Maira Elahi is a Canada-based student researcher dedicated to leveraging technology, policy, and advocacy to serve and empower her community. Her work spans machine learning research in cancer detection, AI safety testing in collaboration with OpenAI, and the preservation of Global South dialects through AI language model training. Maira has founded her own startup, Tivea, through which she self-published books, built a brand image, and explored digital storytelling as a vehicle for social change. She has also worked on app development and conducted market validation research for a Canadian tech launch. Beyond tech, she co-created UNICEF Canada’s first TikTok account, served on World Vision Canada’s National Youth Council, and led creative campaigns for platforms like The Adroit Journal. She spearheaded a grassroots team in her city to educate youth on the intersection of civic engagement and social innovation.

Her unwavering commitment to innovating responsibly—with our collective humane interests at the forefront—and bringing youth into high-level decision-making spaces continues to drive her mission across disciplines. She believes that inclusive futures are built not just by experts in suits, but by young people with lived experience, vision, and the audacity to disrupt.