John Imah

Imah was born to Nigerian parents and grew up in the Dallas, United States. At age 7, he disassembled and reassembled his family’s computer, an incident noted as an early sign of his interest in electronics. By his early teens, he had taught himself computer programming and founded two startup companies. He launched his first technology business at age 15 and sold it, followed by a second venture in mobile gaming at age 16. Imah attended the University of Texas at Arlington, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management information systems.

While enrolled at the University, Imah was recruited by Samsung Electronics to join the team developing Galaxy mobile devices. After leaving Samsung, Imah held partnership and business development roles at several technology companies, including Take-Two Interactive, Twitch, Facebook (later Meta Platforms), and Snap Inc. At Twitch, he worked in senior partnerships management, focusing on collaborations between gaming and brands. At Meta, he led the Gaming Creator program and co-announced the Level Up program in 2018. Imah later joined Snap Inc. as Head of Partnerships, where he oversaw initiatives to integrate gaming features into the Snapchat platform.

SPREEAI

In 2023, Imah co-founded SPREEAI, a company focused on artificial intelligence applications in fashion retail. In an interview with Rolling Stone UK, Imah explained that he launched SPREEAI to combine his technology background with his passion for fashion. By 2025, the company had reached a valuation of $1.5 billion. The company’s board includes Naomi Campbell, Bob Davidson and Larry Ruvo.. SPREEAI has had research collaborations and talent initiatives involving the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Carnegie Mellon University. The company has also partnered with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Sergio Hudson, and Kai Collective.

Imah is single and, as of 2026, maintains residences in both Los Angeles, California, and New York City.

Imah has cited his mother as a formative influence on his interest in fashion and personal style. Following her death from breast cancer, he has been involved in supporting the American Cancer Society as well as STEM education initiatives in Nigeria and the United States.

Beyond technology, Imah is a multi-instrumentalist, playing the French horn, trumpet, and piano.

In 2025, Imah became the first CEO of an artificial intelligence fashion company to be invited to the Met Gala, attending in a custom Sergio Hudson ensemble described as weaving his Nigerian heritage with tech-inspired embroidery. He returned the following year in a custom design by Charles Harbison, featuring a gold-encrusted circuitry-inspired vest and hooded capecoat. GQ covered his appearance among technology-industry figures at the 2026 Met Gala, alongside executives such as Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Sergey Brin. Both looks were noted as intentional reflections of his Nigerian heritage and his identity as a pioneer in AI-driven fashion. In an interview with Office Magazine, Imah drew a parallel between his approach to leadership and the anime series Dragon Ball Z, saying of the protagonist Goku: "He isn't the typical Saiyan," using the analogy to describe his own unconventional path as a tech CEO in fashion.