Strive Masiyiwa

Kemi Ajumobi

March 10, 2026

Strive Masiyiwa
Founder and Executive Chairman , Cassava Technologies

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.

He is Founder and Executive Chairman, Cassava Technologies. Cassava Technologies is Africa’s first integrated tech player of continental-scale at the forefront of technology innovation, with operations and investments across Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, the UK and the USA. A vertically integrated ecosystem of digital services and infrastructure enabling digital transformation, Cassava Technologies’ businesses include Africa’s largest open access cross-border fibre broadband network, spanning 110,000km+/68,000+ miles (Liquid Intelligent Technologies); Africa’s largest network of interconnected carrier-neutral data centres powered by renewable energy (Africa Data Centres); cloud and cybersecurity (Liquid C2); artificial intelligence solutions (Cassava AI); fintech (Sasai Fintech); and on-demand digital platforms (Vaya Technologies).

Born in Zimbabwe, 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 from 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 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, Strive Masiyiwa has received honorary doctorates from 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 Tsitsi and eldest daughter Elizabeth Tanya, Masiyiwa has supported 400,000+ scholarships for African children and youth. He continues to invest in catalytic social impact initiatives in Africa, focusing primarily on education, health, youth entrepreneurship, rural transformation, sustainable livelihoods, disaster relief and preparedness.