When she isn’t preparing to become the first Black woman to travel with Jeff Bezos to space through Blue Origin, Aisha Bowe is securing legendary funding to fulfill her passion for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
According to BLACK ENTERPRISE, Bowe recently received what’s nearly a billion-dollar government contract to further scale and grow STEMBoard. The $947 million contract was awarded by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) to Exacta Solutions, which is a joint venture with STEMBoard.
Exacta Solutions will handle lifecycle acquisition management, strategic business management, and strategic financial management for NGA.
Bowe is pretty much Black girl magic personified as a former rocket scientist and a successful entrepreneur. As the founder and CEO of STEMBoard, Bowe is creating smart systems and solutions for both large-scale U.S. federal and private sector clients.
Now, she continues to soar to greater heights having been inspired by her early work at NASA to create more lanes in the field of STEM for underserved communities.
“I am fully dedicated to hands-on involvement,” she said. “It’s crucial for me to be present advocating for Black boys and girls, those of Caribbean heritage, and women business owners to demonstrate our presence in these fields. We can build multimillion-dollar companies, secure billion-dollar contracts, create educational games adopted by schools and retailers, and be acknowledged alongside others, enjoying equal opportunities.”
What’s more, each opportunity has become a full-circle moment for Bowe.
“In high school, I encountered a counselor who suggested I pursue cosmetology,” she recalled. “But deep down, I knew I wanted something more for myself. It was during my time at Washtenaw Community College where I discovered my passion for math and science. Determined to chase my dreams, I transferred to the University of Michigan, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and a master’s degree in space systems engineering. These achievements opened the doors to an incredible chapter in my life as I embarked on a career as a rocket scientist at NASA. I realized that the only limitations you have in life are those you place yourself.”
Her Success As An Entrepreneur
As a serial entrepreneur, Bowe’s first company successfully grew to have millions in revenue thanks to her commitment to bootstrapping and raising capital funding. She has also been included in Inc’s Female Founders 100 list and is the creator of LINGO, a hands-on, self-paced coding kit that teaches students to code from the comfort of their own home.
