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Strive Masiyiwa

Strive Masiyiwa is a telecoms entrepreneur who is building AI computing capacity across Africa. In 1993 he founds Econet Wireless, and a five-year constitutional legal battle leads to the dismantling of a state telecoms monopoly. Through Cassava Technologies, he announces plans for five AI factories powered by NVIDIA GPUs. TIME names him to its TIME100 AI list in 2025. As of October 2026, he remains executive chairman of Cassava Technologies.

Now at
Cassava Technologies
Photo of Strive Masiyiwa

Timeline

  1. 1961–1984

    An engineering degree in Wales

    He is born in 1961 in what is now Zimbabwe, and he earns an electrical engineering degree from the University of Wales in 1984.

  2. 1993–1998

    Founding Econet Wireless

    In 1993 he founds Econet Wireless, and the company lists on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange in 1998. A five-year constitutional legal battle leads to the dismantling of the state monopoly in Zimbabwe's telecommunications sector.

  3. 1996

    Co-founding Higherlife Foundation

    Together with his wife, Tsitsi, he co-founds what is now the Higherlife Foundation in Zimbabwe in 1996.

  4. 2020–2022

    African Union COVID envoy

    In May 2020 he is appointed special envoy to the African Union for COVID response, and he serves until early 2022.

  5. 2020

    Inducted into Global Business Hall of Fame

    The JA Global Business Hall of Fame inducts him in 2020.

  6. 2025

    Named to TIME100 AI

    TIME names him to its TIME100 AI list in 2025.

  7. September 2025

    Plans for five AI factories

    Cassava's founder announces plans for five AI factories in Africa over the next 12 months, powered by NVIDIA GPUs and slated for completion by 2026.

  8. As of October 2026

    Executive chairman of Cassava Technologies

    He serves as executive chairman of Cassava Technologies, which is building AI computing capacity across Africa.

Sources and credits

Photo: Richter Frank-Jurgen, via Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: commons.wikimedia.org. Cropped to a square and resized. Ask us to remove or replace this photo.

  1. Strive Masiyiwa - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  2. Global Business Hall of Fame businesshalloffame.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  3. Strive Masiyiwa Named to TIME100 AI 2025 List of the Most Influential Leaders in Artificial Intelligence econetafrica.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  4. Strive Masiyiwa unveils AI factory plans at UNGA80 | ITWeb Africa itweb.africa. Checked 14 October 2026.
  5. Cassava Technologies to build five African AI factories - Developing Telecoms developingtelecoms.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  6. Strive Masiyiwa's Cassava rehires Dan Kwach for AI push billionaires.africa. Checked 14 October 2026.