Andini Makosinski was born in British Columbia and her Filipino, Polish, and Armenian multicultural heritage has enriched her perspective on life. Encouraged by her parents to explore and create, she began experimenting with electronic components at a young age. This early exposure to hands-on learning fostered a deep-seated passion for invention.

Andini Makosinski | The Hollow Flashlight

The Hollow Flashlight is Andini’s most famous invention, which she created when she was just 15. It is a flashlight powered entirely by the heat of the human hand – no batteries, no charging, and no solar panels. The flashlight uses thermoelectric tiles, which generate electricity when there is a temperature difference between two sides.

Andini designed this flashlight after learning that a friend in the Philippines couldn’t study at night due to lack of electricity. The invention shows how simple materials and clever thinking can create life-changing tools, especially in off-grid communities.

Andini Makosinski | The eDrink

While still a teenager, Andini created the eDrink, is a travel mug that captures the heat energy from a hot drink and converts it into electricity to charge a phone. Like the Hollow Flashlight, the eDrink uses thermoelectric generators. When you pour a hot beverage into the mug, the heat is transformed into a small amount of electrical power, which can then be used via a USB connection to charge a device.

Andini created this to tackle the issue of “energy waste” in daily life, while also appealing to her teenage peers.

Andini Makosinski | Awards & Accolades

Andini was named Times Magazine’s 30 Under 30 World Changers and Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30. Previously she was also listed as one of Glamour Magazine’s top ten College Women of the Year, one of seven of Teen Vogue Global Earth Angels, one of Entrepreneur Magazine‘s “Young Millionaires”, and Popular Science’s “Breakout Young Inventor of the Year.”

She received the Rising Star of the Year award at the first Greentech Festival.A

Andini Makosinski | Speaker

Andini has frequently travelled the world delivering keynote talks, ranging from events hosted by McCann Erickson in NYC for their major clients, a private event at the Pictet Bank in Geneva, and the King Abdullah’s University for Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia where she presented talks to the university students, as well as local high school students.

She has spoken at AtlanTec Festival in Ireland, an EF Leadership Summit in Berlin, Forbes Impact Summit in NYC, the Congreso Futuro in Chile and an innovation summit in Timisoara, Romania.

She has given five Tedx talks, over 3 million people having viewed her Tedx titled Why I Don’t Use A Smart Phone.

Andini Makosinski – Speaking Topics:

Andini tells the story of her life as a young inventor, her passion for tinkering, loving both the sciences and arts, alternative energy, and how to turn an idea in your head into a physical invention in front of you.

Her talks are tailored to the needs of the audience but popular talks include:

The Inventor’s Mindset: Unlocking Creativity & Innovation: In a world that demands problem-solvers, but often fosters passivity through social media and digital distractions, how do we reclaim our creativity? Andini draws upon her journey as a young inventor and creative to share practical strategies for cultivating curiosity, innovative thinking, and resilience.

Bridging Science and Art: Why the Future Belongs to Multidisciplinary Thinkers Andini’s career defies traditional label In this talk, she explores why true innovation happens at the intersection of science and the arts—and how embracing both can lead to breakthrough ideas, stronger teams, and a more dynamic future.

Reinventing Education: Nurturing Young Inventors & Problem-Solvers Traditional education often prioritises memorisation over creativity, leaving little room for hands-on learning and real-world problem-solving. Andini advocates for a fresh approach—one that fuses storytelling, experimentation, and interdisciplinary thinking.

The Viral Effect: Storytelling, Personal Branding & Influence in the Digital Age At 15, Andini’s invention went viral, launching her into an unexpected career in public speaking, media, and brand collaborations. But what really makes an idea, product, or person capture global attention?

The Future of Work: How Gen Z is Reshaping Innovation & Entrepreneurship Gen Z isn’t following the old career playbook—they’re rewriting it. Andini explores how this generation’s focus on sustainability, purpose-driven work, and digital fluency is reshaping industries.

Hedy Lamarr & The Untold Stories of Women in Innovation Hedy Lamarr was more than a Hollywood star – her inventions paved the way for modern Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Inspired by her BBC Radio 1 podcast Hedy Lamarr: Untold Legend, Andini shares the hidden stories of pioneering women in STEM, the systemic barriers they faced, and why representation in innovation still matters today.

The Power of Play: How Curiosity Fuels Breakthrough Ideas Innovation doesn’t start in a boardroom—it starts with play! From childhood experiments with hot glue guns and household junk to award-winning inventions, Andini explains why curiosity and a playful, improvisational mindset are the ultimate tools for problem-solving. This talk is a call to rediscover creativity and an open approach to work, education, and everyday life.

Andini Makosinski | Media Presence

In addition to speaking, Andini Makosinski has an impressive media profile that spans digital platforms, television, and radio.

Since 2023, Andini has been presenting her own online show titled, Your World On Money; a series that focusses on financial literacy for Gen Z’ers. Particular topics discussed include money anxiety, budgeting, investment, homeownership, retirement, salary negotiations, building good credit, and taxes, amongst many others.

She also hosted “Hedy Lamarr: Untold Legends an acclaimed BBC Radio audio documentary series, celebrating women inventors – particularly the story of actress and scientist Hedy Lamarr.

Andini has also been featured in numerous major media outlets, including TIME Magazine, Forbes, Popular Science, CBC and the Daily Mail

Andini Makosinski | Influencer

She has also worked with a variety of brands, ranging from the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) in their Future Launch Campaign, Hewlett Packard Enterprises on their supercomputers, Tradlands’ sustainable clothing line.

Andini has been a campaign ambassador and model for many brands, including Maybelline New York, Converse, Uniqlo, Five Star, Merrell Korea, Google Pixel etc.., and she most recently walked her first New York Fashion Week at the United Nations.

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book entrepreneur, STEM, and UN Youth Ambassador Andini Makosinski for your next event.

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