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Asha Christian, a tech prodigy since her early teens, has yet again made headlines by being named to the prestigious Forbes: Atlanta 30 Under 30. The co-founder of STEMGuyana and the innovative mind behind the Coily app is not just a technology visionary; she’s also the daughter of two outstanding Diaspora Guyanese. Asha is the daughter of Leon Christian, the former Guyana National basketball player, and Karen Abrams, the Director of STEMGuyana.
Coily, valued at an impressive $4 million, is designed to revolutionize the hair care industry for Black individuals. Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, the app helps users identify the best hair products, styles, and techniques tailored to their unique needs. After downloading the app, users engage in an interactive quiz, allowing the AI to gain a comprehensive understanding of their hair care desires and necessities.
Asha’s journey in the world of app development started when she was just 15. She created the Five-O app, a groundbreaking tool allowing individuals to review and document their experiences with law enforcement, echoing the pressing concerns of the era.
However, Asha’s vision for Coily goes beyond mere recommendations. She envisions it as a burgeoning marketplace for the multibillion-dollar global Black hair care industry. The app’s promise has already drawn attention and investment from notable Silicon Valley venture capital giants like Andressen Horowitz and Sequoia.
While the world recognizes Asha for her innovative ventures, back home, she’s significantly impacting education and technology. STEMGuyana, the brainchild of Asha, her sister Ima, brother Caleb and her mother, Karen Abrams, is a beacon of hope for many Guyanese children. The organization manages 41 IDBLab-sponsored learning pods offering academic support and enrichment. These pods, focusing on mostly vulnerable children, dedicate a day each week to technology, fostering a love for coding and robotics.
The outreach doesn’t stop there. STEMGuyana oversees 17 STEM clubs across 5 regions of Guyana, with plans to expand to 35 soon. Adding a creative touch, they’ve launched a production studio that birthed the children’s show “Robin the Robot”, instilling a love for technology in the young audience. Recently, STEMGuyana unveiled the Parent Academy, an initiative to equip parents with tools and knowledge to support their children’s academic pursuits.
Asha Christian is more than just a tech entrepreneur. She is a symbol of ambition, determination, and vision for all Guyanese children at home or in the Diaspora and especially for the youth Engineers in the STEMGuyana Learning Pods and STEM clubs across Guyana.
For those seeking inspiration or a model of perseverance, one need not look further than Asha Christian – a beacon of hope not only for Guyana but for the world.
