Nov 3, 2019
In this episode of Dear Diaspora, I had the pleasure of interviewing Andile Masuku, co-founder of African Tech Roundup. African Tech Roundup is a Johannesburg-based media and insights organization which tracks the progress of Africa’s emerging digital, tech and innovation industries.
African Tech Roundup produces podcasts, syndicated op-eds, omnichannel media projects, live events, and in-depth fringe insights coverage of leading conferences. I’ve been listening to African Tech Roundup for a couple of years now, so I was honored to have a conversation with Andile.
In addition to African Tech Roundup, Andile presents storytelling podcasts for the BBC World Service, develops and executes content strategy and tactical media plays for leading companies. His op-eds also offer readers around the world accessible African perspectives on the continent’s digital transformation journey.
During the episode, we discuss what sparked his interest in technology, his thoughts on the Mara Group (they’re behind the first cellphone to be completely manufactured in Africa), as well as what he thinks about China’s presence on the continent.
If you’re interested in tech on the continent—you don’t want to miss this interview!
Tune in for more of our conversation wherever you listen to podcasts.
“Get your savings up and put yourself in a position where you can at least spend 3 months minimum immersed in the everyday life of the places you think you’re going to impact.” - Andile Masuku
Resources mentioned in this episode:
African Tech Roundup Episode about Facebook’s Libra and if its good for Africa: https://www.africantechroundup.com/facebook-libra/
The Mara Group’s Phone Factories in Durban and Kigali: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tobyshapshak/2019/10/31/africas-mara-group-launches-phone-factories-in-durban-kigali/#488e0a91230b
More on China’s Presence in Africa: https://chinaafricaproject.com/cap-network-members/andile-masuku/
African Tech Roundup Twitter: https://twitter.com/africanroundup