M. Elie Mandela

Rwanda

M. Elie Mandela holds a Bachelor of Sciences with Honors in Pharmacy from the University of Rwanda. A Certified Associate in Project Management, he currently works at Mastercard Foundation as Associate Program Manager. Previously he worked with Johnson and Johnson (JnJ) Global Public Health and also served on the Junior Steering Committee of the

JnJ African Innovation Challenge – where he helped in identifying the best innovators from across the continent. Before he joined his current position, he spearheaded the Hult Prize Rwanda national program, where he oversaw creating of the biggest ecosystem of social entrepreneurs and innovation in Universities across Rwanda. He also works as a volunteer at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Rwanda, supporting the creation of novel programs and initiatives to boost innovation within the university ecosystem. He is a former Chairperson of the Alumni Chapter of Rwanda, Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), and a board member of various youth-led organizations.