Jesse Thornburg
Assistant Teaching Professor, CMU-Africa
Jesse Thornburg researches microgrids and automation while teaching courses in electrical engineering and entrepreneurship. He enjoys mentoring students and alumni as they become tech entrepreneurs. His background is in entrepreneurship and product design, specifically in the automation and energy sectors. He is co-founder of Grid Fruit, a software company focused on automated controls, energy efficiency, and data science, where he has served as CEO and COO. He has more than 13 years of experience working with startup companies and early-stage entrepreneurs. He received two SB degrees from MIT in mechanical engineering and media.
He led power generation and water purification projects in Rwanda and DR Congo for two years before completing MS and PhD degrees at Carnegie Mellon University in electrical and computer engineering. He was the founding director of the WIN Center for Entrepreneurship and Head of Engineering Programs at Samarkand International University of Technology (SIUT) in Uzbekistan.
Thornburg has co-founded and worked as CEO of three companies, as well as mentoring and supporting many for-profit and non-profit ventures. He has served as a board member since 2020 and on Rwanda’s national investment steering committee since 2023. He loves to build multidisciplinary, international teams. He has authored or co-authored over 25 technical publications and is an IEEE Senior Member. He is also a member of the Materials Research Society and the National Postdoctoral Association.
Tech Entrepreneurship across Sub-Saharan Africa
Education
Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
MS, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
SB, Mechanical Engineering, MIT
SB, Comparative Media Studies, MIT
Affiliations
Research Interests
Media mentions
Vermont Business Magazine
Thornburg discusses Grid Fruit refrigeration tools
CMU-Africa’s Jesse Thornburg, cofounder of Grid Fruit, talked with Vermont Business Magazine about his efforts to bring data-driven intelligence to food retail operations.
Teknovation
Thornburg’s startup helps grocery stores save money and electricity
Grid Fruit, led by CMU-Africa’s Jesse Thornburg, provides energy-saving measures to grocery stores by improving refrigeration and freezing cycles.