Some tech personalities stood out to us in 2025. Their impact ranged from start-ups to defining careers that broke ground and secured significant investment deals.
Here are the 5 tech stories that showed us there’s no dream too big.
Miracle Nwankwo
Miracle Nwankwo’s journey into the tech world began in his secondary school’s new ICT lab, where he developed a fascination with computers, similar to the early inspiration of figures like Mark Zuckerberg.
This fascination evolved into a desire to “attempt building things too.” Although his first attempt at a social media platform failed, he continued to generate ideas and develop solutions, an ambition that underpins his current work.
Inspired by technology’s potential, he set ambitious goals to study Computer Science, create widely used tech solutions, and become a billionaire.
At 19, he launched his first startup, BookClinic, a health-tech platform connecting patients with medical diagnostics. However, he soon shut down his health-tech startup which operated for a year in 18 Lagos locations with 80 partner centers due to “founder mistakes,” and unexpectedly landed a new job as the Head of African Expansion for Veefin.
The Indian fintech company processes over $40 billion annually, partnering with over 500 banks globally, including HSBC and Bank of Kigali.
In his role, Nwankwo pitches Veefin’s platform to bank executives to boost their scalability and efficiency, requiring him to quickly grasp complex areas like enterprise sales, bank operations, lending, compliance, and regulatory requirements.
Crystal Brown
Crystal Brown’s move into biotech and co-founding CircNova was accidental. She was previously in automotive manufacturing but transitioned after a friend introduced her to a life science startup CEO. Despite initial hesitation, lacking a biology background (her studies were in poli sci and women’s studies), she excelled, using her business acumen.
After a successful exit from that company, she launched her own startup, which failed two years later due to mistakes like hiring too quickly and lack of funding.
In May 2023, Brown co-founded CircNova with scientist Joe Deangelo. The company’s AI NovaEngine generates, analyzes, and identifies circular RNA (a newly discovered structure) for therapeutic development. The goal is to treat challenging diseases, including ovarian and triple-negative breast cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and rare genetic diseases.
The Michigan startup recently raised a $3.3 million seed round, led by South Loop Ventures, for its AI-powered technology that targets Cellular RNA. This funding will support the swift development of therapies for currently untreatable conditions.
Steffanie Rivers
Steffanie Rivers, an FAA-certified drone pilot and multi-talented professional, founded TCB Drones, LLC, becoming the first Black woman in Texas to register this kind of company.
TCB Drones offers infrastructure inspections, search and rescue services, and a training program to prepare people of color for drone technology careers and industry contracts. With the global drone market projected to reach $163.60 billion by 2030, Rivers is dedicated to helping others, particularly those who look like her, profit from this expanding industry.
She recently hosted a free webinar, “From Hobby to Hustle: Master Drone Certification and Monetize Your Skills,” illustrating how FAA-certified pilots can earn $300–$500 per hour. Her courses, which cover aerial mapping, inspections, and search-and-rescue, are aimed at high school students, veterans, and adults seeking new career paths.
Rivers is also known for supporting organizations like Black and Missing, Inc. and the Dock Ellis Foundation with her drone services and is scheduled to moderate a panel at the Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas.
Jamal Robinson
Motivated by a financially unstable childhood, Jamal Robinson set an ambitious goal for early retirement at just 17. His first jobs were humble, starting at 14 as a church janitor and later enduring long shifts at Taco Bell for $5.15 an hour at 16. Despite these beginnings, he secured a full-ride scholarship to Tennessee Tech, earning degrees in computer engineering and mathematics.
After graduation, Robinson’s career in technology flourished. His starting salary of $41,000 eventually rose to $1 million annually. He became a tech leader specializing in generative AI, building a professional history with major companies including Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, and Intel. His commitment to continuous learning also led him to earn an MBA and nine postgraduate certifications.
The 40-year-old American tech expert achieved early retirement by focusing on deliberate saving and investing, retiring as soon as his portfolio reached the $3.5 million mark, attributing his success to this laser focus on financial freedom.
Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh
Raised in Accra, Ghana, Angela Kyerematen-Jimoh’s resilience developed early. Fluent in French from a year abroad, she balanced university with being a mother of two. Her career shifted from banking to technology when a client suggested IBM. She excelled, rising from marketing lead to country general manager for Ghana, a milestone she focused less on than the work itself.
She made history as IBM’s first African woman executive director for North, East, and West Africa, overseeing digital transformation across 35 countries. She later influenced the continent’s tech landscape at Microsoft Africa, where she led strategic partnerships for the Africa Transformation Office.
In January 2025, she launched her own venture, Brainwave AfricaTech—a consultancy driving digital transformation with partners like Microsoft and IBM. Beyond her consulting work, she nurtures the next generation through the AI Explorers Club for children aged 8 to 15.
Today, Kyerematen-Jimoh advocates for women defining their own success, balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood with a strong support system.
