Mvelo Hlophe, the CEO of Zaio. Image: Supplied.
One of the biggest problems new graduates encounter is having the required work experience to get hired in the workplace.
Mvelo Hlophe, who is the CEO at Zaio, shared how the frustration led him to starting his business from a university cafeteria. Zaio is a company that holds coding boot camps.
Hlophe said: “I want to share how a simple idea born in a university cafeteria grew into a mission to empower Africa’s youth. My journey with Zaio is proof that with passion, perseverance and purpose, young entrepreneurs can create opportunities where none existed before.
“It all began in 2018, during my third year at the University of Cape Town, where I was studying BCom in philosophy, politics and economics. A conversation with a friend struggling to find employment sparked 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 – 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.”
The CEO said that in the moment of frustration and determination, the idea for Zaio was born.
“We envisioned a platform that would bridge the gap between education and employment by connecting graduates with start-ups. 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,” he added.
Hlophe said that within just two days of launching their platform, they had more than 100 sign-ups.
“The overwhelming response affirmed our belief that there was indeed a genuine need for this type of solution. 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. 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,” he said.
Hlophe highlighted a recent success story of the company where they helped a parking attendant at the UCT 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. 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.
“Our growth did not go unnoticed. After this success story, we attracted our first investor, which allowed us to scale quickly. We hired a team, expanded our offerings and saw the tangible impact of our work.”
Hlophe said entrepreneurship was never a smooth ride, and he had faced his 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.”
The company will be expanding its reach beyond South Africa and adding new courses in high-demand fields such as data science, cybersecurity and cloud computing this year.
“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.
“Looking back, I am grateful for the lessons and support we have received. My advice to young entrepreneurs is this: seek guidance from those who have been there before, embrace tough conversations and do not rush. Patience and strong relationships are key. Most importantly, maintain your passion as it fuels innovation and leads to success,” Hlophe said.
BUSINESS REPORT