Dr. Sapiens Ndatabaye
Sapiens Ndatabaye Kanyunyi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 26 May 1992 Bukavu, South Kivu, DR Congo |
| Citizenship | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Education | University of Bukavu (BSc, MSc) ·
Kalu Institute, Madrid (MA) University of Salzburg (PhD) UMGC (DBA, current) |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur
Humanitarian Technologist Geospatial Scientist Development Finance Architect |
| Known for | World Disaster Center
Infinite Future Bank Geospatial World 50 Rising Stars (2025) UNFCCC Climate Champion Mining Indaba Winner (2026 |
| Website | https://ndatabaye.com/ |
| Notes | |
1992 births · Living people · People from Bukavu · Congolese entrepreneurs · Congolese scientists · Humanitarian workers · Geospatial scientists · United Nations personnel · World Bank people · University of Salzburg alumni · University of Bukavu alumni · University of Maryland Global Campus students · Development finance · Disaster risk reduction · African technology entrepreneurs · Mining Indaba speakers | |
Sapiens Ndatabaye Kanyunyi (born 26 May 1992) is a Congolese entrepreneur, humanitarian technologist, geospatial scientist and development finance architect based in Washington, D.C. He is the founder and chief executive officer of the World Disaster Center (WDC), a nonprofit organisation applying artificial intelligence and Earth observation to global disaster preparedness and humanitarian response, and the founder and chief strategy officer of Infinite Future Bank (IFB), a development finance venture headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in Vienna and London.
Ndatabaye's professional work has focused on the intersection of geospatial technology, Earth observation, humanitarian information management, disaster risk reduction, climate-related risks and development finance. He served nine years as a full-time staff member of United Nations agencies and international organisations, including UN OCHA and the World Food Programme, as well as programmes associated with the World Bank Group and USAID[1]
In 2025, he was selected for the Geospatial World 50 Rising Stars, which cited his work mapping the Ebola outbreak in Goma and ensuring aid reached the most vulnerable in Sudan.[2] In 2026, he was one of ten winners of the Mining Indaba Community Voices Competition, representing community voices at Africa's largest mining investment conference in Cape Town.[3][4] He presented the World Disaster Center's Michael platform at the World Bank's Measuring Development 2025 conference in Washington, D.C.[5]
He holds a doctorate from the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (Z_GIS), where he was a listed departmental researcher and lead scientist on the CLIMB project Climate-Induced Migration in Africa and Beyond: Big Data and Predictive Analytics-funded by the Swedish Research Council and the Belmont Forum, and associated with Harvard University and Malmö University.[6][7][8] He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) at the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC).[9] He is a Board Director at the Global Council for Science and the Environment (GCSE) in Washington, D.C.[10]
Early life
Ndatabaye was born on 26 May 1992 in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bukavu is situated on the western shore of Lake Kivu at the border with Rwanda and is located in one of Africa's most geologically significant regions, endowed with substantial deposits of coltan, cassiterite, gold and cobalt-minerals central to the global technology supply chain.
The South Kivu region experienced significant armed conflict through the 1990s and 2000s, which shaped the humanitarian context of Ndatabaye's upbringing and later influenced his professional focus on disaster preparedness, information management and humanitarian technology.[1]
"He mapped Ebola in Goma to ensuring aid reached the most vulnerable in Sudan."
He has described growing up in eastern Congo as a formative influence on his commitment to the use of data and technology in humanitarian action.[11] He is fluent in seven languages: Lingala (native), French, English, Swahili, Italian, Hebrew and Kinyarwanda.[1]
Education
Ndatabaye's formal education spans geology, geomatics, humanitarian affairs, information management, Earth observation, financial analysis and business administration across three continents and five institutions.
