Emer Beamer

I am the founder and method designer at Designathon Works. Where children design a better world using new technologies. Our aim is to reach 1 million children by 2023. Also co-founder of Butterfly Works and NairoBits. Ashoka Fellow since 2016 and Lego Re-imagining Learning Fellow.

With the Designathon Works learning method grounded on design thinking, the child is understood as a complete human being endowed with great creative capacity. Through this method, we enable teachers to tap into the natural space of play within a child and among children, to stimulate their interest and engagement in social issues, and from there, challenge them to design solutions for these issues aided by the use of modern technology. Our flagship project is the yearly Global Children's Designathon held in 10 cities worldwide and growing.

As co-founder of Butterfly Works, co-creation studio for social innovation and working in 22 countries. There I led the Global Learning team for 10 years and won prestigious prizes from organizations such as the World Bank and the United Nations.

As co-founder of Nairobits in Kenya, a design college for young people from slum areas I am immensely proud of the 7000+ graduates. Nairobits now has offshoots in 5 other African countries.