Strive Masiyiwa

About

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, the UK, 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), Econet Wireless New Zealand (now 2degrees), Trilogy Capital Partners Canada (early investor), Cassava Technologies (comprising Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Cassava AI, Africa Data Centres, Sasai Fintech, and Liquid C2 Cloud & Cybersecurity) and Telrad Group Israel. He continues to invest privately through his investment companies and family office. Born in Zimbabwe, Mr Masiyiwa left as a child and returned home after Independence in 1984, working briefly as a telecoms engineer before setting up his first business in 1986. He emigrated from Zimbabwe in 2000, living with his family in South Africa until 2010 when they moved to the UK. He now lives in Jersey where he runs a global portfolio spanning more than 40 countries on four continents. His accolades include the World Food Prize Borlaug Medallion in 2019 for his role as Chair of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (focused on strengthening food systems and supporting Africa's smallholder farmers); induction in 2023 as an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; and the W. E. B. Du Bois Medal awarded in 2024 by Harvard University. In 2025, he and his wife Tsitsi received the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award and Mr Masiyiwa was named by Time Magazine amongst the world's 100 Most Influential People in AI. A graduate in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Cardiff University, Mr Masiyiwa has received honorary doctorates from Princeton University, Stellenbosch University, Yale University, Morehouse College, Nelson Mandela University, and Cardiff University (Fellow). Through family foundations, Higherlife Foundation and Delta Philanthropies, led by his wife and his eldest daughter Elizabeth Tanya, Mr Masiyiwa has supported 400,000+ scholarships for African children and youth, & to invest in catalytic social impact initiatives in Africa, focusing primarily on education, health, youth entrepreneurship, rural transformation, sustainable livelihoods, disaster relief & preparedness. *Note: Mr Masiyiwa has never written a book and does not authorise compilation of his writings in any format.*