Through Break Through Tech’s AI Program, Immanuella Akumabor built an AI tool for first-time homebuyers with Assurant, sharpened her technical skills, and gained confidence in her place in tech.
Published
10/15/2025
Written By
Fatima Asif
- Impact Stories
For Georgia State University student Immanuella Akumabor, data science is more than numbers and algorithms, it’s about shaping better futures. Pursuing a degree in Data Science, she dreams of becoming a Quantitative Researcher, Data Analyst, or Data Scientist. Her goal is to leverage data, math, and machine learning to solve real-world financial problems and drive market decisions.
Through Break Through Tech’s AI Program, Immanuella sharpened her technical expertise, gained hands-on project experience, and found her confidence in the expansive world of artificial intelligence.
“The program completely expanded my perspective. Before, I had a narrow view of AI and machine learning. But through Break Through Tech, I interacted with professionals across industries, joined technical competitions, and discovered how expansive and impactful this field truly is. It helped me realize that I not only belonged in tech, I could thrive in it.”
Choosing Break Through Tech
Immanuella first learned about Break Through Tech through an outreach post focused on opportunities for undergraduate students in tech. What drew her in was the program’s unique blend of project-based learning, mentorship, and long-term career support.
“The fact that they were investing in students’ long-term success, by offering not just education, but access to real experience and ongoing career support, made it a no-brainer for me,” she says.
Real World Impact: AI for Homeownership
As part of her Challenge Project, Immanuella collaborated with her peers and industry partner Assurant to build an AI-powered application for first-time homebuyers. The tool helped users understand the impact of inflation on residential housing, combining machine learning models with GenAI feedback loop to simulate financial scenarios.
“This project mattered to me because it merged social impact with technology,” she explains. “We used AI to make homeownership more accessible and informed for vulnerable groups.”
The experience gave her both the technical skills – from Python to scikit-learn to natural language processing – and the professional readiness to collaborate with cross-functional teams and present to industry leaders.
Looking Ahead
Growing up in Nigeria, Immanuella witnessed how limited access to data and digital tools could hinder financial decision-making. Now, she is determined to change that. She hopes to pursue a career where she can harness AI and data science to build solutions that empower communities and promote financial literacy.
“I hope to see more inclusive, human-centered innovations, AI that reflects diverse voices, solves real problems, and creates opportunities rather than inequalities.”
With curiosity, resilience, and a vision for inclusive innovation, Immanuella is ready to make her mark in tech.
Immanuella encourages future fellows to take the leap: “Say yes; even if you feel unprepared. You don’t have to know everything before you start; this program will help you learn as you go. What matters most is your willingness to show up and grow.”