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Bongani Masela

Bongani Masela

Football Player

Followers of Bongani Masela940 followers
location of Bongani MaselaDurban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

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  • Timeline

  • About me

    Global Startup Award Nominee ‘23 || Top 15 Young Geeks ‘23 || Software Engineering Student || Entrepreneur || ‘Unicorn’ Founder in the making.

  • Education

    • Durban High School

      2014 - 2018
      National Senior Certificate NQF Level 4 Grade 8 - 12

      Activities and Societies: First Team Football Vice Captain.

    • IIE Rosebank College

      2022 - 2024
      Diploma in Information Technology Computer Software Engineering

  • Experience

    • KZN FOOTBALL ACADEMY

      Jan 2015 - Jan 2017
      Football Player

    • REMAX ADDRESS

      Jun 2016 - Jul 2016
      Real Estate Agent

    • AmaZulu FC

      Jan 2017 - Dec 2018
      Football Player

    • Real Vicenza SSD

      Jan 2019 - Dec 2019
      Football Player

    • Grupo Desportivo Alcochetense

      Jan 2020 - Feb 2020
      Football Player

      Deported due to Covid19.

    • Naldorado Executive Villa

      Mar 2020 - Aug 2020
      Operations Manager

      Managed booking system, staff supervision and insured the establishment maintained a high level of service delivery to all guests.

    • Clydesdale Cargo & Personnel Management

      Jan 2021 - Nov 2021

      Client liaison and overall day to day company operations.

      • Operations Controller

        Jun 2021 - Nov 2021

      • Warehouse Supervisor

        Jan 2021 - May 2021

    • Pluto.

      Nov 2021 - now
      Co-Founder

      A digital networking platform dedicated to the acceleration of business growth and development of African Youth SMEs.

    • House of 30

      Nov 2021 - now
      Event Director

      I am responsible for organizing, mobilizing, and coordinating our staff, event participants, officials, and administrators to ensure the successful execution of various events. My role encompasses key responsibilities such as account management, where I build and maintain strong client relationships; business development, identifying new opportunities and strategic partnerships; and market research, conducting thorough analysis to keep us competitive. Additionally, I engage in sales prospecting to actively seek potential clients, develop public relations strategies to enhance our brand visibility, and oversee revenue management to maximize profitability while ensuring exceptional service delivery. Through these efforts, I leverage my expertise to drive success for both our clients and the organization, solidifying House of 30's position as a leader in the digital marketing and events management space. Show less

    • Gamers Territory

      Sept 2022 - Oct 2023
      Chief Technology Officer

      Gamers Territory is a township based technological facility, which mainly focusses on digital gaming.We entertain customers with the best gaming experience from Arcade to handheld consoles such as Play Stations and X-Box. Our objective is to bridge the gap of computer literacy in the townships by also providing coding classes and bringing the 4IR into the townships.

    • University of KwaZulu-Natal

      Jun 2024 - Jul 2024

      As a Jury Minder for the Durban International Film Festival, I facilitated the smooth operation of the jury process, ensuring that all aspects of their experience were well-coordinated and supportive. My responsibilities included providing logistical assistance, managing schedules, and acting as a liaison between the jury members and festival organizers. This role allowed me to engage closely with industry professionals while gaining valuable insights into the evaluation and selection process of films. My experience as a Jury Minder not only enhanced my organizational and communication skills but also deepened my appreciation for the art of filmmaking and the importance of fostering creative dialogue within the industry. Show less I had the privilege of being placed by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) at the Centre for Creative Arts, where I contributed to the esteemed Durban International Film Festival. In this role, I was responsible for designing and producing lanyards and accreditation materials for both local and international guests, filmmakers, and producers. Additionally, I collaborated closely with the marketing team to enhance our digital marketing strategies and implement various promotional initiatives. This experience not only deepened my understanding of the film festival landscape but also honed my skills in event coordination and marketing within the creative arts sector. Show less

      • Jury Minder

        Jul 2024 - Jul 2024

      • Cultural Producer Internship

        Jun 2024 - Jul 2024

  • Licenses & Certifications

    • YALI Business and Entrepreneurship Development

      YALI RLC-SA
      May 2024

    • Youth Workshop on Illicit Trade and Trafficking and its impact on the AfCFTA, Peace and Security in Southern Africa.

