Zimbabwean born Entrepreneur and African – German business consultant Kumbirai Chipadza walked away with the main prize after being voted The Best African Business/Entrepreneur in Germany 2022.
Chipadza who is a qualified Entrepreneur in Residence
is the Co Founder of Kuchera a cutting edge telematics solution built for the mining industry and supported by Beam Berlin the company builder for family owned intralogistics company Beumer Group.
He is also the CEO of Deutsch Connect a Startup that links African and German businesses through B2B Matchmaking, Market Linkages and Talent Acquisition.
Among their successes in 2022 are, taking German companies Poema.de ( machinery ) and Chainmaker ( anti snoring devices )into the African Market, organising German Ecosystem Tour for African Businesses from Democratic Republic of Congo and Teaching the German language online and finding Apprenticeship Placements in Germany for young Africans from across the continent through their #Smartmigration and #BrainGainNotBrainDrain initiatives
He was also selected as one of 40 African and German young business leaders to accelerate Economic Cooperation between Africa and Germany by the German government under the AGYLE Program.
Speaking exclusively to the Southern African Times, Chipadza said that it was an honour to have been voted the best African Entrepreneur in Germany but feels more needs to be done for Africans to tell African stories and highlight successes.
” If you ask me I would not say I’m the best, although I’m flattered by the Award. There are a lot of Africans doing great things but they don’t have a platform or voice to amplify their stories. This needs to change and I acknowledge the great work SAT is doing .
I would also like to encourage Africans in the Diaspora to invest on the African continent and partner with the exciting young innovators and entrepreneurs we have in Africa.
Di not send a bus or equipment or start a business with your brother, sister or friend who has no business experience and expertise and expect them to succeed. In your own home town, region or country there are young entrepreneurs doing great things with the little they have who now need your knowledge, skills, network and funding you have earned in the Diaspora “
Chipadza urged Africans to be united and take advantage of Afcfta which makes the continent the biggest single market.
” Success is all about timing and being in the right place at the right time. The success stories from the Silicon Valley are as much about innovation as much as about being at the right place. Right now Africa is the right place to invest in “
Chipadza is an avid reader who follows Peter Thiel ( PayPal, Facebook ) – Zero to One , Phil Knight ( Nike ) – The Shoe Dog , Malcom Gladwell – Outliers and Samuel Clason – The Richest Man in Babylon.
“I believe in continously learning and reading. Knowledge is power. I also follow African Entrepreneurs who have made it like Strive Masiyiwa, Aliko Dangote, Patrice Motsepe and Adam Molai and am greatly inspired by people like African Development Bank CEO Akinwumi Adesina and President Kagame for being leading voices in promoting Africa and believing we are capable to solve our own problems and succeed together.”
