Leka Hattori

Leka Hattori is a Brazilian innovation leader, speaker, and entrepreneur whose work focuses on technology, education, and expanding access to innovation. Her professional background includes an unconventional transition from working in a professional kitchen in London to becoming involved in NASA-related innovation initiatives. Since 2018, she has served as a Local Lead for the NASA International Space Apps Challenge in Brazil, supporting community participation in global innovation programs. She is also the creator of Hack@Schools®, an educational initiative that uses NASA open data and challenge-based learning to introduce innovation into schools. The initiative has engaged more than 2,000 students and 150 educators and has resulted in the development of hundreds of student projects.

Hattori’s work has also focused on increasing access to innovation opportunities and promoting gender equity within technology and innovation communities, including through her involvement with the NASA Space Apps community. Her international activities have included participation in NASA open-data initiatives, the Bold Community in Austria, the G100 Global Women Leaders network, and climate leadership programs. Across these initiatives, her work emphasizes education, inclusion, and the development of opportunities for individuals and communities that have traditionally had limited access to global innovation ecosystems.