Evelyn Ngatia
Evelyn Ngatia is a corporate trainer, thought leader, advisor and keynote speaker on the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) and Founder of TechaWatt and the 4IR Academy.
She serves as a Board Member of the Women in Tech Alliance at European Technology. She also serves as a Board Member and President Elect at the Rotary Club of Ngong Road.
She has authored the book ‘Understanding the 4th Industrial Revolution’ and several 4IR articles. She has also shared her thoughts on various media channels, magazines, conferences and events.
For her thought leadership, she considers herself fortunate enough to receive global recognition and awards as: InspiringFifty United Kingdom Award Winner 2021, Who’s Who in Industry 4.0, Top 50 Global Thought Leaders on Emerging Technology and Top 50 Global Thought Leaders on EdTech.
Before founding TechaWatt, she worked in the corporate world in various sectors of the economy such as oil & gas, corporate banking, power, infrastructure, manufacturing, and real estate.
Tell us about your life before the venture/ leading up to your venture?
I was a corporate banker before I ventured out into entrepreneurship. I never thought I was cut out for entrepreneurship. In my corporate days I felt a little frustrated, I felt unfulfilled. I wanted more. I began a journey of seeking God and in that journey I discovered my passion for the 4th Industrial Revolution. I began writing articles which then led to publishing a book on the same subject. This launched me into my purpose and brought along the fulfilment and meaning I was looking for. I also got recognised and awarded globally for my thought leadership in this area, which affirmed my new direction.
Tell us something about your organization. What is it about and how is it helpful for people?
TechaWatt is an organisation that offers corporate training, thought leadership, strategy advisory and speaking engagements on the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR). 4IR is defined as the coming together of the digital and physical worlds, enabled by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, internet of things, blockchain, etc. We also run the 4IR Academy which is an EdTech platform offering 4IR courses.
At TechaWatt, we believe that Africa has lagged in the previous industrial revolutions, but there is an opportunity for Africa to thrive in this one. Our contribution is equipping individuals, businesses and governments with the knowledge on emerging technologies, to enable them thrive in this 4th Industrial Revolution.
What has been the response of the consumers towards your venture?
The response has been quite encouraging. I remember one person prior to our engagement had no idea what the 4IR was, but by the end of our engagement, was quite interested in the subject and even went ahead to research and share ideas with me on emerging technology. Another one had a similar background and after our engagement, went ahead to build a platform using the 4IR technologies. This story has happened more than once, and it gives me fulfilment when minds are transformed.
Besides training, clients have also requested other products that I had not envisaged such as partnering with brands for thought leadership and partnering with organisations for strategy development.
I am grateful for the global recognition and awards received since I ventured out: InspiringFifty United Kingdom Award Winner 2021, Who’s Who in Industry 4.0, Top 50 Global Thought Leaders on Emerging Technology and Top 50 Global Thought Leaders on EdTech.
How has your life changed because of your venture?
I went from being risk averse to being a risk taker. Also, my life has a purpose bigger than myself as I am able to contribute towards Africa’s and the world’s digital transformation journey.
Give a motivational message for the audience/women who are reading this.
There’s power in choosing depth over breadth. Focus on your area of specialisation and develop your competitive advantage around it.
Also, building a brand takes time. Invest in building your personal brand too – who you are and what you want to be known for. This will help you to position yourself as an authority in your industry and help you gain credibility for your business.