William Kamkwamba

William Kamkwamba is a globally recognised innovation speaker, inventor and author, known for transforming adversity into opportunity through creativity and determination. As a keynote speaker, William shares a powerful story of resilience and ingenuity, with his greatest achievement being the creation of a life-changing windmill from scrap materials during his youth in rural Malawi.

William’s early journey is rooted in hardship and resourcefulness. Growing up in a farming village, he was forced to leave school at 14 when famine made education unaffordable for his family. Rather than accept defeat, William spent time in a local library, where he discovered a science textbook that sparked his curiosity about energy. Using only diagrams for guidance, he built a functioning wind turbine from recycled materials, bringing electricity to his home for the first time. This breakthrough moment defined his path and later opened doors to formal education, eventually leading him to study Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College.

William’s career has evolved into a global platform for impact and inspiration. He became a TED Fellow, delivering a widely viewed talk 'How I Built a Windmill', that introduced his story to an international audience. His memoir, ‘The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind’, became a New York Times bestselling book, selling over one million copies and reaching readers in nearly twenty languages. The story was later adapted into a Netflix film, which earned the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. William also became an IDEO.org Global Fellow, applying human-centred design principles to challenges in agriculture, sanitation and community development. In 2008, he co-founded the Moving Windmills Project, a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering young people in Malawi through education, sustainable technology and innovation. His influence was further recognised when he was named one of TIME Magazine’s ‘30 People Under 30 Changing the World’.

William is a compelling keynote speaker because he connects real-world challenges with practical, human solutions. His talks focus on innovation through adversity, sustainable development, education access and youth empowerment. He offers grounded insight into how creativity can thrive even in limited circumstances, sharing lessons that resonate across industries and cultures. One clear example is how he turned discarded materials into a working energy solution that supported his family and inspired global audiences. William leaves audiences with a renewed perspective on possibility and action, making him a valuable voice for organisations seeking meaningful, forward-thinking conversations.