My Tech Story Africa

On this episode of My Tech Story Africa, host Alice Kanjejo sits down with Angela Mukami, Senior Product Manager at M-KOPA, for an eye-opening conversation about the realities of building financial products for everyday people across Africa.Angela pulls no punches as she unpacks what truly separates thriving Buy Now Pay Later models from those that collapse.From product design flaws and overselling by sales agents, to underestimating the income volatility of daily earners and the true cost of distribution, Angela brings sharp, ground-level insight that only comes from years of real-world experience.Drawing a fascinating line from her mother buying a radio on hire purchase in 1987 through a company called African Retail Traders, to today's mobile-enabled BNPL platforms, Angela shows that the concept isn't new what's changed is the technology, the terminology, and the scale. Yet the human element remains non-negotiable.In African markets, she argues, you simply cannot run a purely digital business. Trust is built face-to-face, transparency is everything, and customers deserve to know exactly what they're getting into , in a language they understand.The conversation goes broader as Angela challenges the "One Africa" strategy myth, reminding us that Africa's 54 countries carry 54 different regulatory frameworks, infrastructures, cultures, and realities. She's equally direct about the mistakes global teams make when entering African markets designing beautiful products in Silicon Valley or London, with zero input from the people actually living the problem.Angela also reflects on her own journey , from FMCG to Safaricom to Microsoft and beyond crediting curiosity, a customer-first mindset, and transferable soft skills as the true connective tissue across industries.And when it comes to career growth, she breaks the networking myth with refreshing honesty: all her roles came through straightforward applications and interviews.She closes with a deeply personal and powerful reminder , between the seed and the harvest, there is always time. Give yourself grace.To keep up with Angela Mukami check out her LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-mukami-k/Check out :https://www.m-kopa.com/00:00: Intro01:56: Why Some BNPL Models Succeed While Others Fail 03:46: The Origins of BNPL06:36: What the Industry Underestimates About Low-Income Markets 09:29: What Does Success Actually Look Like for a BNPL Business? 11:33: Loan Uptake vs. Repayment: The Kenyan Reality 16:08: Building Trust With Customers Who Have No Credit History 20:05: Why the "One Africa" Strategy Doesn't Work 24:21: Career Journey: FMCG to Safaricom to Microsoft and Beyond 27:51: Is Networking Really the Only Way to Grow Your Career? 30:25: Lessons from Microsoft33:00: The Biggest Mistakes Global Teams Make in African Market38:04: Final Reflections__________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7

On this episode of My Tech Story Africa, host Alice Kanjejo sits down with Dr. Doris Change, founder and CEO of Elite Leadership and Governance Centre, for an inspiring conversation about redefining success, breaking barriers, and loving your Mondays.She describes herself as "the workplace whisperer," and is on a mission to transform how people experience work. With a startling statistic that only 20% of employees love their work, she's dedicated to helping both leaders and employees find fulfillment in their professional lives.Her journey from Kenya Power to Spentech Engineering Limited, combined with her work as a coach, faculty member at three universities, and gospel musician, showcases the power of embracing multiple passions.The conversation dives into the realities of entrepreneurship and leadership. Dr. Change emphasizes that employee engagement isn't about money,it's about clear vision, growth opportunities, and equipping people with the right skills. For startups navigating the journey from bootstrapping to scaling, she stresses the importance of making your vision loud and understandable, retaining those who understand your culture, and learning to delegate as you grow.A particularly powerful discussion emerges around women in STEM and leadership. Dr. Change doesn't shy away from the truth: women still face perceptions that require them to work twice as hard and be twice as loud. Yet she reframes these challenges as opportunities, encouraging women to leverage their unique strengths empathy, emotional intelligence, and resilience as competitive advantages rather than weaknesses.For anyone feeling stuck between what's expected of them and what they truly want, Dr. Change offers practical wisdom: get a coach or accountability partner, be intentional about your consumption of content, and understand that pursuing your dream will be harder but infinitely more rewarding than the easier route of external expectations.To keep up with Doris Change check out her LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-doris-changeCheck out :https://eliteleadership.co.ke/ __________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7

