1997-born Iddris Sandu is one of the few African-born millennials who grew up with an iron-clad ambition of becoming a change catalyst through writing codes. Born in Accra, Ghana, Iddris’ time there was brief, as his family migrated to Compton, California when he was three years old. At just ten years old, he embarked on a two-year independent programming journey at the Torrance Public Library in Compton, eventually leading him to Google’s workforce at 16 in 2013.

Yes, you read that correctly. Iddris had his first professional experience as a programmer at just 16 years old, interning with Google, where he contributed to projects like Google+. This experience and his determination to positively impact the world propelled him to create his first mobile app—a turn-by-turn navigation system for his peers at Narbonne High School. “I was like, ‘If I can help students navigate to classes without needing guardians, especially new students, where they could just click a building and it would give them turn-by-turn directions, we could maximise productivity at this school,’” Iddris told Beats by Dre.

This invention earned him an invitation to the White House, where he received a Presidential Commendation from the first African-American president, Barack Obama, in 2016.

Driven by the possibilities within him and the work ahead, Iddris chose to forgo the conventional college educational 

“I couldn’t afford to go into a four-year program and then come back to talk about how technology is depriving us — by then it would be too late,” Iddris noted. “I couldn’t afford to not convey the message now.”

Instead of pursuing the traditional college degree as a teenager,  Iddris consulted for Twitter and Snapchat, developed algorithms for geolocation search features for Instagram, and created a collision detection interface for Uber’s autonomous vehicle program.

For Iddris, tech is more than just creating sophisticated gadgets and apps; it’s about bridging the gap between culture and technology, making it a natural extension of human experience.

“When I looked back at all the different people I had worked with, I felt that there was a need for a company that connects culture and technology. I was doing a lot of that on an individual level, but it made sense to get a team together to do it on a larger scale,” he told Vogue ahead of his appearance at ‘Next in Vogue’ event in November 2023.

The Ghanaian-born prodigy intensified his efforts at creating and influencing the adoption of culturally-linked tech and became the ‘face of hip-hop technology’ in 2017 when he served as the tech consultant for Marathon Clothing, owned by the late Nipsey Hussle. After working with the brand for about ten months, Iddris became the Design and Tech Consultant for Kanye West’s Yeezy brand. He has also collaborated with other notable figures like Rihanna and Beyoncé in various capacities.

“This vision I’ve been tasked with is bigger than a single individual and thus, all projects I’m attracted to have a sense of serving and being of service to societies, communities, and humanity in general,’’ Iddris told Shoppe Black of his attraction to projects.

Amidst these multifarious experiences, Iddris founded Spatial Labs in 2019—a multifaceted tech company that merges culture, fashion, and technology to create innovative digital solutions. 

Marcy Venture— Jay-Z’s venture capital firm—was one of the early investors that backed Spatial Labs, as both companies set out to explore the limitless possibilities at the intersection of technology, culture, and humanity.

“Iddris has a conscious worldview and a youth-centric vision that is innovative and refreshing to witness,” Jay-Z remarked. “We share similar parallels in how we imagine impacting people in our lifetime. Partnering with him on this journey and others is very exciting.” 

Spatial Labs focuses on creating platforms and products that redefine how people interact with technology. One of its standout innovations is LNQ, a blockchain-powered platform that enables consumers to authenticate and experience products in a new way. LNQ integrates technology directly into apparel, allowing users to scan their clothing with a smartphone to access exclusive content, product details, and even resale value. This approach not only enhances consumer experience but also addresses issues of authenticity and sustainability in fashion.

Iddris’ vision for Spatial Labs is deeply rooted in his desire to bridge the digital divide and make technology accessible and relevant to everyone, particularly underrepresented communities. “You want to solve algorithm bias? Let some Black people create some technology. That’s your answer. Because when we create, we don’t just create for us. We create for everybody,’’ the tech innovator said.

Now 27 years old, the Ghanaian-born, Compton-raised disruptor remains at the forefront of transformative innovation. And as Spatial Labs continues to grow under his leadership, you can bet the impact of this technological revolution on current and future generations will be incalculable.