In this episode, I’m joined by Chris Fabian, co-founder of Giga, to explore the ambitious goal of connecting every school in the world to the internet. Chris’s journey from setting up ISPs in East Africa to driving innovation at UNICEF offers unique insights into the challenges of global connectivity.

We start with Giga’s innovative approach to mapping schools using open-source machine learning and satellite imagery. What particularly caught my attention was how this method has revealed significant gaps in government data, with Giga having mapped an impressive 2.1 million schools so far. Chris’s explanation of their data collection methods, combining government data with software probes in schools, shows the complexity of tracking real connectivity.

The conversation gets especially interesting when we explore the economic and educational impact of school connectivity. Chris shares compelling research showing how increased school connectivity boosts both years of schooling and GDP per capita. His vision of schools as nodes in a decentralized network, supporting both education and financial inclusion through blockchain technology, reveals the broader potential of this initiative.

I was particularly intrigued by our discussion of the technical challenges in connectivity. We explore the roles of different technologies - from fiber to radio and satellites - and the regulatory hurdles they face. Chris’s critique of initiatives like Facebook’s Internet.org raises important questions about the difference between true internet access and walled gardens.

If you’re interested in global development, education technology, or the future of connectivity, you’ll find plenty of practical insights here. Chris brings both technical expertise and social impact experience to the discussion, making complex connectivity challenges accessible while maintaining their technical and social depth.

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