Thank you for being here. Text Geohabari

In this episode, Charles Mwangi hosts three true Pan-Africanists 🙂:

• Ben Roberts, Principal Advisor – Digital Economy Advisors
• Buntu Majaja, CEO – SA Innovation Summit
• Sylvia Makario, Managing Director – Identic Foundation

(Also… how many times did we mention Pan-Africanism? You’ll have to listen and count!)

The conversation explores the importance of cross-boundary collaborations across the continent and the need to build strong foundational systems — from infrastructure to policy — that support talent growth and innovation. We also touch on the increasingly critical role of IP ownership in today’s tech-driven world.

We take a closer look at South Africa’s automotive industry, unpacking how it created a successful manufacturing supply chain that now extends into the space ecosystem, with local companies contributing to global satellite components. Lots of lessons here on building not just for the downstream, but also the upstream — including opportunities in LEO satellites and more.

Finally, we dive into the evolution of Africa’s startup ecosystem, comparing the pre- and post-COVID landscapes — from the fintech surge that laid foundational tech infrastructure, to today’s more mature, sustainability-focused investor climate (and a shift away from “spray and pray”).