Ayanda Ntombela - Innovation & Technology Lead

Q: Where is Ayanda based?

Ayanda is based in Berlin, Germany .

Q: What languages does Ayanda speak?

Ayanda speaks the following languages: English (Native), German (Advanced) .

Q: How many years of experience does Ayanda have?

Ayanda has at least 13 years of experience. During this time, Ayanda has worked in at least 5 different roles and for 5 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 6 months . Note that Ayanda may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Ayanda's latest experience?

Ayanda's most recent position is Innovation & Technology Lead at Tanit New Earth Solutions .

Q: What companies has Ayanda worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Ayanda has worked for Tanit New Earth Solutions and ILRI (CGIAR) .

Q: Which industries is Ayanda most experienced in?

Ayanda is most experienced in industries like Information Technology , Government and Administration , and Banking and Finance . Ayanda also has some experience in Insurance and Agriculture .

Q: Which business areas is Ayanda most experienced in?

Ayanda is most experienced in business areas like Product Development , Project Management , and Strategy . Ayanda also has some experience in Quality Assurance and Research and Development .

Q: Which industries has Ayanda worked in recently?

Ayanda has recently worked in industries like Information Technology and Agriculture .

Q: Which business areas has Ayanda worked in recently?

Ayanda has recently worked in business areas like Product Development , Quality Assurance , and Project Management .

Recommended expert

Berlin, Germany

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Experience

Apr 2024 - Present

2 years 5 months

Innovation & Technology Lead

Tanit New Earth Solutions

Translated client briefings into structured implementation roadmaps for a new digital platform, coordinating UX, development, and QA teams across three time zones.
Established iterative reviews and feedback loops to ensure usability and creative vision aligned with technical feasibility.
Result: Developed a platform that strengthened customer engagement and positioned the company for future funding rounds.

Oct 2021 - Sep 2023

2 years

Strategic Project Consultant

ILRI (CGIAR)

Led digital agriculture projects in multiple countries, clarifying changing requirements through re-briefings and stakeholder workshops.
Implemented agile project management methods in grant-funded initiatives, improving speed, transparency, and collaboration.
Result: Increased predictability and partner trust, enabling teams to reliably hit milestones in complex environments.

Oct 2018 - Jan 2021

2 years 4 months

Innovation & Scaling Expert

Welthungerhilfe

Evaluated and designed digital pilot projects in India, Uganda, and Afghanistan, tailoring proposals to engage both funders and local partners.
Coordinated design, development, and QA teams to ensure product iterations met both client vision and operational requirements.
Result: Successfully scaled pilots into multi-year programs, strengthening the organization's credibility with donors.

Jul 2013 - Mar 2017

3 years 9 months

Senior Product Manager – Digital Strategy

Ownpower Consulting

Led the development of a SaaS platform, translating client concepts into structured project plans with clear milestones.
Coordinated over eleven stakeholders from government, FinTech, and creative agencies to align expectations and deliverables.
Result: Launched a platform that digitized processes and strengthened customer relationships.

Jan 2011 - Jun 2013

2 years 6 months

Senior Innovation Analyst

Old Mutual (Global Division)

Conducted market and user research for digital insurance initiatives across multiple African markets.
Collaborated with technical and creative teams to develop mobile prototypes that balanced design ambitions with feasibility.
Result: Supported strategic investment decisions and shaped the company's digital transformation agenda.

Industry Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.

Experienced in Information Technology, Government and Administration, Banking and Finance, Insurance, and Agriculture.

Information Technology

Government and Administration

Banking and Finance

Insurance

Agriculture

Business Area Experience

See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.

Experienced in Product Development, Project Management, Strategy, Quality Assurance, and Research and Development.

Product Development

Project Management

Strategy

Quality Assurance

Research and Development

Skills

Venture Design & Validation
Mvp Development
No-Code & Ai Tools (Bubble, Replit, Notion Ai)
Innovation Strategy
Digital Product Development
Stakeholder Management
Agile & Lean Delivery
Business Model Development
Team Leadership
Project Management

Languages

English

Native

German

Advanced

Education

Feb 2014 - Nov 2015

UCT Graduate School of Business

MPhil in Inclusive Innovation, with distinction · Inclusive Innovation · South Africa

Feb 2011 - Nov 2011

University of Cape Town

Postgraduate Diploma in Business & Systems Analysis, with distinction · Business & Systems Analysis · Cape Town, South Africa

Feb 2007 - Nov 2007

Stellenbosch University

B.A. Honours in International Relations (Political Science) · International Relations (Political Science) · Stellenbosch, South Africa

...and 2 more

Certifications & licenses

StartupBootCamp – Entrepreneur Fellowship

Amsterdam

Avant Now – Entrepreneur Fellowship

Berlin

Le Wagon Bootcamp – Data Science & ML

Berlin

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 5

Experience in Information Technology 6 y

Avg length 2 y 6 m

Longest experience 3 y 8 m

Expertise

Recent roles Innovation & Technology Lead, Strategic Project Consultant, Innovation & Scaling Expert

Main industries Information Technology, Government and Administration, Banking and Finance

Main business areas Product Development, Project Management, Strategy

Qualifications

Highest degree Master

Certifications earned 3

Profile

Created

November 2025

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Frequently asked questions

Have questions? Find more information here.

Ayanda is based in Berlin, Germany.

Ayanda speaks the following languages: English (Native), German (Advanced).

Ayanda has at least 13 years of experience. During this time, Ayanda has worked in at least 5 different roles and for 5 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 3 years and 6 months. Note that Ayanda may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Based on recent experience, Ayanda would be well-suited for roles such as: Innovation & Technology Lead, Strategic Project Consultant, Innovation & Scaling Expert.

Ayanda's most recent position is Innovation & Technology Lead at Tanit New Earth Solutions.

In recent years, Ayanda has worked for Tanit New Earth Solutions and ILRI (CGIAR).

Ayanda is most experienced in industries like Information Technology, Government and Administration, and Banking and Finance. Ayanda also has some experience in Insurance and Agriculture.

Ayanda is most experienced in business areas like Product Development, Project Management, and Strategy. Ayanda also has some experience in Quality Assurance and Research and Development.

Ayanda has recently worked in industries like Information Technology and Agriculture.

Ayanda has recently worked in business areas like Product Development, Quality Assurance, and Project Management.

Ayanda holds a Master in Inclusive Innovation from UCT Graduate School of Business, a Bachelor in International Relations (Political Science) from Stellenbosch University, a Bachelor in International Relations (Political Science) from University of Helsinki and a Bachelor in Human Resource Management from Stellenbosch University.

Ayanda has 3 certificates. These include: StartupBootCamp – Entrepreneur Fellowship, Avant Now – Entrepreneur Fellowship, and Le Wagon Bootcamp – Data Science & ML.

Ayanda is immediately available for suitable projects.

Ayanda's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.

To hire Ayanda, click the Meet button on the profile to request a meeting and discuss your project needs.

Daily Rate Distribution

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<€800 €800-880 €960-1040 €1040-1120 €1120+

The rates shown represent the typical market range for freelancers in this position based on recent contracts on our platform.

Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.

Average rates for similar positions

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1200

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Daily rate avg. 1011 €

The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.

1200

900

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Median rate 1020 €

The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.

Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.