Investing in Our Future: Why Nigeria Must Support Young Inventors Like Jessica Matthews
~~ Ahman Makams
"The Jessica Matthews Effect - Inspiring Nigeria to Invest in its Young Inventors"
Jessica Matthews is a very smart woman. She was born in 1988, she's Nigerian and American. She's an inventor, the boss of a company, and invests in new businesses. She made a soccer ball called Soccket. This soccer ball is special because it makes electricity! She went to Harvard for college and then for business school.
Jessica got many awards. She got awards for being a great businesswoman and a great scientist. The Nigerian president even made her an ambassador for entrepreneurship. Jessica got the idea for Soccket at her aunt's wedding in Nigeria. The power went out, and they used noisy, dirty generators. This gave her the idea to make a clean energy source. Soccket makes enough power to light a small light for a few hours after you play soccer with it for a while. It helps kids do homework at night.
Jessica and her friend started a company called Uncharted Power to sell Soccket. They had some problems making them at first, so she moved the making of the balls to her own place. She even made a jump rope that makes electricity too, called Pulse. She also created MORE, which is a way to use the energy-making technology in lots of different things. Her company made lots of money. She then started a non-profit to help new businesses and people in Harlem. She's also working on a big power dam project in Nigeria.
Jessica's story shows how important it is for Nigeria to help its own inventors. She is very successful, but she had to do most of her work in America. Nigeria needs to do better at supporting people like Jessica. The government should give more money to young inventors and create better ways for them to work in Nigeria. They need good electricity and good places to work. They need the government to help protect their inventions too.
If Nigeria helps its own inventors, it can create a lot of jobs and make the country a much better place. It is a shame that brilliant people leave to find success elsewhere. Nigeria needs to keep its bright minds at home. Leaders need new ideas and to support Nigerians to help build a better future for everyone in the country.
PROFILE
Jessica O. Matthews is a highly accomplished Nigerian-American inventor, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist whose career trajectory is marked by innovation, impactful ventures, and a remarkable ability to translate ideas into tangible solutions. Her educational foundation is as impressive as her professional achievements: a graduate of Harvard College with a degree in Economics and later, Harvard Business School, she possesses a strong blend of theoretical understanding and practical business acumen. This robust educational background fuels her innovative approaches to problem-solving and her sophisticated understanding of market dynamics. Her academic success is not solely defined by degrees, however; she was also named "Scientist of the Year" by the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations in 2012, a testament to her early contributions in the field.
The cornerstone of Matthews's professional success is undoubtedly Soccket, the kinetic energy-generating soccer ball co-created with Julia Silverman during her junior year at Harvard. This invention, born from witnessing the health hazards of diesel generators during a family wedding in Nigeria, quickly transitioned from a class assignment to a globally recognized product and the basis for Uncharted Power. Beyond the initial success of Soccket, Matthews demonstrates a keen ability to adapt and expand upon her core technology, creating the Pulse jump rope and developing MORE (Motion-based Off-Grid Renewable Energy), a system that integrates her energy-harvesting technology into various consumer products and infrastructure projects. This strategic diversification showcases her visionary thinking and commitment to scalability and growth. Her company's profitability, significant Series A funding, and sales of over 500,000 Socckets and Pulses by 2017 further solidify her business acumen.
Matthews's professional achievements extend beyond her own company. She co-founded KDDC, developing a significant hydropower dam project in Nigeria, demonstrating a commitment to tackling energy challenges on a larger scale. Her appointment to the U.S. Department of Energy's Electricity Advisory Committee (EAC) in 2021 underscores her expertise and influence within the global energy sector. Her accolades are numerous, including recognition from Fortune magazine as one of its "10 Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs" and "Most Promising Women Entrepreneurs," Forbes 30 Under 30, and Inc.'s 30 Under 30, as well as the "One Young World Entrepreneur of the Year" Award. This impressive list of recognitions reflects not only her professional success but also her significant contributions to sustainable energy and technological advancement.
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