Aniyia Williams serves as Director at Omidyar Network and Lead for its incubated initiative, The Tech We Want. In this role, she focuses on supporting emergent tech ecosystems that center responsible innovation and promote a more equitable and sustainable tech industry.

Previously, Aniyia co-founded and led various innovator support organizations: Black Innovation Alliance, a coalition of 170+ organizations closing the wealth gap for tech entrepreneurs of color, as well as Zebras Unite, and Black & Brown Founders. Aniyia’s journey to support underrepresented innovators began with her personal experiences as a fashion tech entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. After working in startups for a few years, she launched a hardware company, Tinsel, where she invented and patented the world’s first audio necklace. Before transitioning into tech, Aniyia began her career in major gifts fundraising for Wolf Trap Foundation and the Levine School of Music.

Aniyia holds a B.A. in music with minors in business and Italian from Penn State University. She was a Bunton-Waller Fellow and graduated with honors, as well as the Josephine Rhea Award for Excellence in Italian studies. In 2019, she was honored by Penn State with the esteemed Alumni Achievement Award, presented to prominent alumni 35 and younger.