On this episode of My Tech Story Africa, Alice Kanjejo sits down with Paul Kimani, CEO and co-founder of WorkPay, to explore the intersection of technology, financial inclusion, and dignified employment across Africa. Paul shares the remarkable journey of building HR and payroll infrastructure that spans over 30 countries, processing payments for hundreds of thousands of employees monthly from corporate offices to security guards receiving their first digital payment.The conversation reveals the complexity behind seemingly simple tasks: how do you ensure a worker in rural Angola gets paid the same day as their colleague in Nairobi? Paul explains that WorkPay isn't just solving a technical problem it's addressing a fundamental human need. This sacred responsibility drives every line of code his team writes.His entrepreneurial journey is refreshing. From his engineering background to navigating 50+ tax systems, from bootstrapping a dev shop to securing YC backing and investment from Mastercard, he doesn't sugarcoat the challenges.He discusses the realities of VC funding in Africa, the importance of finding the right co-founder through genuine relationship-building, and how AI represents opportunity rather than threat for those willing to adapt.The episode offers practical wisdom for aspiring founders while highlighting a larger truth: technology's real power lies not in automation alone, but in expanding access and restoring dignity to everyday work. Paul's story proves that African entrepreneurs can build world-class SaaS companies that solve uniquely African problems ,one payroll, one country, one empowered worker at a time.To keep up with Paul Kimani check out his LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-kimani/Check out :https://www.myworkpay.com/Shot at Kofisi square :https://kofisi.africa/kofisi-square-nairobi/ __________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7

On this episode of My Tech Story Africa, host Alice Kanjejo sits down with Nzwisisa Chidembo , founder and Ceo of Riskbloq with over 18 years of experience building payment infrastructure and blockchain solutions across Africa. His journey began early,starting work and university at 16, shaped by watching his father pioneer telecommunications across Africa. Those formative experiences taught him that African founders don't need to copy-paste Western solutions.Instead, they can build on what already works locally. When mobile payments like EcoCash emerged in Zimbabwe, he recognized their potential to leapfrog traditional card systems entirely. His e-commerce experiment proved customers would trust mobile payments for products they'd never seen a turning point that revealed Africa's readiness for digital commerce.But mobile payments still faced cross-border friction. This led Nzwisisa down the blockchain rabbit hole, from the Bitcoin whitepaper to Ethereum smart contracts. He saw an opportunity: blockchain could provide the Internet-native payment layer that had always been missing, enabling true global participation without intermediaries. This insight sparked RiskBloq, his current venture building risk assessment tools that help institutional investors navigate the digital asset ecosystem with transparency and governance.Throughout the conversation, Nzwisisa emphasizes what Western assumptions miss: Africa's fragmented markets require boots-on-the-ground understanding. Successful founders embed themselves in existing communities rather than building from scratch. They think about scale from day one while respecting local nuances that can't be copy-pasted across borders.He also confronts a hard truth about African venture capital: the funding pool remains small and concentrated in fintech, leaving other sectors starved despite their potential. What Africa needs, Nzwisisa argues, is patient, diverse capital that understands the continent develops at its own pace, not unicorns in two years, but sustainable businesses that create jobs and economic diversity.From mobile money agents digitizing 95% of Zimbabwe's GDP to AI-powered customer experience solutions with IBM Watson, Nzwisisa’s career proves that Africa isn't playing catch-up. It's building the future on its own terms.To keep up with Nzwisisa Chidembo check out his LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/nzwisisa/Check out Riskbloq:https://www.riskbloq.com/Shot at Workshop17 :https://www.workshop17.co.za/ __________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7

On this episode of My Tech Story Africa, host Alice Kanjejo sits down with Ntsako Mgiba, venture builder, serial tech entrepreneur, and founder of Darkies in Tech, for a powerful conversation about building community as a catalyst for transformation in South Africa's tech ecosystem.Ntsako draws on his experience in venture building, and ecosystem development to share the journey that led him to create Darkies in Tech, from being the “only Black founder in the room” in Cape Town to recognizing that many Black founders were building in isolation.Despite attending a reputable university and having "the right accent" that granted access to white spaces, Ntsako witnessed firsthand how people of color navigate a landscape shaped by apartheid's legacy, where profiling based on origin and speech patterns determines opportunity access.The conversation reveals the intentional architecture behind Darkies in Tech: a vetted, high-quality community focused on two missions equipping founders to build resilient ventures that shift narratives about people of color in tech, and driving systemic transformation in the broader ecosystem. Ntsako emphasizes bridging five critical access gaps: market, funding, talent, knowledge, and community. Unlike performative inclusion programs that offer training without genuine opportunities, Darkies in Tech creates intentional platforms connecting founders with investors, partners, and market access that truly moves the needle.Ntsako keeps it real when it comes to community building calling it "extremely difficult" and reveals the delicate balance between democratizing access while maintaining high standards. The path to sustainability required four years of building goodwill before monetization, establishing trust through the community's core principle: "we give value before we take it." From merchandise to ticketed events to paid memberships subsidized by corporate sponsors, every monetization decision prioritized member value over profit.This conversation is a masterclass in authentic community building, where genuine care isn't optional but essential, where trust is earned through years of consistent value delivery, and where transformation happens not through performative inclusion but through intentional redistribution of opportunity, knowledge, and capital.To keep up with Ntsako Mgiba, check out his LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ntsako-mgibaCheck out Darkies in Tech:https://www.darkiesintech.com/ __________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

