FOUNDER, CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER

Mila is the Founder of Kigumi Group and a certified AI ethics assessor by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). As an educator, she is passionate about integrating ethical reasoning and social emotional learning (SEL) into all aspects of her AI and digital literacy curricula for kids, parents and schools.

Prior to Kigumi Group, Mila had a 10 year career in the non-profit and philanthropic sectors in South-East Asia, including being part of the founding teams of "The Unlimited," United Overseas Bank’s (UOB) inclusive employment programme; and of the Asian Women's Leadership University College (AWLUC) in Penang.

She received her B.A. in Philosophy (Mount Holyoke College) and her M.A. in Character Education (University of Birmingham), completing her dissertation on ethical reasoning practices amongst tech professionals and how to build ethics into everyday SOPs for tech companies.

ENGINEERING LEAD

Yerzhan Karatayev is a visionary entrepreneur and technology leader based in Tokyo, Japan, with over 15 years of experience spanning software engineering, innovation management, and international business. Having worked and founded startups across the United States, Japan, and Central Asia, he is dedicated to building bridges between cultures through technology, education, and entrepreneurship. Yerzhan’s mission is to connect people, ideas, and opportunities that inspire meaningful global collaboration. A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Yerzhan combines deep technical expertise with strategic leadership, leading initiatives that integrate AI, digital transformation, and cross-border innovation between Japan and Central Asia. His work focuses on advancing ethical technology and fostering sustainable partnerships that empower the next generation of entrepreneurs and creators.

CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER

Connie Cheung is the Chief Product Officer of Kigumi and a visionary leader in ethical AI and digital wellness for young learners. Drawing on 15+ years of experience in AI product development and compliant fintech innovation, she is pioneering a platform that empowers pre-teens to engage with technology responsibly. As a mother passionate about shaping safer digital futures, Connie merges her technical expertise with a commitment to fostering ethical digital habits.

Previously, Connie spearheaded AI and blockchain solutions at RD Technologies and PwC China, building compliant payment systems and scaling multimillion-dollar platforms. At IBM, she led AI adoption across Greater China, breaking into new markets. Her ability to align cutting-edge technology with regulatory rigor now drives her mission to ensure AI uplifts, rather than risks, young users’ well-being.

Connie holds an MBA from MIT Sloan and a Bachelor’s in Information Systems and Finance from HKUST. Certified in Machine Learning by Stanford, she champions ethical frameworks to make technology a force for good.

DIRECTOR (NON-EXECUTIVE)

Rilly is a bi-cultural tech operator, investor and fintech enthusiast. Having lived and worked across China, Southeast Asia (SEA) and the UK, she built her career in finance, ecommerce and tech. Rilly spent the first 4 years of her career building ecommerce companies in SEA, and the next 5 at Alibaba Group across its international expansion and investment departments.

During her time with the international investment team, she served as a board observer to several digital wallet and leading payment companies, advising CEOs and management team on a wide range of topic (GTM, product roadmap, organizational design).

In her spare time, she enjoys reading up on psychology, human potential and meditation.

CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Fabian is a multicultural global executive with extensive board-level experience in international investments, particularly in AI and Smart Mobility. His expertise spans green technology, electric vehicles (EVs), and adaptive sensory AI, focusing on hyperautomation, composable business designs, and decision intelligence.

Fabian has held senior leadership roles at Deloitte Digital (Managing Partner, 2017-2019), EY (Global Technology Markets Partner, 2007-2017), and Softbank (M&A Tech Controller, 2002-2007).

Currently, he leads a multi-family office and venture capital firm with operations in Singapore, London, Hong Kong, and Frankfurt, managing a multi-billion-dollar investment portfolio in smart mobility, AI, and smart cities.

ADVISOR - COMPUTING & AI

Andrew is a leading researcher in cloud software and cloud hardware, supercomputer architecture, and sustainable computing. He is the founder and current director of the UChicago CERES Center for Unstoppable Computing where he leads the Large-scale Sustainable Systems Research Group. Andrew is a Fellow of the ACM, IEEE, and AAAS and currently serves on the National Science Foundation’s CISE Advisory Committee (2006-2011, 2020-current) as well as DARPA’s Information Science & Technology (ISAT) Study Group. He has served on Advisory Boards for several universities (such as Stanford University, University of California Berkeley, University of Washington, EPFL) as well as national laboratory and corporate research laboratories. From 2005-2010, Andrew was the Vice President of Research of Intel Corporation where he led long-range and disruptive technologies research in computer science and also had global responsibility for government research and university engagement.

ADVISOR - COMPUTER SCIENCE & LINGUISTICS

Edward Carson Waller Distinguished Service Professor, Departments of Linguistics and Computer Science, University of Chicago

Dr. Goldsmith’s work has focused on phonological theory, on Bantu tone systems, and on computational morphology and phonology (especially algorithms for unsupervised learning). This work has included the development of autosegmental phonology, harmonic phonology, dynamic computational models of stress and sonority, the open source projects Linguistica, and geometric morphology.

In 2019, Goldsmith published (along with Bernard Laks) Battle in the Mind Fields, the first in a sequence of books exploring the epistemology and sociology of the development of ideas in linguistics, philosophy, and psychology.

ADVISOR - GLOBAL POLICY & PARTNERSHIPS

Pat is the Chief Academic Officer for Code.org, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting computer science education. As a leading voice on K-12 computer science education, his passion is to bring computer science opportunities to every school and student in the United States.

During his career as a high school computer science teacher, he inspired students to create mobile games and apps for social causes and implemented initiatives to broaden participation in computer science among underrepresented groups.

He has been featured in the book, “American Teacher: Heroes in the Classroom”, has been recognized as a Microsoft Worldwide Innovative Educator, and is certified in biology, physics, math, health, and technology education. Although Pat currently spends more time focused on computer science from a national perspective, he still finds ways to sneak into the classroom.

PRODUCT MARKETER

Ivy is a seasoned marketing professional with a strong background in integrated marketing, specializing in product marketing, digital strategy, and event management. She has successfully contributed to key projects at PwC China, SAP Labs, and Reed Exhibitions. Currently serving as a Product Consultant at Kigumi Group, Ivy is leveraging her expertise to collaborate with her team in exploring innovative AI applications and their impact on youth education and development.