Reclaiming the Narrative: Community, Media & Africa's Startup Story with Andile Masuku(African Tech Roundup)

What if the real power in Africa’s startup ecosystem isn’t capital — but control of the narrative?

This episode is a reckoning with how stories are told, who gets to tell them, and what gets left out. Andile Masuku, co-founder of African Tech Roundup, joins us to unpack the tension between media, community, and innovation — and why reclaiming the narrative is essential if we’re serious about building an ecosystem that serves people, not just platforms.

Andile has spent nearly a decade documenting the evolution of the continent’s tech space. But he’s also challenged it — asking hard questions about who gets visibility, whose voices are missing, and whether we’re building systems that truly serve people.

We unpack:

• Why African Tech Roundup chose depth over scale — and what that reveals about community building

• The media’s role in either amplifying hype or holding power to account

• How "community" has become a buzzword — and how to reclaim its real meaning

• The tension between storytelling, influence, and impact

• Why building with integrity means being willing to disrupt your own comfort

💡 This episode is a call to rethink what we celebrate in African innovation — and a reminder that storytelling isn’t just a reflection of the ecosystem, it’s a force that can shape its future.