Gap Year 2027

Emmanuel Okorwoit is the founder and CEO of Treety, a digital platform revolutionizing forest restoration through real-time satellite monitoring and advanced data analytics.

He recently graduated with First Class Honours in BSc (Hons) Computing from Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland, in partnership with the African Leadership College, Mauritius.

Currently, Emmanuel serves as the Network Lead at the India Africa Business Network (IABN), where he is organizing the 5th India Africa Entrepreneurship and Investment Summit, set to take place in Nairobi in July 2025. This event will convene thought leaders, business executives, top founders, and government officials to promote collaboration in sectors such as Critical Minerals, Agriculture, Health, Education, Climate, and the Circular Economy.

Previously, Emmanuel played a pivotal role in hosting the third and fourth India Africa Entrepreneurship and Investment Summits in Mauritius, attracting over 400 delegates from three continents, including government officials, journalists, and entrepreneurs. His experience extends to working as a Research Analyst at Ambo Ventures, where he focused on climate tech startups in Africa. Emmanuel has also participated in global accelerator programs like Ye! Community (in partnership with the International Trade Centre), Phineo Startup, and ClimateLaunchpad, honing his entrepreneurial and leadership skills.

In the next two years, Emmanuel aims to deepen his expertise in Business Development, Business Analysis, and Venture Capital. His long-term vision is to establish a conglomerate digital platform addressing climate challenges, spanning land restoration, wildlife conservation, and sustainable agriculture, driving impactful solutions for a better future.

David Kariuki is the Research and Policy Development lead for Malindi constituency.

He is also team lead at a small startup, CAES a company that is contributing in efforts towards electric mobility. David is also the immediate former 21st President of the General Assembly at the Kenya Model United Nations; a student run, youth led, non-governmental organization affiliated to the United Nations Information Centre with a base of more than 1,500 students.

He is also an Associate, brand ambassador, and peer mentor at AKAD AFRICA under Dr. Rev Julius Weche and has featured alongside his mentor on National Television speaking on the significance of value based mentorship and intentional parenting. Apart from his co-curricular academic activities, he also a member of the Kenya National Chambers of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) as a Youth focal Point and as the chair of the economic diplomacy sub-committee; as well as Umoja Summit Party as a youth executive. He formerly chaired the Economic diplomacy youth sub-committee at KNCCI.

David graduated from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, top of his class with a Summa Cum Laude (First Class Honors). He was a Judge at the 2021 Go Gaga Experiential’s, ZURI AWARDS. He has previously featured at a KIPPRA conference speaking on Sustainable mobility.

David is passionate about the youth, and their economic empowerment, specifically through the African Continental Free Trade Area. This has enabled him be selected as part of design thinking workshops for the Mastercard Foundation's African workforce development ecosystem and Policy and Thought Leadership. He borrows his life’s philosophy from his Alma Mater, The Alliance High School “Strong to serve.”

James is the founder and chief executive of Beespoke Honey, a business that deals in all things apiculture. He sits in the Executive Committee of the Alliance High School Old Boys Club. He is in the Youth Delegation holding talks with the Zambia High Commission to foster collaboration between youth of the two countries.

James is an AKAD Associate, Peer Mentor and Mentee and a final year student taking Construction Management at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. He is the Construction Management student representative in the Interactive Construction Management Student Organisation (ICOMSO). He is also the 2023 winner for the Construction Management student competition by the Association of Construction Managers in Kenya (ACMK). He is a certified Financial Analyst by ALX and offers guided KCSE tuition services through the AKAD Tuition services owing his excellent KCSE results and the desire to make the learning model easier for students.

James is passionate about youth leadership and impact, and sits in the Nairobi youth planning committee at the Church On The Rock Ministries. Here, among others, he engages youth in spiritual matters through music and art. James is the chairperson of the youth ministry in his church. He’s also a drummer and band leader for The Journey JKUAT chapter.

James is an old boy of The Alliance High School (2019). At the Alliance High School, he was part of the pioneering team of "Ambassadors for Clean Content among Minors", a campaign aimed at protecting children from harmful content online, in conjunction with the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB). . This saw him represent 66% of the total children population, who access the internet on a daily basis from accessing harmful content. James has undertaken the AKAD gap year program where he has and continues to benefit in personal development, building his network and giving back to society through mentorship. In this capacity he has managed to practice and show his leadership skills during field events such as representing teenagers in a TV panel discussion, various dinners and galas such as the ZURI Awards 2020. He has taken it a step further and has been mentoring students at Kivulini School.

James was the former president of the AKAD club in Alliance High School where he learnt and practised leadership skills. He was also the Alliance Badminton Team Manager, leading his team to victories in several inter-school tournaments. He was in the Christian Union (CU) committee and Chapel Committee as Technical Team Director and Public Relations Officer of the Peace Club. He participated in community service opportunities through leading clubs that included, but are not limited to visits to old people’s homes, Sunday school, hospital visits and children homes.

James’ mission is to pursue excellence. This entails providing solutions in the construction industry and in in the startup space. He aims to start a contracting firm in the future and to provide cutting edge innovations in construction. He also aspires to join the corporate space in leadership and management consultancy. On the entrepreneurial side, James aims at starting and funding startups for a better world.