Impact Masters Podcast
The Impact Masters Podcast explores the forces shaping Africa’s technology and innovation ecosystem while connecting them to global tech trends and best practices.
Hosted by technology ecosystem builder Michael Kimathi, the show features authentic conversations with the founders, developers, investors, and thought leaders who are building the future of Africa and influencing the global digital economy.
As the tech landscape shifts toward AI-augmented engineering and globalized talent pools, Impact Masters focuses on tactical, proven frameworks—not theory. We deconstruct the socio-technical challenges of building scalable software, securing venture capital, and leading high-performance engineering teams across emerging and global markets.
Each episode dives into how technology is transforming the way we live, work, and govern, with a focus on:
Software & DevEx: Engineering, developer experience, DevRel, and product design.
Digital Transformation: AI integration and scaling high-performance teams.
The Startup Playbook: Securing venture capital and driving startup growth.
While deeply rooted in Africa’s tech journey, we also unpack global innovations that inspire local impact. We tell authentic stories, preserve Africa’s tech history, share actionable insights, and challenge the status quo: body, mind, and spirit.
If you’re a tech founder, developer, investor, or innovator looking to understand Africa’s digital future while staying plugged into global technology trends, this podcast is your guide.
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Episodes
83 episodes
The President As Top Diplomat with Kevin Karuga S02 E02
We connect governance, diplomacy, and everyday life by asking why leadership credibility can attract investment or chase it away. We also challenge the cycle of tribal loyalty and vote buying, and map out what citizens can do to demand integrit...
Building A Startup Legal Team with Kevin Karuga S02 E03
We unpack what it really takes to leave a stable bank job for a fast-moving tech startup and still make smart career decisions. We also break down why fundraising forces companies to get serious about compliance, governance, people processes, a...
The Big Score Book Review: What Silicon Valley Got Right And Africa Can Adapt
We record live from Mombasa and pull apart the real origins of Silicon Valley to challenge how African startups copy business models, funding myths, and “innovation” aesthetics. We connect The Big Score to practical moves founders, companies, u...
The Kid Who Ran A Farm Like A CEO: Kevin Karuga S01 E01
We sit down with Kevin Karuga to trace how a childhood between Nairobi and Kirinyaga builds discipline, ambition, and a deep pull toward public service. Along the way, we connect personal history to the bigger questions of leadership, governanc...
Discipline with Kevin Karuga S01 E02
We trace how strict school routines, tough social environments, and a hunger for excellence shape Kevin’s discipline and leadership from childhood through high school. The story turns practical as he confronts academic strengths and weaknesses,...
Developer Marketplaces, API Economy and Data Sovereignty in Emerging Markets (South Africa)
Telcos run the pipes, but building on top of them can feel like a maze of paperwork, minimum volumes, and one-off integrations that never end. We sit down in Johannesburg to break down how Africa’s Talking makes telecom rails usable for builder...
Africa’s Telco API Playbook
Building in Africa can feel like shipping with the road changing under your feet. One month you’re sprinting on product, the next you’re stalled by telco fragmentation, compliance paperwork, and “go talk to another office” delays. That’s why we...
From Biashara to Blockchain: Eddie Kago on Grit, Kenyan Tech, and DeFi for Farmers
We trace Eddie Cargo’s path from a childhood in Biashara to elite schooling, an architecture apprenticeship, and early software delivery that sparked a mission to build tech for public good in Africa. Grit, curiosity, and community stitch a lin...
Innovative Business Development & Growth with Ryan Dewey Smith | Impact Masters Podcast
Ryan Dewey-Smith, founder and CEO of Inperium Inc., reveals how he's revolutionizing the nonprofit world by creating a collaborative network where organizations maintain their autonomy while sharing resources. With over three decades of leaders...
#56 Impact Masters Podcast: Unlocking the Power of Video: Video Marketing Trifecta
Meet Tim Bradley, the creative force behind Pennant Video and pioneer of the "video marketing trifecta" that's transforming how B2B companies build trust and close deals. From his childhood making videos with his brothers in rural Massachusetts...
