Melissa Sassi Profile

Melissa Sassi is the Global Head of IBM Hyper Protect Accelerator focused on empowering early-stage entrepreneurs through technology and business acceleration, technology credits, comarketing, go-to-market strategy, and access to IBM’s partner ecosystem. Melissa is a division-level lead for Call for Code, an initiative aimed at preparing for and responding to disaster scenarios with technical innovation. Prior to joining IBM, Melissa spent several years in Microsoft's Airband Initiative where she was an impact investor focused on internet and energy access. Melissa is Chair of IEEE's Digital Intelligence Working Group and is on the Steering Committee of the Coalition for Digital Intelligence with the World Economic Forum, OECD, IEEE, and the DQ Institute. She is a founding member of broadbandpolicy.org and the Founder & CEO of MentorNations, a youth-led digital skills movement that has taught tens of thousands of young people to code across twelve countries. Melissa holds a Board of Director position within TAKMIL, a US-based nonprofit with 30 schools across Pakistan providing out-of-school youth with informal education. Melissa also serves on the Advisory Board of TechWomen.Asia, an organization with roots in Kabul, Afghanistan focused on tech skill-building for women and girls. Melissa holds two master's degrees in supply chain and finance and is working toward her PhD. Her research focuses on the digital inclusion of unserved communities.