He completed a Bachelor of Science in Geology and a Master of Science in Geomatics and Mining Exploration at the University of Bukavu (2011–2016), establishing an academic foundation in earth sciences and spatial data analysis.[1] He subsequently completed a specialisation in Information Management at Purdue Global University (2019–2020) and a master's-level programme in International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid at the Kalu Institute, Madrid, Spain (2022).[1]
Ndatabaye pursued doctoral research in Earth observation and geospatial analysis at the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (Z_GIS). His researcher profile appears in the University's departmental team records and in the Elsevier Pure research repository.[12][13] His doctoral research focused on AI-driven early warning systems for climate-related disasters in fragile and conflict-affected states. As part of this work, he served as lead researcher for Earth Observation, Big Data and Geospatial Analysis on the CLIMB project an international research initiative associated with Harvard University's Center for Geographic Analysis, Malmö University and the University of Salzburg, funded by the Swedish Research Council and the Belmont Forum.[6][7][8]
In 2024, he completed the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Financial Modelling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA) credentials from the Corporate Finance Institute. Ndatabaye is currently enrolled in a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme at the University of Maryland Global Campus.[9]
Career
Early career and geospatial work in eastern Congo
Ndatabaye began his professional career in geology and geomatics in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, working in an environment shaped by the intersection of mineral resources, armed conflict and recurrent humanitarian emergencies.
His early work included the use of geographic information systems and spatial analysis in the context of the Kivu Ebola epidemic, one of the most complex Ebola virus disease outbreaks in recorded history, which unfolded amid active armed conflict in eastern Congo from 2018 to 2020. Geospatial World, in its 2025 Rising Stars publication, cited Ndatabaye's work in this period specifically, "mapping Ebola in Goma to ensuring aid reached the most vulnerable" as a defining contribution to humanitarian geospatial practice[2]
Humanitarian and development work (2018–2021)
From 2018 to 2019, Ndatabaye served as a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist at Counterpart International, implementing a USAID-funded programme in the DRC, covering impact assessment frameworks across conflict-affected communities.[1] Between 2019 and 2020, he served as National Information Management Head at Search for Common Ground, coordinating information systems across six provinces of the DRC in an active conflict environment.[1]
From July to September 2020, he served as National Information Manager for the World Food Programme in the DRC, covering an estimated 4.5 million people assisted by WFP operations.[1] From September 2020 to May 2021, he served as Regional Director at ARX IT Solutions in Kigali, Rwanda, managing a US$1.4 million REDD+ climate programme and building digital monitoring infrastructure across Rwanda, the DRC and Uganda.[1]
World Bank Group (2022)
In early 2022, Ndatabaye served as Team Leader across five countries at the World Bank Group, based in Nairobi, Kenya, leading analytical teams on development programme assessments across East Africa.[1]
UN OCHA - West and Central Africa (2022–2023)
From May 2022 to November 2023, Ndatabaye served as Regional Information Manager at UN OCHA's West and Central Africa Regional Office (ROWCA), based in Dakar, Senegal. The role carried responsibility for humanitarian information management across 24 countries, covering crises affecting more than 80 million people. During his tenure, he led Humanitarian Needs Overview and Humanitarian Response Plan processes across the regional portfolio, deployed emergency information management into six simultaneous conflict situations, and developed geospatial artificial intelligence tools that were institutionalised across the OCHA West and Central Africa structure.[1][10]
In 2023, during the acute phase of the Sudanese civil war one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world at that time Ndatabaye was deployed on a UN OCHA SURGE mission to Sudan. His mission report, covering July-August 2023, was published on the OCHA Issuu account and documents information management products and humanitarian coordination frameworks produced during the deployment.[14]
Entrepreneurship
Infinite Future Bank
Infinite Future Bank (IFB), founded in 2021, is a development finance venture designed around the use of blockchain technology, artificial intelligence and climate capital mechanisms to expand access to development finance for Africa and the Global South. IFB is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with operational offices in Vienna, Austria, and London, United Kingdom. It serves as the parent entity of Xeltis Ltd, Vick AI and IFB DEUS (INFINIX).
IFB's primary capital instrument is the AFR Token, a blockchain-based financial instrument designed to power a decentralised banking ecosystem, with application to sovereign climate finance and development infrastructure funding. The institution is positioned as a next-generation development finance institution combining concessional and non-concessional financing mechanisms with AI-driven resource allocation and digital settlement infrastructure.[15]
World Disaster Center
The World Disaster Center (WDC), founded by Ndatabaye in December 2023, is a registered nonprofit organisation (EIN: 33-1869013) dedicated to disaster monitoring, early warning systems and humanitarian intelligence. It is listed on the GuideStar and Idealist directories and among Catalyst's network of high-impact social innovation organisations.[16][17][18]
The WDC's principal technology is the Michael Platform, a geospatial AI system that monitors earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, wildfires and industrial accidents in real time, synthesising satellite imagery, GIS data and other data sources to generate early warning products for government emergency agencies, UN bodies and humanitarian organisations. As of 2025, the WDC reports engagement with 138 governments on five continents and has raised US $9.2 million in institutional and philanthropic capital.
