Afrainity Technologies, a student-led start-up incubated at the Harare Institute of Technology’s (HIT) Technology Transfer, Licensing, and Commercialisation Centre (TTLCC) at the Innovation Hub, scooped Gold in the Smart Cities and Infrastructure category at the POTRAZ Innovation Expo held in Bulawayo from 29 July to 1 August 2025.

Competing against 24 innovators from across Zimbabwe, the team impressed judges with their innovation, Mutumwa AI, securing US$5,000 in seed funding and a US$1,000 prize. The start-up, Afrainity, comprises a four-founder team, Tadiwa Mushati, Rufaro Mugabe, Takudzwa Ndaveni and Takunda Mawere, who concurrently are pursuing studies from the School of Information Science and Technology.

Their award-winning product and innovation is Mutumwa AI. Mutumwa AI, which means “messenger”, is an AI-powered customer service platform that enables organisations to create chatbots delivering information and services via popular channels like WhatsApp. It supports native Zimbabwean languages such as Shona and Ndebele, making it inclusive and accessible to a broad audience. The platform addresses key customer service challenges by offering convenient self-service options, reducing operational costs, and improving engagement for sectors ranging from education and banking to utilities and government services.

The Afrainity team credits their success to the mentorship and resources provided by the HIT Vice Chancellor Professor Engineer Q.C. Kanhukamwe, and the TTLCC. The team expressed their commitment to expanding Mutumwa’s reach as part of Zimbabwe’s digital transformation journey. This achievement highlights the innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial drive of HIT students, reinforcing the university’s role as a hub for solutions that address real-world challenges.