About
Leadership
Founder
Muhammad Aliyu
Founder · Founding President
Founder, Ignite Research Academy
Muhammad founded the Africa Innovators Society at CMU-Africa to unleash the entrepreneurial potential of the continent's future leaders. He is also the Founder of Ignite Research Academy and a passionate advocate for GenAI and entrepreneurship across Africa.
Faculty Advisor
Prof. Jesse Thornburg
Faculty Advisor
Assistant Teaching Professor, CMU-Africa
Assistant Teaching Professor at Carnegie Mellon University Africa and the Africa Innovators Society's faculty advisor since the founding year. His support and mentorship have anchored AIS through every chapter, from the November 2023 launch through the Tartans Innovate hackathons and the AIS Leadership Summit.
Executive teams by year
August 2025 to Present · Current Executive Team