Mohau Mbangela’s dream was to become a professional soccer player or work in the world of construction and engineering. But life steered him away from soccer fields and building sites and led him to entrepreneurship and technology. Today, Mohau, 30, is the founder and chief executive of Thuto AI, an education technology platform that uses artificial intelligence to provide personalised, multilingual maths tutoring for students in Africa. His mission is clear — to unlock better futures for young people through accessible, locally relevant education. Mohau’s entrepreneurial journey has been recognised on both the continent and the global stage. Thuto AI has secured awards from the Emakhaya Tech Incubation Programme, the Tony Elumelu Foundation and support from accelerators in London, San Francisco and South Africa. He also founded AGA Talent, a recruitment platform for Africa’s construction sector and was selected for the African Impact Initiative backed by the University of Toronto and Mastercard Foundation. He is also a Young African Leaders Initiative alumnus and has been named one of Africa’s Top 50 Most Impactful Young Leaders.
Bachelor of Commerce degree in Business Management at the Pearson Institute
Growing up, I witnessed my mother defy every ceiling society tried to place above her. She started as a teacher and lecturer in Kimberley but, with nothing but determination and excellence as her compass, she rose to become a leader in the construction industry — serving as Registrar at SACPCMP, later becoming CEO of the Association of Construction Project Managers, and holding various board roles across South Africa’s public and private companies. I watched her navigate rooms where she was often the only woman, let alone the only Black woman, and not just hold her own — but lead. She never handed me speeches about hard work. She lived it. Every late night she came home after coordinating policy meetings, every award she earned, every student she mentored, every programme she built — I was there, silently learning. Her life showed me that impact is built, not inherited; that being excellent is not a goal but a habit; and that you never wait to be given space — you make it. I carry her story into every room I enter, and it is because of her belief in me that I have had the courage to build mission-driven startups like Thuto AI and AGA Talent. Without her quiet sacrifices and unwavering support, I do not think I would have believed it was even possible.