Strive Masiyiwa is a telecommunications and technology entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist. In nearly four decades as an entrepreneur, he has founded and invested in businesses globally, spanning Africa, Europe, India, Latin America, the Middle East, New Zealand, and the USA.
Some of his most prominent start-up companies and investments include Mascom Wireless Botswana, Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, Econet Wireless Nigeria (now Airtel Nigeria), Liquid Intelligent Technologies Group, Econet Wireless New Zealand (now 2degrees Mobile), Trilogy Capital Partners Canada (early investor), Cassava Technologies (most recently Cassava AI), Africa Data Centres, Sasai Fintech, and Telrad Group Israel. He continues to invest privately through his investment companies and family office.
Born in Zimbabwe and now living in the UK, Masiyiwa currently serves on the boards of Netflix Inc., Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and National Geographic Society, as well as several global advisory councils including Bank of America, Stanford University, and Bloomberg New Economy Forum. Previously, he held board positions at Unilever Plc, The Rockefeller Foundation, and Morehouse College, among others.
With his obvious extensive pedigree, Mr. Masiyiwa advises on growth strategies for entrepreneurs:
Our message on Venture Capital in Africa is getting through, but you must persist. As I earlier mentioned, I recently attended a function in London where when the Ambassador of an African country saw me, he immediately referred to my comments at the World Economic Forum and then asked me to explain in greater detail, which I did:
1. As part of the formal education in our High Schools we need to introduce a course in Entrepreneurship, which is examined in exactly the same way as other school subjects;
2. Students leaving High School must know the formal process of starting a business, including the process to raise StartUp money and how to make a Pitch to investors;
3. A proper Ecosystem is needed to funnel VentureCapital money into your most promising young entrepreneurs who set up proper businesses with high growth potential;
4. Focus on DOMESTIC Venture Capital mobilisation and don’t rely on external players who are focused on the crème de la crème;
5. Go for mass entrepreneurship; and
6. Transform your local Stock Exchange into a vehicle for mobilising capital for high growth businesses.
On this, my job is done. Now it’s up to you.
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