Sam is an Ethiopian-American engineer and serial entrepreneur. Passionate about addressing environmental and infrastructure challenges in the global South, he co-founded Cambridge Industries, where he completed Africa’s first waste-to-energy facility in Addis Ababa in 2018. The project transforms urban waste into sustainable electricity, providing over 20% of the city’s household power and serving as a model for expansion into ten additional cities. Sam’s future vision is for cities to become self-sufficient while minimizing resource intensity and environmental impact, enabled through circular systems that integrate resource-efficient production of materials and food in collaboration with leading research institutions. His work has earned recognition from the World Economic Forum, where he is both a Technology Pioneer and a Young Global Leader. He holds a degree from the School of Engineering at Stanford University. Sam continues to invest in technology, infrastructure, and climate solutions.
