🌍 A Global Journey:

Asif Khan, CEO and Founder of ANDO Foods, takes us on a fascinating ride through his life. Born in Kenya with Pakistani roots, Asif studied in Japan on a prestigious scholarship, immersing himself in a culture that would later influence his craftsmanship.

💼 Diverse Career Path:

From organizing workshops at the Kenya Film Festival to marketing at Scan Group, Asif embraced varied roles before venturing into freelance photography—capturing daring shots from Nairobi’s rooftops. Later, he joined Java House, gaining key insights into the food industry.

🍛 The Birth of ANDO Foods:

In 2020, Asif launched ANDO Foods from his mother’s kitchen with a simple WhatsApp poster and a lot of determination. Starting with his family’s legendary biryani recipe, ANDO has grown into a powerhouse of 9 food brands that redefine cloud kitchens and food delivery.

🤝 Empowering Others:

Asif also discusses Oro, ANDO’s innovative food operating system that helps small food businesses scale efficiently. By leveraging technology and partnerships, ANDO is setting the stage for a culinary revolution across Africa.

💡 Key Takeaways:

The power of resilience and innovation 🛠️

Crafting a legacy from humble beginnings 🏠

Building a food empire while empowering communities 🌟

🔗 Don’t miss this deep dive into Asif’s entrepreneurial journey, filled with insights, humor, and big dreams for the future of food in Africa!

🎙️ Ali Talks Tech: Empowering SMEs Across Africa with Hilda Moraa 🌍

🔑 What’s in this Episode? Join host Ali Hussein Kassim as he welcomes the phenomenal Hilda Moraa—founder and CEO of Pezesha—to discuss her groundbreaking work in African fintech. 🚀💡

📌 Key Highlights:

✨ Why Listen? This episode is packed with actionable insights for entrepreneurs, tech enthusiasts, and changemakers looking to create meaningful impact in Africa and beyond. 🌟

🎧 Tune in now to hear how Pezesha is rewriting the narrative of African innovation, one SME at a time! 🎉

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review! ⭐

#AliTalksTech: The Visionary Journey of Kamal Budhabhatti 🚀💡

In this electrifying episode of #AliTalksTech, we sit down with Kamal Budhabhatti, CEO of Craft Silicon, to delve into a transformative story that spans programming roots 🖥️, entrepreneurial milestones 🏆, and groundbreaking innovations 🌍. From building Craft Silicon into a fintech giant 💳, to competing with global players like Uber through Little Cabs 🚖, Kamal has consistently stayed ahead of the curve.

The conversation takes an exciting turn as Kamal unveils his latest venture, Blue Beetle 🪲, and its flagship product, Smalltalk 🗨️. In his words, AI is not merely a "digital transformation"—it's a behavioral transformation 🔄. Kamal discusses how Smalltalk uses small language models to empower businesses with secure, private AI-driven insights, creating a revolution in corporate operations 📊🤖.

🎧 Tune in to discover:

✅ Kamal's philosophy of customer-centric growth and innovation 🤝.

✅ How Little became Kenya's largest corporate ride-hailing platform 🚕.

✅ Why AI represents a shift in how we behave, not just how we work 🧠.

✅ The bold vision of Smalltalk, from personalizing enterprise workflows to solving everyday challenges like seamless shopping 🛒 or visa applications 🌍.

Kamal also reflects on the importance of nurturing dreamers 🌟, the challenges of talent acquisition in AI 🧑‍💻, and his intriguing new title: Head of Product Dreams and Innovation 🌌.

Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, entrepreneur, or AI aficionado, this episode promises a front-row seat to the future of technology and its human touch ✨. Don’t miss it! 🚀🎙️

In this episode of #Alitalkstech, host Ali Hussein Kassim speaks with Mzi Holmes, a telecom veteran and technical lead at Illitha Telecommunications. With over 26 years in the sector, Mzi shares the challenges and triumphs of expanding internet connectivity to underserved townships in South Africa. They delve into the historical and socio-economic factors behind limited access, the complexities of deploying infrastructure in cash-driven communities, and the social impact of bridging the digital divide. This conversation sheds light on the balance between social responsibility and business sustainability, the importance of patient capital, and the inspiring stories of lives transformed through connectivity. Tune in for an eye-opening look at how Elita Telecommunications is pioneering change and striving to connect half a million people within five years.

 In this insightful episode of #Alitalkstech, host Ali Hussain Kassim sits down with Imran Abbas, Group CEO of Link Africa, to dive deep into the transformative journey of Africa’s telecom landscape. With over 34 years of experience, Imran shares his journey from the early days of monopolistic telcos in South Africa to leading open access infrastructure initiatives across the continent. Discover how open access is reshaping Africa's connectivity and why competing on infrastructure alone no longer serves the industry or its customers. Listen in as Imran reveals the highs and challenges of advocating for a unified approach to telecom infrastructure and the future vision he’s crafting with Link Africa.

🌟 In this new episode of #Alitalkstech, I sat down with Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, the founding CEO of Future Africa and co-founder of Andela and Flutterwave. 🌍 Aboyeji shares his journey from growing up in Yaba, often referred to as "Yaba Valley," to becoming a pivotal figure in Africa's tech ecosystem. 🚀

He reflects on the evolution of entrepreneurship in Africa, the challenges of maintaining culture and social infrastructure within tech communities, and how Future Africa is working to rebuild the pipeline for African startups. 💡 Aboyeji also discusses the impact of funding crashes on the ecosystem and the importance of creating sustainable businesses that truly impact lives. 💼

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned investor, this conversation offers a deep dive into the past, present, and future of African tech. 🌟

👉 Make sure to subscribe for more exclusive content! 🎥🔔

 Join Ali Hussein Kassim in a compelling conversation with Danielle Royston, also known as D-R, on Ali Talks Tech. Discover Danielle's remarkable journey from studying computer science at Stanford to becoming a turnaround CEO. Originally from Texas, Danielle's career path has been defined by her strong work ethic and diverse experiences in enterprise software sales.

As a turnaround CEO, Danielle specializes in revitalizing distressed companies through operational optimization, blending technical expertise with empathetic leadership skills honed during her tenure in human resources. Her insights into managing organizational transitions provide valuable lessons for leaders across industries.

The conversation spans technology, telecommunications, and AI, with a particular focus on Africa's telco sector. Explore Danielle's views on integrating AI and cloud computing into existing networks to propel technological advancement, alongside discussions on Elon Musk's Starlink and its potential impact on connectivity in remote areas.

Don't miss out on this insightful dialogue highlighting Danielle Royston's resilience, business acumen, and commitment to transforming telcos worldwide. Subscribe to Ali Talks Tech for more exclusive interviews and industry insights!

In this episode of #Alitalkstech, 📡 we bring you insights from the Novacom Summit. I had a chat with Tegene Tesfaye from Ethio Telecom, one of Africa's oldest and largest telecom companies with 127+ years in service and 74 million mobile customers 📱.

Tegan shares Ethio Telecom's journey into mobile, internet, and fintech with their digital currency service, Telebirr. With 30 million active users, Telebirr is transforming digital payments in Ethiopia 🇪🇹.

They discuss Ethio Telecom’s competition with Safaricom and their positive outlook despite the challenges. The conversation covers the rollout of 4G and 5G networks, affordability, and partnerships with banks to enhance the financial ecosystem through Telebirr 💳.

Wrapping up, Tegene talks about Ethio Telecom's vision of digitalizing Ethiopia, including projects with hospitals and schools 🏥🏫.

Tune in for an enlightening discussion on Ethiopia's telecom and digital transformation future, only on #Alitalkstech! 🎧