Good people making good things makes a good world.

Institutional education disappoints more people every year: half of American graduates work jobs that don't require their degree. The wealth gap is widening, and AI will concentrate value in ever smaller teams. Governance built for a slower age is losing to disinformation.

Sunbeam exists to gather the right people and put capitalism's multipliers behind them: responsible, empowering economic growth, starting in Africa.

It is founded by James Hilton-Barber, a designer and engineer who has built technology across mobility, healthcare and real estate in Europe and South Africa.

A manifesto for my life's work30 August 2026

Why I'm building Sunbeam: education, the wealth gap, governance in the age of AI, and eventually a city.

Project is a space for people who make things, First Light a free entry program, Community an awarded membership, School paid instruction in one discipline at a time, the Accelerator a pre-seed fund part-owned by the mission, and Campus the planned physical footprint.

Press and general enquiries: sunbeam@hiltonbarber.com.