On this episode of "After Hours, in partnership with Tanqueray Africa," we speak with Bradley Opere ,co- founder of Otto Rentals, who shares his remarkable journey from finance to building digital infrastructure for Africa's rental industry.Bradley's path wasn't about taking reckless leaps, it was strategic. After working in private equity and consulting, he recognized that understanding money and mastering communication were translatable skills that would prove invaluable in entrepreneurship. His family's decades-long history in car rentals, from school buses to tourism vans, gave him unique insight into an industry plagued by trust issues and operational inefficiencies.The challenges in Africa's car rental space are significant: vehicles disappearing with deposits, cars being switched off mid-journey due to payment disputes, and the persistent problem of connecting renters with reliable vehicles. Bradley saw an opportunity where others saw obstacles. Inspired by platforms like Turo and armed with hands-on industry knowledge, he built Otto Rentals ,a comprehensive solution that provides software for rental companies, a marketplace for consumers, and even asset financing for fleet expansion.What sets Bradley apart is his disciplined focus. While many startups spread themselves thin chasing multiple revenue streams, Otto Rentals remains laser-focused on perfecting car rentals before expanding to other asset classes. They build based on demand, not assumptions,starting with B2C, then adding B2B corporate solutions only after customers requested it. Their partnership with rescue services for 24/7 emergency support demonstrates a commitment to the complete customer experience, not just transactions.Bradley's advice to aspiring founders is refreshingly practical: experiment quickly, don't fear pivoting, and let revenue be your guide. But he also emphasizes the importance of proper legal structures from the start, a lesson many well-capitalized startups learned the hard way. His vision extends beyond building a successful company; he's determined to help East Africa develop its own tech champions that can compete globally.To keep up with Bradley Opere, check out his LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradleyopere/Check out Otto. Rentals :https://www.otto.rentals/__________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

On this episode of My Tech Story Africa, host Alice Kanjejo brings together three leading voices in African venture capital for the podcast's first-ever VC roundtable. oining the conversation are Nick Vilelle from the Nairobi Business Angel Network (NaiBAN), Maina Murage, Principal at Norrsken 22, and Art Chupeau, Managing Partner at Baobab Network. Together, they pull back the curtain on what it really takes to build and fund startups in Africa.The discussion cuts straight to the heart of founder challenges: Should you build what investors want to see, or stay true to your own vision? The consensus is clear: passion isn't optional. Building a venture-scale business in Africa means confronting Murphy's Law daily, from regulatory hurdles to co-founder conflicts. Without genuine belief in your mission, you won't survive the journey.The roundtable tackles critical questions about valuation versus control, with the VCs emphasizing that founders often focus on the wrong metrics. Maximizing valuation can actually trap you, making it harder to raise subsequent rounds and potentially attracting the wrong investors. Instead, focus on finding investors who increase your probability of success, even if that means accepting more dilution.They address Africa's unique funding gap: too few startups graduating from seed to Series A, not because later-stage deals are harder (that's global), but because there's insufficient early-stage capital to help companies mature. The solution isn't just more money; it's smarter deployment, with founders taking less capital, proving their model, and building real traction before scaling.The conversation covers common money management mistakes, from premature hiring to flashy offices, and offers tactical advice: be authentic, know your customers deeply, understand your cost base obsessively, and never lie about your numbers. Perhaps most importantly, they stress that venture capital isn't for everyone; many businesses don't need VC money and would be better served by alternative funding sources.To keep up with Nick's journey, check out his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nvilelle/Check out NaiBAN: https://naiban.co/To keep up with Maina Murage, check out his LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/maina-murage/Check out Norrsken22: https://www.norrsken22.com/To keep up with Art Chupeau , check out his linkedin :https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurchupeau/Check out Baobab Network : https://thebaobabnetwork.com/__________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

