"I am Tech Oregon" featuring Ibrahim Balde

I AM TECH OREGON

In 2020 TAO began highlighting our members through a "Meet Our Members" series. Many of our featured guests were CEOs or members of the TAO Board of Directors. As we expand on this idea in 2021, we are excited to highlight the voices of technologists who may not be in the historic majority. I am Tech Oregon will feature these members as they share their career journeys, what they love about working in tech, and their tips for getting involved with the local innovation ecosystem.

Inspired by his exposure to social entrepreneurship and student organizing at UC Berkeley, Ibrahim Balde created and co-founded Blackbook University, a diversity and inclusion application designed to empower Black students with tools that enable peer-to-peer connection, academic enrichment, and professional development. Ibrahim recently finished his undergraduate degree at the Haas School of Business coupled with Berkeley's Certificate of Design Innovation. By cultivating a career in tech and Venture Capital, he intends to work to promote equity within the world of innovation.

Upon graduation, Ibrahim's goal is to continue to cultivate his interests in technology and entrepreneurship. By next fall he hopes to attend a Masters in Data Science program to further bridge the intersection between race and tech. Leading up to this point his most immediate goal upon graduating is to pilot Berkeley Blackbook and gain incubation experience along the way to keep him enriched and motivated to meet his goals.

‍WATCH THE INTERVIEW WITH IBRAHIM HERE