Ndatabaye presented the Michael platform at the World Bank's Measuring Development 2025 conference.[5] A co-authored academic paper Michael: An Innovative Disaster Management Solution for Climate Resilience in Africa - was published in 2025.[19]
Xeltis Ltd and other ventures
Xeltis Ltd, founded in June 2021 and registered in London, operates the World Intelligent Resources System (WIRS), an AI-driven platform for mapping and optimising natural and human resource distribution across more than 20 countries. Ndatabaye was identified by Mining Indaba in 2026 as Founder and Chief Engineering Officer of Xeltis.[4]
Vick AI, founded in 2024 in Vienna, is a decentralised artificial intelligence platform designed to operate on local hardware with a zero carbon footprint. IFB DEUS / INFINIX, founded in 2024, is a creator-direct film and media production platform with more than 7,200 creators across 138 countries. Skyhol, founded in 2025, is a crowdsourced logistics platform enabling travellers to transport packages along their existing routes.
Research and publications
Ndatabaye's research interests include Earth observation, geospatial analysis, artificial intelligence, humanitarian information management, climate-related disasters and climate-induced migration. As lead researcher on the CLIMB project at the University of Salzburg, his work applied Earth observation data, big data analytics and predictive modelling to climate-driven displacement across Africa. The project involves researchers from the University of Salzburg, Harvard University, Malmö University and other institutions[6][7][20]
Books
- Ndatabaye, Sapiens. Breaking Barriers, Building Dreams. 2024. ISBN 9798894967950.[Amazon] Peer-reviewed and conference papers
- Ndatabaye, S.; Muzusangabo, M.D. "Michael: An Innovative Disaster Management Solution for Climate Resilience in Africa." ResearchGate, May 2025. [20]
- Dabiri, Z.; Lang, S.; Wendt, L.; Ndatabaye, S. "Anticipatory Climate Resilience in Coastal Urban Areas." EGU General Assembly 2024, abstract EGU24-20281.
Institutional reports
- "Sudan Political Crisis-SURGE Mission Report, July–August 2023." UN OCHA SURGE.[14]
- "WDC Catalogue of Services." World Disaster Center, 2024.
- "Flood Risks in West and Central Africa." ACMAD / UN OCHA, 2019.
Public speaking
| Event | Organisation | Location | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| UN General Assembly (UNGA 80) | United Nations | New York, USA | 2025 |
| Science Summit at UNGA | Science Summit NYC | New York, USA | 2025 |
| World Bank Measuring Development 2025 | World Bank Group | Washington, D.C. | 2025 |
| Geospatial World Forum | Geospatial World | Hyderabad, India | 2025 |
| Mining Indaba — Community Voices (Winner) | African Mining Indaba / The Impact Facility | Cape Town, South Africa | 2026 |
| COP29 | UNFCCC | Baku, Azerbaijan | 2024 |
| World Bank Annual Conference | World Bank Group | Washington, D.C. | 2024 |
| EGU General Assembly (EGU24) | European Geosciences Union | Vienna, Austria | 2024 |
| ESRI International Users Conference | Esri | San Diego, USA | 2024 |
| Harvard GIS Climate Data Science Summit | Harvard University | Cambridge, USA | 2024 |
| Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week | United Nations Geneva | Geneva, Switzerland | 2024 |
| Canadian Black Scientists Network Career Chats | CBSN | Canada | 2024 |
Awards and recognition
| Award | Awarding body | Year |
|---|---|---|
| MI2026 Community Voices Competition Winner | The Impact Facility / African Mining Indaba | 2026 |
| Mining Innovation Winner | Mining Innovation | 2026 |
| Geospatial World 50 Rising Stars (p. 26) | Geospatial World Forum | 2025 |
| Top 20 Dynamic CEOs in Canada | Dynamic CEO Magazine | 2025 |
| Forbes Africa Top Tech Entrepreneurs | Forbes Africa | 2025 |
| UNFCCC Climate Champion | UN Framework Convention on Climate Change | 2024 |
| Bold Award | International Leadership Forum | 2024 |
| CNN Africa Humanitarian Tech Leaders | CNN Africa | 2024 |
| Best Capacity Builder | United States African Development Foundation (USADF) | 2023 |
| Rising Star Award | International Humanitarian Leadership Network | 2022 |
Advisory and board roles
| Role | Organisation | Since |
|---|---|---|
| Board Director — Earth Observation, Big Data & Geospatial Analysis | Global Council for Science and the Environment (GCSE) | 2024 |
| Lead Researcher — EO, Big Data & Geospatial Analysis | CLIMB Project (Swedish Research Council / Belmont Forum) | 2023 |
| Reviewing Committee Member | World Bank GFDRR Innovation Lab | 2024 |
| Climate Finance Advisory Board Member | African Climate Foundation | 2025 |
| AI Ethics & Humanitarian Innovation Advisor | Digital Humanitarian Network | 2024 |
| Board Advisor — Impact Investments | Imbera Gold | 2025 |
Personal life
Ndatabaye is a citizen of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and resides in Washington, D.C. He maintains secondary operational bases in Vienna, Austria, and London, United Kingdom. He is the author of Breaking Barriers, Building Dreams (2024), a memoir describing his journey from Bukavu, eastern Congo, into international humanitarian work, technology entrepreneurship and development finance, available internationally in paperback and Kindle editions[21].