On this episode of My Tech Story Africa, host Alice Kanjejo sits down with Alisemo Mwanga, Executive Director at PAWA Africa, for an illuminating conversation about building sustainable impact in Africa's tech ecosystem.With over a decade of experience as a development economist and ecosystem player, she shares hard-won insights from her journey from conducting research on South Africa's tech startup landscape for JETRO to founding PAWA Africa, an organization focused on youth and women entrepreneurship, access to finance, and social impact project management.The conversation reveals the realities African founders face: regulatory hurdles that force health tech startups to seek approvals abroad, capital constraints that push companies to register outside Africa, and market access challenges that often matter more than funding itself.Alisemo emphasizes a powerful truth: "People do business with people, not products or services." While capital opens doors, relationships, credibility, and execution capacity keep you in the room.She doesn't shy away from uncomfortable truths about the ecosystem, the lack of genuine collaboration, the tendency to celebrate individual success over collective progress, and what she calls the "self-hate" that prevents Africans from genuinely uplifting one another.Her advice for founders looking to expand across borders is refreshingly pragmatic: start small, visit markets before committing, build relationships through conferences and connections, and practice patience.Looking ahead, she predicts a transformation in how programs are designed, more corporate acquisitions in tech, and hopefully, stronger integration between policy and private sector support.To keep up with Alisemo's journey, check out her LinkedIn in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alesimo-mwangaCheck out PAWA Africa:https://pawaafrica.com/__________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

On this episode of My Tech Story Africa, we sit down with Luke Naude-Lorentz, Senior Growth and Investments Lead at Mohara, a co-founder startup studio that's rewriting the rules of building businesses in Africa and beyond.Luke shares Mohara's unconventional journey, a decade-long path of bootstrapped growth that prioritizes stability over speed, quality over quick wins. Unlike the typical startup narrative of chasing venture capital, Mohara has built a thriving 100-person team across Cape Town, the UK, and the US by focusing on fundamentals: consistent revenue, strong processes, and a culture that weathers economic storms. The conversation explores what it means to build with intention rather than external pressure. He reveals how Mohara partners with founders as a technical co-founder, taking equity stakes while helping transform big visions into achievable roadmaps.Luke emphasizes the critical importance of communication across teams, where even junior voices can surface insights that prevent disasters.Beyond Mohara, he discusses GTMX, his go-to-market community that brings founders, marketers, and sales leaders together for genuine knowledge exchange, no glorified networking, just real conversations over morning coffee about the challenges that keep entrepreneurs up at night.To keep up with Luke's journey, check out his LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-nl/Check out Mohara :https://www.mohara.co/ and GTMx :https://www.linkedin.com/company/go-to-market-x/__________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

On this episode of "After Hours, in partnership with Tanqueray Africa," we speak with Samuel Njuguna, co-founder of Chumz and one who is deeply passionate about building products for mass market adoption in Africa. Samuel shares invaluable insights on the intersection of business, technology, and psychology, three pillars he believes are essential for creating solutions that truly resonate with the masses. He introduces the powerful "painkiller versus vitamin" analogy, emphasizing that successful products must solve urgent, immediate problems rather than nice-to-have needs. But identifying a real problem is just the beginning. He stresses the importance of "informed trial and error"testing multiple hypotheses through prototypes and direct user feedback, paying attention not just to what people say, but to their non-verbal reactions and body language. The conversation tackles the nuanced differences between B2B, B2C, and B2G markets. While B2C requires heavier marketing investment and operates on thinner margins, Samuel reveals how product-led growth strategies like WhatsApp's network effects can counter these challenges. The key? Do one thing exceptionally well before expanding. He uses compelling examples from companies like Gillette and Wise to illustrate why simplicity beats complexity when fighting for space in users' minds. Samuel's passion for behavioral psychology shines throughout the discussion. From the cognitive load of brand naming (think duo-syllable names like Facebook and Gmail) to the social dynamics that make group savings more effective than solo efforts, he demonstrates how understanding human behavior drives adoption. At Chumz, his savings and investment app, they've deliberately used vibrant colors and gamification to transform saving from a "dull Monday morning activity" into something fun and engaging. Looking ahead, Samuel shares Chumz' ambitious expansion plans across ten African countries while staying grounded in his ultimate mission: building a school for underprivileged girls in rural communities and slums a goal that keeps his work purpose-driven. This episode is a masterclass in building for Africa's mass market, reminding us that beyond the code and business models, it's understanding people, their pain points, behaviors, and psychology that creates products that truly stick. To keep up with Samuel's journey, check out his LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/snjuguna/ Check out Chumz: https://chumz.io/ __________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa! Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content. Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa ♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafrica Join our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join] Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7 Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

