We’re delighted to welcome Shakirah “Shax” Akinwale — Centre Director at the UCL Centre for Sustainability and RealTech Innovation (CSRI) and a resident of L&Q — as a new partner and advisor to DASH.
From day one, Shakirah will help strengthen our mission to make AI in social housing not only technically robust, but also safe, fair, and grounded in real tenant needs.
Shakirah brings a unique combination of sector expertise and lived experience. She will work with us to co-design “tenant-first” use cases, produce plain-English explainers, and develop practical guardrails that boards can confidently sign off. Her perspective as both a resident and a sector leader means she can bridge the gap between innovation and everyday housing realities.
Alongside her role at UCL CSRI — where she leads cross-sector collaborations to tackle sustainability and technology challenges — Shakirah is the founder of Teqie Ltd. Teqie helps building owners, operators, and residents use technology to manage risk, meet regulations, and improve performance. Known for clear, practical solutions, the business supports everyone from housing providers to SMEs, with a strong focus on safety, compliance, and digital inclusion.
With over 15 years of experience in digital project management and consultancy, She is deeply committed to social mobility and believes passionately that everyone deserves safe, affordable, and high-quality homes nima. She empowers industry professionals to adopt digital twins, elevate sustainability, and improve inclusion
Why this matters for DASH:
- Embeds a resident voice at the heart of our work.
- Strengthens our data, standards, and safety frameworks with insight from both sides.
- Brings proven experience in turning innovation into outcomes that boards, execs, and residents can trust.
With Shakirah’s leadership, we can move faster on delivering AI solutions that are board-ready, regulator-friendly, and built for the people they serve.
