Samasouce founder and CEO, Leila Janah, has passed away after losing her fight with a rare form of cancer, known as Epithelioid Sarcoma.
The 37 year old was an inspiring woman, one of the few who thrived in the male-dominated Silicon Valley.
She championed social and ethical entrepreneurship, towards the goal of ending global poverty, founding three distinct organisations over her career spanning the for-profit and non-profit worlds
Janah launched her company, Samasource, in 2008 to “deliver turnkey, high-quality training data and validation for the world’s leading AI technologies.”
The company has a largely African workforce.
A statement by the company on her passing read, “Leila spearheaded a global impact sourcing movement and was a champion for environmental sustainability and ending global poverty. … Her commitment to creating a better world was unparalleled.”
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It continues, “The ripple effects of her work will be felt for generations. … We are all committed to continuing Leila’s work, and to ensure her legacy and vision is carried out for years to come.”
Long term friend and business partner to Janah, Wendy Gonzalez, will take over as Samasource’s interim CEO.
Gonzalez also served as Samasource’s COO alsongside Janah for close to 5 years. Together they have crafted Samasource’s vision and strategy.
Aside from Samasource, Janah also founded LXMI, a skin-care brand which emphasizes organic and fair-trade ingredients, with a focus on sourcing from low-income women’s cooperatives in East Africa.