On this episode of "After Hours, in partnership with Tanqueray Africa," we speak with Felix Macharia, a trained medical doctor turned crypto entrepreneur who's revolutionizing financial access across Africa through Kotani Pay, a platform enabling people without smartphones to transact in cryptocurrency via simple USSD codes.Felix's journey began in 2016 at the University of Nairobi School of Medicine, where sharing a room with software developers exposed him to the transformative potential of fourth industrial revolution technologies.While his roommates experimented with VR headsets, robotics, and neural networks, blockchain technology captured their collective imagination not just for its financial potential, but because it was permissionless. For the first time, Felix could participate in global markets simply with an internet connection. The turning point came at a meetup in Kibra, where data annotators were being paid in stablecoins for training AI algorithms. The challenge? Converting crypto to cash required dangerous daily exchanges with cash couriers.Felix and his team solved this by bridging crypto wallets with local payment systems, eventually creating USSD-based wallets for feature phone users, bringing blockchain technology to refugees, farmers, and underserved communities across Africa.Today, Kotani Pay addresses Africa's critical dollar shortage crisis. With African nations importing heavily while holding dollar-denominated debts, local businesses face crippling currency scarcity.Stablecoins offer a lifeline $60 billion moved to Nigerian wallets alone between 2023-2024, with billions more across South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana. From importers paying suppliers in Dubai to startups paying remote workers across borders, stablecoins are democratizing access to US dollars and slashing transaction costs from 8-16% to mere cents.Felix's vision extends beyond payments to wealth democratization. In societies where colonial legacies concentrated land ownership and banking systems prioritize collateral most young people don't have, blockchain offers an alternative path. A Gen Z with internet access can earn, hold, and use crypto assets to fund their dreams just as Felix funded Kotani Pay without traditional bank loans.Now licensed in South Africa and pursuing compliance in Kenya, Kotani Pay exemplifies how African innovators are shaping Web 3's promise: read, write, and own. Felix's message to the next generation is clear: learn these technologies, take courageous steps, build with aligned teams, and leverage the fourth industrial revolution to create opportunities that conventional systems cannot provide. The future of African prosperity may well be permissionless To keep up with Felix's journey, check out his LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/felix-machariaCheck out Kotani Pay:https://kotanipay.com/__________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

On this episode of My Tech Story Africa, Alice sits down with Oscar Koome, an investment associate at Acumen and co-host of Mantalk.ke, to explore his remarkable journey from data protection advocate to venture capitalist and media entrepreneur. Oscar's story began with an unexpected friendship that would shape his entire career trajectory. A high school connection with the son of Cisco's General Counsel led to an internship in London, where Oscar discovered data protection wasn't just compliance,it was a competitive moat. This revelation sparked a decade-long passion for understanding how technology, governance, and economic opportunity intersect. From his early work on Africa's data protection regulation to selling cybersecurity products in Nairobi's central business district, Oscar learned to bridge the gap between Fortune 500 frameworks and local African realities. His path took him through legal practice, where he witnessed PPP deals and REITs transform balance sheets into student housing, revealing finance as the missing middle between big ideas and tangible impact. Today at Acumen, Oscar focuses on early-stage ventures in climate tech, agriculture, and clean energy sectors he believes are the flywheels of East African growth. His investment philosophy is clear: measure business performance rigorously, eliminate bias, and define impact jointly with founders who know their terrain best. But Oscar's most audacious experiment may be Mantalk itself. What started as a barbershop podcast evolved into a data-driven exploration of a 35-million-man market across East and Southern Africa, a demographic largely ignored by mainstream marketing. His thesis? While 95% of digital ad spend targets women, men represent an underserved opportunity for local brands beyond betting and alcohol. Oscar's journey proves that non-linear paths create unique value. By wearing multiple hats, legal, financial, and entrepreneurial, he's positioned to de-risk ventures others might overlook. His anchor? A belief that this generation will witness the Africa that pan-African visionaries dreamed of, and a determination to play his part in making it real. To keep up with Oscar's journey, check out his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscar-koome Check out Mantalk Here:https://www.youtube.com/@ManTalkKe __________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