Reference
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Expert Profile - Expertise Repository". expertise.africakm.un.org. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- 1 2 "Geospatial World 50 Rising Stars 2025". geospatialworld.net. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- ↑ "10 winners of 2026 Community Voices Competition announced". miningindaba.com. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- 1 2 Ltd (https://www.svrn.uk), Developed in Gloucestershire by Severn Creative. "Stronger Together: Winners of the MI26 Community Voices Competition". The Impact Facility. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
{{cite web}}: External link in|last= - 1 2 "Measuring Development 2025: Biodiversity on Land and at Sea". World Bank. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- 1 2 3 "Climate-Induced Migration in Africa and Beyond: Big Data and Predictive Analytics (CLIMB)". www.vr.se. 2023-03-13. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- 1 2 3 "CLIMB: Climate-Induced Migration in Africa and Beyond: Big Data and Predictive Analytics | Center for Geographic Analysis". gis.harvard.edu. Archived from the original on 2025-12-14. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- 1 2 "Climate-Induced Migration in Africa and Beyond: Big Data and Predictive Analytics - Belmont Forum". 2025-04-11. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- 1 2 "Online DBA - Doctor of Business Administration | UMGC". University of Maryland Global Campus. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- 1 2 "Home". GCSE. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- ↑ "CBSN Career Chats: From Scientist to Humanitarian Leader | Canadian Black Scientists". Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- ↑ "Ndatabaye (en) - Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg". Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg - Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg. 2024-03-08. Archived from the original on 2025-01-17. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- ↑ "Find Research Projects - Paris-Lodron-University Salzburg". Paris-Lodron-University Salzburg. Archived from the original on 2025-05-18. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- 1 2 "sapiensndat Publisher Publications". Issuu. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- ↑ "Infinite Future Bank | LinkedIn". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- ↑ "World Disaster Center WDC Inc - GuideStar Profile". www.guidestar.org. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- ↑ "World Disaster Center — AI-Powered Disaster Risk Management". World Disaster Center. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- ↑ "World Disaster Center". Catalyst Now. Retrieved 2026-08-12.
- ↑ Muzusangabo, Mulume; Ndatabaye, Sapiens; Albert, Lilla; Akhtar, Zainab; Bisimwa, Hugues (2025-05-04). "Michael: An Innovative Disaster Management Solution for Climate Resilience in Africa".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - 1 2 "Climate-Induced Migration in Africa and Beyond: Big Data and Predictive Analytics (CLIMB) | Malmö University". mau.se. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ Kanyunyi, Dr Sapiens Ndatabaye. "Dr. Sapiens Ndatabaye Kanyunyi — Entrepreneur · Humanitarian · Technologist". Dr. Sapiens Ndatabaye. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
External links
- ndatabaye.com — Official website
- Geospatial World 50 Rising Stars 2025
- World Bank — Measuring Development 2025
- Mining Indaba — 2026 Community Voices Competition
- University of Salzburg — Department of Geoinformatics profile
- Swedish Research Council — CLIMB project
- Global Council for Science and the Environment — Board profile
- United Nations Expertise Repository — Expert Profile
- ResearchGate — Michael Platform paper
- World Disaster Center — About