Michelle Watiki

Michelle Watiki is the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Duck Analytics, a Techstars-backed data company revolutionizing how FMCG brands access and utilize in-store retail insights across Africa. With an academic background in chemical engineering from Aston University and a fully funded master's degree, Michelle began her professional journey in the UK, where she secured coveted roles at Rolls-Royce through the power of networking and resilience after early academic setbacks. Despite a successful corporate career, she felt a persistent desire to create something of her own—a drive rooted in her entrepreneurial spirit that began at age 16, selling Kenyan waist beads and later makeup products. This internal 'itch' led her back to Kenya, where she teamed up with co-founder Alex Mativo to launch Duck Analytics. The company addresses a major data gap between FMCG brands and retailers, empowering enterprise clients with visibility into product performance beyond the warehouse. Michelle’s story is one of calculated risk-taking, self-belief, and the courage to walk away from stability in pursuit of impact. She champions the idea that entrepreneurship is less about having all the answers and more about betting on yourself, being comfortable with discomfort, and staying patient as you build. Her journey reflects a bold shift from navigating glass ceilings in corporate spaces to building doors of opportunity through innovation