On this episode of "After Hours, in partnership with Tanqueray Africa," we speak with Caine Wanjau, co-founder and CEO of Digitax, a visionary product thinker quietly revolutionizing Africa's digital financial infrastructure.In a continent where over 80% of economic activity thrives in the informal sector, tax compliance remains a critical barrier to SME growth and government revenue.This is where Caine steps in. Drawing from 15 years of technology experience across agritech, banking, and public transport, he tackles this challenge head-on with Digitax, a platform meticulously designed to make tax compliance accessible, reliable, and seamless for businesses across Kenya, Zambia, and Nigeria.The conversation reveals sobering realities: Sub-Saharan Africa loses over $500 billion annually in uncollected taxes, with 75% of Kenyan SMEs struggling to meet KRA deadlines. Yet Caine's approach offers genuine hope, building solutions that meet businesses exactly where they are, whether through USSD options, custom integrations, or intuitive user interfaces that require no technical expertise.Beyond technology, Caine shares hard-earned wisdom about entrepreneurship in Africa. From taking two years to land Digitax's first customer to navigating the challenging investment landscape since 2022, his insights emphasize conviction, long-term thinking, and starting with genuine problems rather than seeking problem-solving.His vision extends beyond compliance to regulatory innovation, positioning platforms like Digitax as bridges between government digitization efforts and the real needs of African entrepreneurs. As he puts it, "the best ideas normally come from a personal challenge or personal problem," a philosophy that's shaping Africa's digital transformation one tax invoice at a time.To keep up with Caine's journey, check out her LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/cainewanjau/Check out Digitax :https://digitax.tech/__________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

On this episode of "After Hours, in partnership with Tanqueray Africa," we speak with Ingashian Gibendi, product strategist and founder of the Career Whisperer, who shares her powerful journey of redefining career success beyond LinkedIn profiles and industry accolades.After losing her father in 2022 while working at what she thought was her "dream company," Ingashian experienced a pivotal moment that changed everything. Unable to work through her grief despite having unlimited leave on paper, she realized she needed "a career that allows you to live life when life happens" - a profound shift from chasing titles and status to designing a life-centered career.Having pivoted five times across multiple countries, Ingashian reveals the hidden costs of tech's hustle culture and offers practical frameworks for sustainable career navigation. She emphasizes that career success isn't about the company you join, but about choosing founders and managers carefully - particularly those who've successfully exited before and have families, as they better understand work-life integration.Her most controversial yet insightful advice? Stop creating "glass ceilings" through unfounded assumptions. Whether it's believing you need a master's degree for promotion or that networking is just nepotism, Ingashian challenges listeners to distinguish between facts and speculation that limit their growth.The episode dives deep into networking as a learnable skill, the five key areas for becoming hireable (activity, strategy, mindset, conversion, and visibility), and why 80% of jobs never make it to job boards. Ingashian's mission is clear: help Africans solve real problems with technology while building careers that truly serve their lives, not the other way around.To keep up with Ingashian's journey, check out her LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingashian-gibendi/Check out the Career Whisperer:https://thecareerwhisperer.net/Quiz:https://thecareerwhisperer.scoreapp.com/00:00 Intro01:00 Meet Ingashian Gibendi04:24 Tech Hustle Costs06:20 Titles as Currency07:45 Startup Reality Check09:00 Choosing founders & Managers16:43 LinkedIn Truth20:54 Career Navigation Skills25:12 Master's Degree Myth27:22 Networking vs Nepotism33:00 5 Areas of Hireability38:20 Data Solves Problems __________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

Season 4 is almost here!🚨Alice Kanjejo reflects on the transformative journey and growth of My Tech Story Africa, from a simple podcast idea to a full-fledged tech media and marketing studio.What started with Alice wondering if anyone would tune in has blossomed into a community of over 4,000 subscribers who believe in amplifying Africa's greatest digital innovators.This year marked a pivotal moment as she took the bold leap from her day job to pursue My Tech Story Africa full-time, registering the business and embracing new risks with unwavering determination.The past season delivered powerful content that showcased the depth and diversity of African tech talent. The standout "After Hours" series, produced in partnership with Tanqueray Africa, brought us 10 compelling episodes exploring the work-life balance and ambitions of Africa's most influential voices.From unpacking startup failures that led to breakthroughs to conversations about healthcare innovation, design thinking, presidential offices, and entrepreneurs who left prestigious positions at companies like Rolls-Royce to build their own data ventures.The success story continues with the tech roundtable hosted by Dominic and Evans, which evolved into "Admin Access" - the second in-house media product where two passionate tech enthusiasts dive deep into data, plugins, macroeconomics, and fintech discussions.My Tech Story Africa has expanded beyond storytelling into strategic partnerships, working with fintech clients and launching "Peer Pressure," their third show.With over 65 interviews conducted across multiple African markets including Kigali, Nairobi, Cape Town, and Johannesburg.The mission remains clear: share impactful, everyday stories of tech industry trailblazers while contributing to the growth of Africa's tech ecosystem. __________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