Finding Your Tech Path With Japheth Obala | Impact Masters Podcast
What does it take to go from coding on a phone during ferry rides to building developer tools at Microsoft? In this captivating conversation, Japheth Obala reveals his remarkable journey from Likoni, Mombasa to becoming the first engineer at Mi...
#54 IMPACT MASTER CATHERLINE MIROBE: ELECTRICAL ENGINEER TO SOFTWARE ENGINEER
What does it take for a woman to succeed in Africa's male-dominated tech world? Catherline Mirobe's story shows us exactly that - through determination, skill, and an entrepreneurial spirit that refuses to quit.Growing up between Nairob...
#52 Transforming Marine Economies: Dr. Mathew Egessa's Journey
Dive into the remarkable journey of Dr. Mthew Egessa, whose path from computer science to blue economy innovation demonstrates the transformative power of purpose-driven technology. Growing up in Western Kenya and navigating his way through the...
#50 Impact Master: Tom Building Digital Bridges in African Fintech
The entrepreneurial journey from campus coder to fintech disruptor comes alive in this compelling conversation with Tom Kimani, founder of Presta. With remarkable candor, Tom rev...
#47 Impact Master Irving Amukasa: From Kenyan Public Schools to Tech Entrepreneurship Excellence #africa #education #technology #entrepreneurship #inspiration
What if the key to transforming your passion into a successful career lies within the stories of your upbringing? Join us as we sit down with tech entrepreneur Iving Amukasa for an inspiring journey through his early life in Kenya. From his bir...
#45 Innovating for Change: Empowering Rural Tanzania with Catherine Kimambo
What happens when you combine passion, resilience, and an unyielding commitment to rural development? Catherine R. Kimambo, the founder of African Child Projects, answers this by sharing her transformative journey from Arusha to Dar es Salaam. ...
#44 African Tech Revolution Through Faith Kilonzi's Eyes
Join us as Faith Kilonzi, a trailblazing full-stack software engineer and Master's student in Big Data Technology, shares her transformative journey from studying business to embracing the world of computer science. Faith opens up about her exp...
#32 - JESSICA RANDALL
Join us on a captivating exploration of Southern Africa's tech landscape, as I, Michael Kamathi, and my dynamic co-host Sylvia Jebet, host the remarkable Jessica Randal, Africa's Talking Community Lead and Mathematician. Together, we navigate t...
#38 - Joseph Njogu -Dev Ops
Ever wondered how to accelerate your software development and deployment cycles? This episode is packed with practical insights and actionable strategies for CTOs and senior engineers aiming to build a high-performing DevOps team. We start by t...
#38 IMPACT MASTER JUNN HOPE: FROM A CURIOUS CHILD IN THIKA TO A TRAILBLAZING ROCKET SCIENTIST #africa #womenintech #engineering #podcast #inspiration
Ever wondered how a final-year telecommunications engineering student ends up building rockets for fun? Join us on the Impact Masters Podcast, in collaboration with Africa's Talking Podcasts, as we chat with Junn Hope about her incredible journ...
#36 - Eng. Felix Kariuki
What if life isn't a race but a collaborative journey? Join us as we uncover the remarkable story of Engineer Felix Kariuki, whose path from Nairobi's Buruburu community to becoming a globally recognized electronics engineer demonstrates the po...
#31 - Mariam Nourya Koné
Join us on the African Impact Master Show as we welcome the dynamic Mariam Nourya Koné, a trailblazer in coding and community management from West Africa. Mariam's journey takes us from her early days in Senegal's private Catholic schools—where...
#33 - DANIEL MWANGILA
When Daniel Mwangila speaks, you can't help but be transported to his childhood in Itiki, Tanzania, where his curiosity and love for technology first sparked. His journey is a testament to the power of nurturing talent and the importance of div...