategies can solve social challenges while creating business and community value.
5. Mentoring African Social Innovators: Lessons for Corporate Leaders
• Format: Workshop / Panel (45–60 min / Half-Day)
• Audience: CSR, Sustainability, Innovation Teams, Executives
• Focus: Insights from mentoring social entrepreneurs across Africa through the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship, with practical applications for corporate social impact programs.
6. Women in Tech: Empowering Gender Equity in Innovation
• Format: Keynote / Workshop (45–60 min / Half-Day)
• Audience: DEI Teams, Leadership, Innovation, HR
• Focus: Learn strategies to attract, retain, and empower women in tech, highlighting mentorship, gender equity initiatives, and inclusive corporate practices.
7. Monitoring & Evaluation for Impactful Programs
• Format: Workshop / Interactive Session (45–60 min / Half-Day)
• Audience: CSR, Innovation, Program Teams
• Focus: Learn to design, track, and evaluate social impact initiatives using data-driven insights, leveraging your expertise from African Data 4 Impact.
8. Author Talk & Corporate Educational Engagements
• Format: Virtual Storytelling / Interactive Session (30–60 min)
• Audience: Corporate Teams, CSR, Educational Initiatives
• Focus: Inspire teams through storytelling, highlighting creativity, innovation, and youth-focused technology programs using your Mini Coding Encyclopaedia for Kids.
1 Coding for the Future Workforce: Digital Literacy & Innovation
• Format: Keynote (45–60 min) / Half-Day Workshop
• Audience: HR, L&D, Innovation Teams, Corporate Leaders
• Focus: Learn how early computational thinking drives future workforce skills, creativity, and innovation culture, preparing teams for the digital economy.
2. Making Technology Inclusive: Bridging the Digital Divide
• Format: Keynote / Panel Session (45–60 min)
• Audience: CSR Teams, Executives, Tech Leadership
• Focus: Gain strategies to implement digital inclusion initiatives that create social impact while strengthening corporate reputation.
3. Leading Purpose-Driven Organizations in the 21st Century
• Format: Keynote / Interactive Workshop (45–60 min / Half-Day)
• Audience: Executive Teams, Managers, Innovation Officers
• Focus: Explore frameworks for building sustainable, impact-oriented organizations by combining strategy, innovation, and social responsibility.
4. Technology & Innovation for Social Impact
• Format: Keynote (45–60 min)
• Audience: Leadership Teams, Corporate Innovation Summits
• Focus: Understand how technology and data-driven strategies can solve social challenges while creating business and community value.
5. Mentoring African Social Innovators: Lessons for Corporate Leaders
• Format: Workshop / Panel (45–60 min / Half-Day)
• Audience: CSR, Sustainability, Innovation Teams, Executives
• Focus: Insights from mentoring social entrepreneurs across Africa through the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship, with practical applications for corporate social impact programs.
6. Women in Tech: Empowering Gender Equity in Innovation
• Format: Keynote / Workshop (45–60 min / Half-Day)
• Audience: DEI Teams, Leadership, Innovation, HR
• Focus: Learn strategies to attract, retain, and empower women in tech, highlighting mentorship, gender equity initiatives, and inclusive corporate practices.
7. Monitoring & Evaluation for Impactful Programs
• Format: Workshop / Interactive Session (45–60 min / Half-Day)
• Audience: CSR, Innovation, Program Teams
• Focus: Learn to design, track, and evaluate social impact initiatives using data-driven insights, leveraging your expertise from African Data 4 Impact.
8. Author Talk & Corporate Educational Engagements
• Format: Virtual Storytelling / Interactive Session (30–60 min)
• Audience: Corporate Teams, CSR, Educational Initiatives
• Focus: Inspire teams through storytelling, highlighting creativity, innovation, and youth-focused technology programs using your Mini Coding Encyclopaedia for Kids.