On this episode of My Tech Story Africa, we sit down with James Ahere, co-founder and business development lead at Weza Interactive Entertainment, to explore the emerging African video game industry.James shares his journey of starting a gaming studio at just 23 years old alongside his brother. With his background in law and business, and his brother's software engineering expertise, they set out to create games that showcase African culture, history, and identity to the world.Their first game, "Mzito," launched in 2017 after the team was selected for the prestigious French Tech ticket incubator program. James reveals how the game takes players on a journey across Africa's beautiful destinations while addressing themes of leadership, awakening potential, and conquering corruption.The conversation offers fascinating insights into the challenges of pioneering in an industry still in its infancy in Africa. James candidly discusses team dynamics, funding challenges, and the steep learning curve they faced as young entrepreneurs. Despite these obstacles, Weza Interactive has expanded its vision to create the "Mzito Universe," with their second game, "Riziki," focusing on uniting Africa through music.James highlights the growth of Kenya's gaming ecosystem, mentioning several successful local studios and developers who are making their mark globally. He also explores how gaming technology can benefit African businesses through gamification, experiential marketing, and educational applications.Throughout the discussion, James emphasizes their mission to tell authentic African stories through interactive entertainment. "The world wants to see what Africa has," he explains, pointing to the success of Afrobeats music and films like Black Panther as evidence of global appetite for African creativity.__________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

On this episode of "After Hours, in partnership with Tanqueray Africa," we speak with Michelle Watiki, Co-founder and COO at Duck ( Techstars). Michelle shares her remarkable journey from a chemical engineering career in the UK to becoming a tech entrepreneur in Kenya.Michelle's story begins with her strategic approach to education, pursuing chemical engineering based on salary prospects. Despite facing setbacks in her A-levels, she persevered through her undergraduate degree at Aston University and later redeemed herself with a fully-funded master's program. Her career path led her to Rolls-Royce, where she secured internships through networking and eventually became a graduate trainee.Despite professional success at Rolls-Royce, Michelle describes feeling an "itch" - a persistent desire to build something of her own while facing the reality of a glass ceiling as a Black woman in engineering. This itch wasn't new; she had entrepreneurial tendencies since age 16 when she would buy waist beads in Kenya to sell in the UK, later venturing into makeup sales.The pivotal moment came when she met her co-founder, Alex Mativo, who inspired her with the simple yet profound advice: "The only way to know how to start a business is to start a business." Michelle took the leap, leaving her stable corporate job and moving to Kenya to build Duck Analytics, a data company bridging the information gap between FMCG brands and retailers.Michelle offers powerful insights about entrepreneurship: fundraising buys you time to fail and learn; the journey is mentally challenging, not because of the tasks themselves but because of the self-discipline required; and entrepreneurial success requires comfort with discomfort and the ability to persevere through uncertainty.Her most powerful advice? "Bet on yourself" and "follow your itch." She emphasizes patience in the entrepreneurial journey, comparing it to fitness goals that take consistent effort over time to achieve results.Duck Analytics is now working with major enterprise brands and supermarkets, helping FMCG companies understand their in-store performance through data, addressing inventory management, customer insights, and optimization opportunities that were previously invisible to brands once products left their warehouses.Michelle's story exemplifies how recognizing limitations in one environment can fuel the courage to create opportunity elsewhere, turning challenges into innovation with the right mindset, vision, and willingness to take calculated risks.To keep up with Michelle's journey, check out his LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-watiki-Check out Duck :https://www.getduck.co/__________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

On this episode of My Tech Story Africa, we sit down with Brian Abel, Head of Growth at Welcome Tomorrow, to explore his journey in the tech marketing landscape across Africa.Brian shares his unexpected path from aspiring accountant to becoming a leader in growth marketing, highlighting how his experience with global brands like Twitter, Snapchat, Spotify, and TikTok at Aleph (formerly Adynamo) shaped his approach to bringing world-class marketing strategies to African businesses.Brian emphasizes two core principles that fueled his rapid career advancement: an unwavering work ethic and a perpetual beginner's mindset. "The ultimate seduction in life should be your work," he shares, explaining how this philosophy helped him rise to leadership positions by his mid-twenties. His willingness to pivot, learn, and unlearn has been instrumental in navigating the evolving digital marketing landscape.At Welcome Tomorrow, Brian and his team focus on three key pillars: data and measurement, performance marketing, and content strategy. They specialize in localizing advanced growth marketing techniques for ambitious African brands, helping them build robust measurement frameworks and leverage first-party data while ensuring the solutions match each client's digital maturity. Their unique approach combines creative strategy with data science, moving beyond traditional "madman era" advertising to deliver measurable results.Looking toward the future of marketing in Africa, Brian highlights the continent's growing digital adoption and the rapid shift from traditional to digital advertising.He sees tremendous opportunities for tech marketers who can bridge marketing knowledge with technical expertise, particularly in building and implementing appropriate tech stacks for businesses at various stages of growth.His advice to aspiring tech marketers? "Invest in yourself so that when you decide to get into the market, you're buyable." Brian encourages continuous learning through certifications and training to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving field where understanding when and how to implement new technologies is just as important as knowing how to use them.To keep up with Brian's journey, check out his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-abelCheck out Welcome Tomorrow:https://welcometomorrow.io/__________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

