“People always think of Africa as a place of problems, so we need problem solvers,” said Samuel Quansah, founder of Algo Peers and a founder in the Master of Business Creation (MBC) Global program at the University of Utah. He is determined to fix the education system in underserved African communities.
Growing up in Ghana, Quansah experienced the local education system firsthand and noticed that it often focused on older students, leaving younger children without real-world exposure.
“Algo Peers was born out of the idea that there is great talent in Africa because of the kids,” he said. Algo Peers wants to give children problem-solving skills early in life.
Like other companies, Algo Peers applies learning through play methods. But the company takes a unique approach: “Every lesson, everything a child does, is rooted in local problems,” Quansah said. The team designs models and content based on local realities to ensure relevance for students and educators.
Quansah began his higher education journey at the University of Cape Coast. Looking for a practical approach to business, he found his undergrad experience lacking. “The school of business was not practical enough,” he said. That steered him towards tech. He joined the Google Africa Scholarship and eventually became a mentor, then a Microsoft educator, where his passion for tech education took off.
Out of 53,000 applicants, Quansah was one of 700 young African leaders chosen for the Mandela Washington Fellowship in 2024. During the program he trained in civic engagement at the University of Delaware, where he engaged with civic leaders and U.S. policy makers. “This experience deepened my understanding of policy-driven educational initiatives and strengthened my ability to drive impactful change in STEAM education across Africa,” he said.
A friend told him about the MBC program, believing it would benefit both him and Algo Peers. At that point, Quansah had doubts about graduate programs in Africa due to their impractical nature. After researching the MBC faculty, including Jeff Davis and Todd Zenger, he was sold. “I knew that if I really wanted to build something huge, then I should learn from people in the industry,” he said. He got a scholarship and hasn’t looked back. “I loved it and still love it.”
So far, Algo Peers has trained over 737 children and 237 educators through its STEAM education model focused on science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Two of these students submitted a prototype to an MIT competition and placed in the top four out of 1,000 entries. Their project used solar mapping to identify optimal locations for renewable energy use.
Algo Peers is also tackling infrastructure gaps. “Most of the schools are underfunded,” Quansah said. To address this, they’re developing a platform that connects schools with donors who are eager to support infrastructure development.
Securing funding has been one of the biggest setbacks. “It is very difficult to find funders or people who are willing to support this initiative,” Quansah said. Despite these challenges, Algo Peers has landed strategic partnerships with the BBC, Microsoft Education Foundation, and Global Affairs Canada. The MBC program has also helped with recommendation letters, further supporting Quansah’s journey.
“When someone thinks of STEAM education for children in Africa, we want them to think of us,” he said. The team is now building a centralized data exchange platform aiming to onboard 10 million students by 2030, giving them access to STEAM education and data across the continent.
Quansah has become a problem solver on his own. “I think education is fulfilling because you get to make a direct impact on the lives of people,” he said. As Algo Peers continues to grow, it is not just shaping young minds, but reshaping Africa’s future in education.
Learn more about how Algo Peers is shaping education at algopeers.com.
