Mvelo Hlophe’s journey into entrepreneurship had an unconventional start. It was born in a university cafeteria and became a mission to empower Africa’s youth.
Hlophe said it all began in 2018 during his third year at the University of Cape Town, when he was studying BCom Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. A talk with a friend attempting to find work spurred Zaio’s inception.
“Despite his academic achievements in computer science, he was repeatedly told by hiring managers he needed practical experience to be considered for a job. The more we dug into this issue, the more we realised it was a widespread problem,” Hlophe said.
“Graduates across the board faced this daunting barrier to enter the job market. They had limited options available, either taking unpaid internships or exploring jobs outside of their field of study.”
He went on to say that in this moment of frustration and resolve, the concept for Zaio was formed.
“Graduates would gain valuable, paid experience, while start-ups would benefit from affordable talent eager to prove themselves. The concept was simple, but the impact had the potential to be profound.”
In an incredible stroke of luck, in just two days of launching the platform, over 100 people had signed up.
“The overwhelming response affirmed our belief that there was indeed a genuine need for this type of solution,” said the entrepreneur.
“As more companies approached us to run coding training programmes on their behalf, we realised that the demand for practical, hands-on education was greater than we thought at first,” he said.
“This led us to pivot from our original model and fully embrace the EdTech space. Zaio developed into the online learning platform that it is today, focused on equipping individuals with the skills they need to succeed in the digital economy.”
Among the most significant successes of the business was when it helped a parking attendant at UCT’s lower campus transition into a paid coding project.
“This experience was a powerful reminder that with the right education and a willingness to learn, anything is possible,” Hlophe said.
“It was not just about changing one person’s life; it was about sending a message that education is the key to unlocking potential and creating opportunities.”
The growth did not go unnoticed and the business attracted an investor and it managed to scale quickly.
“We hired a team, expanded our offerings, and saw the tangible impact of our work. However, entrepreneurship is never a smooth ride, and we also faced our share of challenges.
“A few examples include internal conflicts, financial constraints, and the constant need to adapt our business model. There were moments when we could not draw salaries and we had to make tough decisions to ensure the survival of the company. But despite every setback, we remained committed to our vision and pressed on,” Hlophe said.
Hlophe went on to say that Zaio’s accomplishment exemplifies what one can do with patience and a clear purpose.
“Our goal is to become Africa’s leading online learning platform, accessible to all,” Hlophe said.
“This year, we are expanding our reach beyond South Africa and adding new courses in high-demand fields such as data science, cyber-security, and cloud computing,” he said.
“Our upcoming data science course, for example, takes someone with no background in data science and equips them with the skills needed to become employable in this rapidly growing field.”
IOL