#YouthMonth: The creation of a connected Geekulcha
The tech hub offers young geeks access to ICT skills development and training while giving them a taste of what awaits them in the big world through industry exposure. This is done through tech events like workshops, hackathons and industry visits, to name but a few. We got in touch with the young tech entrepreneur to find out how it all started and what he hopes for Geekulcha's future.
Where did your passion for tech begin?
It began in high school. My first real introduction to the tech world was through mobile phones and I'm not talking about the current cool smartphones that we use now. I'm talking about the Nokia 3310, Philips Diga and the other ranges of Nokia devices. I just found it so amazing that you could communicate with people through mobile phones. Being able to play Snake was pretty awesome, and chatting on mig33 was just on another level. When MMS came in I was sold. Yes, I just exposed my age but that’s when I felt that I needed to be in the tech space.
Tell us how the idea for Geekulcha was born and what it aims to achieve...
I got an opportunity from Microsoft to be a Microsoft Student Partner and represent my academic institution, Tshwane University of Technology. Through the exposure I got from Microsoft I felt the need to share the experience with fellow students. I then started a Faceook group called Innovatorz.IT (which now has 5,000 students across the country). The aim starting the Facebook group was to share all the information that I was receiving. In 2013, with the help of mLab I started Geekulcha. I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do with it. My main focus was just to create a tech community for ICT students. The rest is history.
What support is Geekulcha receiving from industry?
Geekulcha is not funded at all but receives a lot of support, especially from the ICT industry. We are incubated at mLab and that helps us with resources like office space, technical support, access to market and project and advisory support. Geekulcha has a strong relationship with The Innovation Hub, The City of Tshwane and Northern Cape Government and they support us a lot, especially with youth-orientated projects and activities.
What tech innovation are you most excited about right now?
There is no particular innovation that I’m interested in. I am more excited with where technology is heading: the power of the sharing economy and smart connected devices. I am still a big fan of Uber and really admire what they have done especially in their disruption of the taxi industry. The power of social media technology still remains top of my list of things that I love about tech.
What inspires you?
I am inspired by people who make something of their lives from nothing. I admire such people’s hunger, focus, determination, persistence and their ability to think differently. These are the kinds of people that inspire me and make me want to always improve and challenge myself.
Describe a typical day in your work life...
I love how my days go. None of the days are the same, which brings some excitement. My day usually starts with me checking emails and seeing what is happening around social media. I then have to jump straight into meetings which consume a lot of my time. The great thing about meetings is that good things usually come out of them. I spend some time with the Geekulcha team, not as much as I should though. In between the day I am back on social media if not travelling.
What's next for Geekulcha?
We want to cement ourselves as the tech platform for young geeks. We want to be the go-to platform for finding talent and discovering new opportunities within the tech space. Part of our major goals is to introduce more young people from high schools to the world of tech while helping the tertiary guys polish their skills so they can either find great jobs or create great jobs. The future plans are to have presence within other African countries.
Visit Geekulcha's website to join the community and keep up to date with events.
