Sara Berkai

About

Sara Berkai is an entrepreneur and investor interested in play, education and technology. A first-generation student with an MSc in Child Development from the University of Oxford and a first-class BSc from University College London, she has been recognised by Forbes 30 Under 30 and with awards from AnitaB.org, Innovate UK, The Conduit, and the UN's ITU. She has delivered lectures at UC Berkeley, MIT, and the University of Oxford, and serves on the advisory boards of UCL School of Management and SXSW EDU. Berkai is the founder and CEO of Ambessa and also founded the First Venture Award, a grant programme encouraging young students to pursue social entrepreneurship.

Ambessa

In 2020, during her master's degree, Berkai founded Ambessa, a social enterprise encouraging children to build and learn science through play. For every DIY kit purchased, one is donated to a displaced child who lacks access to consistent electricity. With over 250 million children currently out of school and 40 million displaced, Ambessa teaches and sparks confidence through hands-on making. Launched via a successful grassroots Kickstarter campaign, Ambessa has been featured in WIRED, The Financial Times, Fast Company, and Disegno. The company won Dezeen's Product of the Year, and its kits are now available in schools and museums globally.

First Venture

In 2020, Berkai ran a series of social impact workshops across London state schools, called Nobody Gets Fired for Building a Well, based on Clayton Christensen's work. This experience led to the founding of First Venture in 2026, an annual prize encouraging students in London state schools to explore social entrepreneurship.