Building a tech start-up in Africa: Stories and Lessons from HouseME
By Ben Shaw and Lorne Hallendorff
The First Kudu tells the story of HouseME, a rental technology company founded in South Africa that grew to 34 employees and 50,000 registered users, processing hundreds of millions of Rands each year.
The company won awards, raised several rounds of funding and was sought after by competitors.
What goes into building a tech start-up
The narrative invites you to journey through the chaos with the young team and unpacks in gritty detail what goes into building a tech start-up – with stories of fun and failure honestly told in equal measure.
“It was exciting.
It was excellent.
And then…
it was dead.“
Ben Shaw (former CEO) and Lorne Hallendorff (former COO) provide a whirlwind tour of what goes into building a start-up at the southern tip of Africa and what they would do differently, were they to do it again.
“Brutally honest and hits close to home. An extremely valuable contribution to the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Africa with practical reflections on tackling operational, financial and product/market problems that most start-ups face.”
– Zach George, Managing Partner of Launch Africa Ventures
“Compelling lessons that offer fantastic insight into what happens behind the scenes building a start-up. Recommended reading for all start-up tech leaders in South Africa who want to learn from the founders who went before them.”
– Paul Kim, Ziwani Advisor
About the authors
Ben Shaw is a seasoned executive and investment professional with extensive entrepreneurial and corporate experience. He has successfully raised start-up capital and led diverse teams across South Africa.
Ben’s expertise spans a wide range of domains, sectors, and stages of business, with experience in investment banking, payment technology, property and private equity and he has made significant contributions to several ventures throughout his career. He now co-hosts the show Shapers, Makers, Builders & Breakers with Riël Malan. He serves as an advisor to several small companies and is passionate about mentorship and developing the African entrepreneurial ecosystem. He is an Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Fellow, represented South Africa in the CFA Institute Research Challenge and lives in Cape Town, South Africa.
Lorne Hallendorff is an experienced business leader currently spearheading a financial technology product which is a first for South Africa – the Karri Card. He led the set up and launch and is now overseeing its expansion. He has prior experience in technology start-ups and has worked in management consulting in a range of sectors across the African continent.
He is a Fellow of the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation and a former president of the UCT SRC. His 2023 short story “Without a Single Curtsy or Cartwheel” won an honourable mention in the humour category of the 92nd Annual Writer’s Digest Awards and his flash fiction work “Villains’ Annual Strategic Planning” was shortlisted for the 2023 Bridport Flash Fiction Award. Lorne has been featured in a chapter of Reflections of South African Student Leaders, 1994 to 2017 by Luescher, Webbstock, & Bhengu.
- PUBLISHER | Tracey McDonald Publishers |
- ISBN | 978-1-7764432-6-0 |
- Recommended Retail Price | R330.00 |
- Classification | Entrepreneurship |
For more information | Janine Daniel | +27 (0)83 327 3393 | mail me |