      UNODC
      Oct 2024

    • Wadhwani NEN Ignite Program

      Wadhwani Foundation
      Dec 2022
      View certificate certificate

    • National Certificate in Information Technology

      MICT SETA
      Mar 2024

    • Google Hustle Academy Bootcamp Program

      Google
      Nov 2022

    • Digital Marketing

      EBL Institute of Business and Technology
      Jun 2024

    • Code 10 Drivers License

      Department of Transport
      Jul 2023

  • Honors & Awards

    • Awarded to Bongani Masela
      Junior Chamber International (JCI) Durban Creative Young Entrepreneur Top 10 Junior Chamber International (JCI) Oct 2024
    • Awarded to Bongani Masela
      Entrepreneurship Excellence Award Nominee Durban Business Fair Excellence Awards 2024 Sep 2024 My startup was nominated for the Durban Business Fair Excellence Awards 2024 in the Business Excellence Category for the Lions Den Business Plan Competition.
    • Awarded to Bongani Masela
      Social Founder of the Year Nominee Founder of the Year Awards (FOYA) Aug 2024 FOYA exists to recognize and appreciate young founders contributing to the development of the African continent while creating sustainable jobs through entrepreneurship and inspiring others to start their own businesses.
    • Awarded to Bongani Masela
      African Union Youth Start Up Competition African Union Oct 2023 My startup was selected as one of the winners of the AU Youth Start Up Competition and was awarded sponsorship from African Export and Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the African Union Commission, to participate at the AU Youth Start Up Pavilion at the 2023 Intra-Africa Trade Fair (IATF2023) that took place physically at the Egypt International Exhibition Centre. The AU Youth Start Up Pavilion gave my company, along with 60 other Youth Start-Ups from across Africa and the Diaspora, with the… Show more My startup was selected as one of the winners of the AU Youth Start Up Competition and was awarded sponsorship from African Export and Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the African Union Commission, to participate at the AU Youth Start Up Pavilion at the 2023 Intra-Africa Trade Fair (IATF2023) that took place physically at the Egypt International Exhibition Centre. The AU Youth Start Up Pavilion gave my company, along with 60 other Youth Start-Ups from across Africa and the Diaspora, with the unique opportunity to exhibit our products and services within the Pavilion; attend capacity building programmes such as master classes; B2B networking, panel discussions, and participate in a pitching competition. Show less
    • Awarded to Bongani Masela
      Innovator Support Fund Innovate Durban Aug 2023 This incredible 12-month program is designed to support tech startups in Durban that are in beta or developing an MVP. Alongside grant funding, we've also been assigned an industry-leading mentor and given access to the tools necessary to help us reach market and scale our startup.
    • Awarded to Bongani Masela
      Top 15 Young Geeks in South Africa Geekulcha Jun 2023 Every year during Youth Month, Geekulcha name and honor the Top 15 Young Geeks in South Africa. These are the minds marking their stamp and playing a greater role in the Digital Revolution. These are Geeks who have been identified as being a role player in the transformation. One gets nominated and selected to be on the list based on the work they had been doing and contributing the SA tech ecosystem.
    • Awarded to Bongani Masela
      Global Startup Awards Africa 2023 Regional Finalist. Global Startup Awards Africa. Apr 2023 The Global Startup Awards is the largest independent startup ecosystem competition in the world covering 120 countries spread across 12 independent regions. Each individual regional award placing a heavy focus on unearthing and rewarding the very best from their respective ecosystems. The platform represents the entire startup community – from the startups themselves to the people behind them and the organisations that work alongside these visionaries to make great things possible. I was… Show more The Global Startup Awards is the largest independent startup ecosystem competition in the world covering 120 countries spread across 12 independent regions. Each individual regional award placing a heavy focus on unearthing and rewarding the very best from their respective ecosystems. The platform represents the entire startup community – from the startups themselves to the people behind them and the organisations that work alongside these visionaries to make great things possible. I was nominated as the ‘Ecosystem Hero of the Year 2023’ at the prestigious awards. Show less
    • Awarded to Bongani Masela
      United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Student Entrepreneurs United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Nov 2022 Selected to represent my university by pitching my startup and proposing solutions on how to promote entrepreneurship in universities across Africa and in the curriculum.
    • Awarded to Bongani Masela
      Youth Innovation Challenge Innovate Durban Nov 2022 70 of the most innovative youth entrepreneurs from around KwaZulu-Natal were selected by Innovate Durban to participate in a three-week capacity building program and have the opportunity to pitch an Innovative business solution to investors.
    • Awarded to Bongani Masela
      Moses Kotane Institute Hackathon. AlgoAtWork Robotics Academy. Oct 2022 1st Prize at the 24hr Hackathon where I was tasked to develop a database for Unemployed Graduates in KwaZulu-Natal.
    • Awarded to Bongani Masela
      The African Union Development Agency NEPAD and GIZ (German Development Cooperation) Digital Solutions Programme The African Union Development Agency NEPAD Sep 2022 6-month long capacity building, financial planning, business strategy and marketing program where I made it to the final 50 in Africa. I had the opportunity to pitch my startup to leaders of the African Union and investors from across the continent.
    • Awarded to Bongani Masela
      Hunting for Africa's Unicorns. Africa Business Council Jul 2022 Pitching Competition that took place in Zambia, Lusaka for the most promising startups across the African continent.
    • Awarded to Bongani Masela
      7th EU-Africa Business Forum European Union Feb 2022 I had the opportunity to pitch my startup platform, Pluto Africa at this prestigious international business Forum. The EU-Africa Business Forum (EABF) has been the main event preceding the AU-EU Summit since 2006. It is a strategic occasion for EU and African private sectors to identify and/or consolidate joint opportunities in the spirit of the Comprehensive Strategy with Africa and the Africa-Europe Alliance for sustainable investment and jobs. The EABF is a highly visible event organised… Show more I had the opportunity to pitch my startup platform, Pluto Africa at this prestigious international business Forum. The EU-Africa Business Forum (EABF) has been the main event preceding the AU-EU Summit since 2006. It is a strategic occasion for EU and African private sectors to identify and/or consolidate joint opportunities in the spirit of the Comprehensive Strategy with Africa and the Africa-Europe Alliance for sustainable investment and jobs. The EABF is a highly visible event organised jointly by the European and the African Unions where both showcase key initiatives to a high-quality audience of business leaders. It is an opportunity for business representatives to discuss policy reforms in Africa with key policy makers, with the objective of improving the trade and investment climate. It is also a platform for direct interaction between EU and African business (B2B) with dedicated sessions organised sector by sector. Show less
    • Awarded to Bongani Masela
      Intra-Africa Trade Fair Hackathon (IATF) African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) Nov 2021 1st Place at the international Intra-Africa Trade Fair Youth Hackathon Competition.

  • Volunteer Experience

    • Chairman

      Issued by Asikhanyise Foundation on Sept 2021
      Asikhanyise FoundationAssociated with Bongani Masela

    • Volunteer

      Issued by AlgoAtWork Robotics Academy on Nov 2022
      AlgoAtWork Robotics AcademyAssociated with Bongani Masela