Co-founder
Ivana Brnovic Ogbu
Ivana is a former United Nations Sustainability Specialist and an impact entrepreneur. A three-time co-founder in education and technology, she is committed to disrupting traditional education and equipping students to solve real-world problems.
Based in Dubai, Ivana also consults on education initiatives at Expo City Dubai, embedding sustainability and innovation into the UAE’s learning landscape. She is the author of a children’s book series that introduces systems thinking for sustainable development to students aged 6–11, and she partners with schools worldwide to integrate these tools into classrooms.
Her work sits at the intersection of sustainability, education innovation, and conscious leadership. She has spoken at the Forbes Middle East Sustainability Leaders Summit and TEDx, where she highlighted the urgent need to rethink education through the lens of interconnectedness and leadership.
Co-founder
Ila Colombo
Ila Colombo is a polymathic mind – a former athlete, award-winning creative director, AI collaborator, design strategist, and multidisciplinary artist. She is Co-Director of Ross Lovegrove Studio and CEO/Co-Founder of DEOND, a Dubai-based AI, R&D, and 3D-printed architecture practice pioneering adaptive, circular solutions for the built and imagined environment.
A member of RIBA and on the Architecture Program Advisory Board at the American University in Dubai (AUD), Ila contributes internationally as a lecturer and thought leader. She co-authored the landmark AI for Creative Industries report with the Dubai Future Foundation and the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and her ongoing research examines the philosophical and practical dimensions of generative AI across multimodal workflows. She has spoken at major global platforms including Art Dubai 2024, Dubai Future Forum 2024, and SXSW 2025, addressing hybrid intelligence, team training, and ethical frameworks for future creativity.
About TryNex Learning
When AI knows the answers, the next generation must master the questions.
This belief is what led Ivana Brnovic Ogbu and Ila Colombo to create TryNex Learning.
In a world shaped by automation, complexity, and constant change, we set out to build a new kind of educational experience, one that empowers young minds to think critically, act creatively, and navigate the unknown with confidence and curiosity.
