Hi,
I'm Sam Waitathu.
I made my first dollar at 13, selling an Ericsson A2628. Still own a replica.
Today, I'm the founder of Yard, the Disneyland for AI. A digital theme park where anyone can experience AI through fun.
I've worn many hats: farmer, TV actor, renewable energy producer. Building philosophy: technology ought to enhance our lives.
AI Decade thesis: fun is a gateway to utility.
Education & Programs:
Harvard Kennedy School - Master’s in Public Administration, ’27
Stanford Graduate School of Business Online - Innovation & Entrepreneurship (One League), '24
United States International University–Africa - B.A. in JournalismFounder Fellowships
Merge Club (ODF), San Francisco ’25 - raised funding for Costco-model diabetes care platform.
Delta II: The Residency, San Francisco ’25
INSEAD x Harvard - AI Venture Lab, ’25
Buildspace (nights and weekends) S5, San Francisco ’24
2025 Vibe Coding Projects
Techstack: Lovable, Claude, Anything, ElevenLabs, Gemini, ChatGPT
Hackathons
ShipMate: Launch as a service for founders,[Gemini Flash BackEnd][Anything ChallengexContra]
Creation Yard: Disneyland for the AI Era,[Lovable][Delta II, The Residency]
EduPay: A platform making early education accessible to families,[Elevenlabs BackEnd][ Global Haickathon]
Paint me: Turn your photos into pencil art you can color,[Gemini Nano Banana BackEnd][Lovable Cloud 7 day Build Challenge]
Weekend Projects
Farewell Baba: A digital space to honor the legacy of Kenya’s former Prime Minister, Raila Odinga
Arrive Safe: Share your bus journey in real time so help can reach faster in an emergency,[MVP]
The Last Supper: A founder's pilgrimage with AI Jesus.
Lit Meat: The Michelin Guide for grilled meat, rated by real meat lovers,[MVP]
StroytellingAuthored impact report for One League (edtech founded by YC alum) showcasing global impact in democratizing Ivy League access for underserved students (2024)
Authored UNESCO impact report on water security in Turkana, Kenya that secured a 3-year project extension (2023)
Acted in The Real Housewives of Kawangware, a Kenyan TV sitcom with millions of weekly viewers
Clean Energy Access
Co-founded Bio Makaa, producing eco-friendly charcoal briquettes from waste materials for low-income Nairobi communities. Distributed through 50+ local shops and recognized as Ecopreneur of the Year by the 254 Youth Entrepreneurship Awards.
Women's Health Advocacy
Delivered period care kits to hundreds of low-income women through a restaurant-based distribution network in Nairobi. Awarded by the Global Peace Foundation for community impact.
Get In Touch
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