Sarah Porter

Sarah Porter is the Founder and CEO of InspiredMinds!, a global artificial intelligence community of 200,000 people across 168 countries, and founder of World Summit AI, one of the world's leading applied AI conference series. An award-winning entrepreneur who has launched 21 technology products in 11 countries since 1996, she serves as a United Nations adviser on emerging technology and co-founded the first STEM school for girls in Kabul. In 2026, she founded Women in Unexpected Places, supporting women from low and middle-income countries entering male-dominated sectors. Her keynote sessions empower organisations to harness emerging technology ethically and inclusively, whilst inspiring leaders to champion diversity and social impact in innovation.

In January 2026, Sarah Porter was withdrawn from the 108-mile Montane Winter Spine Challenger South race after credible death threats linked to her advocacy for Afghan women forced organisers to disable her public tracker and pull her from the course for her safety. The British entrepreneur and humanitarian, who has rescued dozens of women and girls from Taliban control since 2021, responded with characteristic resolve: she vowed to continue both her fundraising and her racing, with multiple ultramarathons planned across 2026 and 2027. That determination reflects more than two decades of work building technology businesses and communities designed to democratise artificial intelligence and empower people regardless of background, status, or gender. As Founder and CEO of InspiredMinds!, she leads a global AI community of 200,000 people across 168 countries, and founded World Summit AI, one of the world's leading applied AI conference series. She also established IntelligentHealth, a global summit series focused on AI in medicine, and serves as a United Nations adviser on emerging technology.

Sarah's credentials span entrepreneurship, policy, and frontline humanitarian action. She has launched 21 technology products in 11 countries since 1996, building a self-funded, multi-million-pound company and earning recognition among the United Kingdom's Most Influential Women in Technology by Computer Weekly in both 2022 and 2024. Her work extends beyond business: she co-founded the first STEM school for girls in Kabul, founded the charity Women in Unexpected Places in 2026 to support women from low and middle-income countries entering male-dominated sectors, and serves as an ambassador for the Royal Marsden Hospital, championing the use of AI in oncology care. A former first-person trauma responder for the NHS, she has also pursued a part-time Master's in Neuroscience, Psychology and Psychiatry at King's College London. Her media presence includes public lectures at Canterbury Christ Church University and appearances on Tonight with Andrew Marr on LBC, where she discusses AI ethics, diversity, and inclusion.

Sarah's keynote sessions equip organisations to harness emerging technology ethically and inclusively, translating complex AI concepts into practical strategies that drive social impact and commercial value. Audiences gain actionable insight into building diverse teams, democratising technology access, and aligning innovation with the United Nations Global Goals. Her work demonstrates that technology leadership and humanitarian purpose are not separate pursuits but mutually reinforcing forces. Whether speaking on AI governance, female equality in business, or the resilience required to challenge injustice, she inspires leaders to champion change with courage and conviction, showing that meaningful progress demands both strategic vision and personal commitment.