Gustav Praekelt

Gustav Praekelt is a South African entrepreneur, technologist, and social impact innovator. He holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science and Philosophy from McGill University and University of Pretoria (1993). He founded Delapse, a pioneer in motion graphics and 3D animation, while completing his degree. After a transformative 2001 experience in Tanzania, he shifted focus to mobile technology for social good. In 2007, he established the Praekelt Foundation (now Reach Digital Health), delivering essential health information to over 100 million people across Africa through open source mobile technologies. Notable projects include the first HIV/AIDS SMS service and MomConnect maternal health platform. He co-founded Turn.io (2020), a global Public Benefit Corporation providing AI-powered chat platforms via WhatsApp. He also founded JoziHub (2013) and co-founded Kopano (2016). A frequent international speaker at PopTech and TEDx, he has won numerous awards for social innovation and technology.