Linda Liukas

Linda is a programmer, storyteller and illustrator from Helsinki, Finland. Her book series Hello Ruby introduces the whimsical world of technology for kids and has been translated to over 25 languages. Hello Ruby made its debut on Kickstarter and quickly smashed its $10,000 funding goal after just 3.5 hours and gathering 380 000 dollars in total funding. Her TED talk has gathered over 1.5 million views. Linda is a central figure in the world of programming and has worked on edutech already before it was called that. She is the founder of Rails Girls, a global phenomenon teaching the basics of programming for young women all over the world. Further, she believes that code is the 21st century literacy and the need for people to speak the ABC of Programming is imminent. She believes our world is increasingly run by software and we need more diversity in the people who are building Linda has studied in business, design and engineering in Aalto University and product engineering in Stanford University. Linda Liukas's Talks One Hundred Languages: moving towards a more humane tech industry,Principles of Play: If code is the colouring pens and lego blocks of our times - the tools of creation - how do we teach the curiosity, joy and wonder to our kids?Magical, but not magic: Preparing our children for a world where every problem is a computer problem – Enabling them to engage, influence and build beautiful, better and perhaps a little whimsical World.No maps, only compasses: How to navigate the new frontiers of technology Linda Liukas's Awards & Accolades UNESCO High Level Reflection Group 2019 Technology Playmaker of the Year 2019 Forbes Top 50 Women in Tech Europe 2018 Dubai 2020 Global Expo finalist DIA Gold 2017, China's biggest Design Award TED Resident 2017 Thinkers 20: The Brightest Business Minds of Northern Europe 2016 50 most inspiring women in technology in Europe 2015, 2018, 2019 The Young Speaker of the Year in Finland 2015 Finland State Award for Children’s Culture 2014 30 under 30 in Northern Europe 2014 Ruby Hero 2013