Dean Gichukie - Podcast Bio

My name is Dean, Tech & creative industry expert for the past 10 years.
Worked with Elani, BYSS, and Ndovu plus closed deals with Showmax, Safaricom, Stanbic Bank & more.

A few topics I can talk about & share really deeply on your podcast

1. Running an African Video Game Studio.

2. Partnership with Microsoft, Ubisoft and Epic Games (Fortnite).

3. Elani could have been Sauti Sol. The journey & what happened?

4. Selling a creative business in Kenya.

5. Experience of raising venture capital from international investors as a black founder.

6. Working with Safaricom as a partner - what may kill Mpesa & how Mpesa is still winning?
   

I’ve spoken on a few podcasts previously.
Happy to have an initial chat & go deeper.

Here's my full Bio

Dean Gichukie: Tech Builder, Storyteller, and Innovator for Africa

Dean Gichukie loves tellingauthentic stories and building tech for Africa.

A visionary entrepreneur and creative industry professional, Dean is passionate about crafting authentic African stories and developing transformative technology. As a 3X founder and operator, he brings over a decade of experience scaling companies across fintech, technology, and creative sectors. His work has impacted millions across the continent, including selling a business and raising—and assisting others in raising—funding from investors.

Currently, Dean serves as the CEO & Game Producer at Kunta Content, an African game studio dedicated to creating meaningful and authentic games. The studio is currently developing HIRU, a Maasai-inspired 3D video game for consoles and PC, and has established groundbreaking partnerships with Xbox and Ubisoft, alongside support from Minecraft, Epic Games, and Steam.

Previously, Dean built and contributed to multiple tech products across Africa. As Chief Growth Officer, he has led several startups and fintechs, launching:

1. A revolutionary payment gateway that processed billions of shillings,

2. A data platform managing over 40 million data profiles, and

3. A wealth-tech platform enabling Africans to invest in the U.S. financial markets.

   
   

In the creative industry, Dean has worked with artists and event brands in scaling their businesses to millions of customers and millions of shillings. These include Elani, the leading East African Band, BYSS, top improv comedy brand, Dadasphere, a TED type event.

Dean is deeply committed to mentorship and innovation. He has advised numerous startups through accelerators and incubators and was recognized as a semifinalist for both the Thiel Fellowship and the Mastercard Future Forward Innovations program.

A sought-after speaker, Dean has shared insights on platforms like Mwango Capital and Kasi Afrique and at events such as Africa Games Week, Fak'ugesi Festival, and Africa Comicade. As a passionate advocate for authentic storytelling, he continues to host and contribute to conferences, webinars, and discussions centered on entrepreneurship, innovation, and the African narrative.