On this episode of "After Hours, in partnership with Tanqueray Africa," we speak with John Wachira Wahome, a software engineer turned real estate entrepreneur.With 15 years of experience in the software industry, John shares his journey from working across various sectors including banking, healthcare, and business operations, to Finsco Africa, a real estate firm specializing in plot sales, housing, and custom design-build solutions.John emphasizes the importance of starting entrepreneurship early, highlighting the crucial lessons he learned. He candidly discusses working for free to gain experience, facing rejection when marketing his first school management software, and the challenges of trying to do everything himself instead of building a team early on.A pivotal insight from John's journey is recognizing that "you cannot be a thinker and a doer at the same time." He advises entrepreneurs to identify their strengths and find complementary partners, noting that most successful business leaders have someone who balances their skills—either a thinker paired with a doer, or vice versa.John's venture into real estate began in 2015 with a concept called "Property Center," which eventually evolved into Finsco Africa by 2021. Recognizing that the housing problem is universal and enduring, he saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between financing and construction through technology. This led to the creation of Home Direct, a construction subsidiary of Finsco Africa.His latest innovation is an AI-powered app that helps users estimate construction costs for their dream homes based on descriptions or uploaded images. It also provides access to mortgage options. His vision addresses Africa's housing crisis by connecting financing and construction through technology, making homeownership more accessible.Throughout the episode, John's resilience, adaptability, and commitment to solving real problems shine through as inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs across Africa__________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧

On this episode of My Tech Story Africa, Alice Kanjejo sits down with Hannes Bend, founder of Breathing AI and Vital Sign AI.Hannes shares his remarkable journey from artist to AI entrepreneur, highlighting how personal struggles shaped his vision for more human-centered technology.Born with mild cerebral palsy and having nearly died at birth, Hannes experienced intense physical pain in his early years, which later led to depression. This disconnection from his body eventually guided him toward mindfulness practices that transformed his life.His deep appreciation for breathwork became so profound that he claims he wouldn't trade this awareness "for a trillion dollars" because of the joy, health benefits, and stress management it provides.Hannes' path to technology wasn't direct.He first gained recognition as an artist featured in Vogue and New York exhibitions, but internally felt unfulfilled. His curiosity led him to research how the brain responds to visual stimuli and meditation, eventually incorporating these insights into technology through VR, AR, and ultimately AI.His companies now focus on creating "bio-adaptive interfaces" - technology that personalizes user experiences based on vital signs, emotions, and posture. Breathing AI offers browser extensions with features like color filters to reduce eye strain and reminders to drink water or take deep breaths. Vital Sign AI detects emotions and physical metrics using just a webcam and machine learning algorithms.What makes Hannes's approach unique is his emphasis on individual differences. He explains how the same colors or fonts can trigger completely different physiological responses in different people, demonstrating why AI-powered personalization matters.Throughout the conversation, Hannes emphasizes two values he considers invaluable: curiosity and care. He believes these qualities can open doors in any field, encouraging listeners from all backgrounds to explore AI without hesitation, as everyone brings unique insights.To keep up with Hannes's journey, check out his linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannesbend/Check out his start-ups at:https://breathing.ai/https://www.vitalsign.ai/__________________________________________________________________Join Alice as she explores the world of tech and shares impactful stories with guests on My Tech Story Africa!Subscribe to our podcast, drop a like, comment, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content.Don't forget to spread the word! Sharing is caring! 🌟Follow us on social media:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytechstoryafrica💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tech-story-africa♪ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mytechstoryafricaJoin our community: [https://www.mtsafrica.co/join]Interested in being a guest on the podcast? Apply here: https://forms.gle/ffAniezzFHoEvhPY7Interested in partnering with us? Drop us an email: mytechstory.ea@gmail.com 📧