I've sometimes leapt from an ending straight into a beginning. Occasionally, the momentum carried me somewhere beautiful. Other times, I should've paused, taken a breath, sat in the in-between for a while longer.
So when I tell you that I've just wrapped up my time at Automattic… and I'm already founding a new company, Ubundi, you'd be right to wonder: am I chasing momentum, or has something meaningful clicked into place?
The truth is: even a month ago, I didn't think I'd be writing this.
But three threads—each quietly percolating in the background of my work and life—suddenly wove themselves together with unmistakable clarity. And I knew it was time to build again.
South Africa
When I joined Automattic at the start of 2024, I already felt the pull toward more meaningful work. Not just professional success, but work that mattered. There were faint sparks of a South African focus, but nothing fully formed yet.
Then the world tilted slightly. South Africa ended up in headlines and on sanctions lists. And I felt something stir; something protective. I hated the feeling that our country was at the mercy of others.
Of course, many of the challenges we face aren't solvable overnight. But I started imagining what a more self-sufficient, resilient South Africa could look like.
Not through isolation—but through collaboration, inclusion, and a deeper honouring of what makes us unique. What if our perceived constraints could become our greatest strength?
AI
I was a late adopter. The humanist in me was skeptical; still somewhat is, to be honest.
But in the last few months, I've leaned in. I've integrated AI into my daily work, watched it transform workflows, and come to a crucial realization: the only way to ensure this technology aligns with our values is to actively participate in shaping how it's built and used.
That perspective quickly expanded: what would it take to build AI infrastructure in South Africa? What if we didn't have to import it? What if we could build the muscle locally and own our narrative?
The seed of Ubundi was there in those questions, even if I didn't know its name yet.
The Studio
After Cogsy, I became fascinated with venture studios. I loved the model, but lacked a theme. I had the scaffolding, but not the soul.
That changed over time and I again spent time exploring venture studio models at Automattic. My curiosity around open source deepened. So did my appetite for building in public, for the messy work of incubating ideas with intention.
At Automattic, my eventual role in Other Bets presented me with a possible playground to test some of these thoughts. But a few weeks ago, the desire to build from scratch became undeniable. I wanted a blank canvas. I wanted to thread these personal convictions (about place, technology, and community) into something real.
A venture studio that will both build AI-centric products and embrace an AI-native approach to early-stage development. We'll ride the technological wave while using AI to reimagine how venture studios can work.
We'll build in South Africa with local builders. We hope to catalyse and inspire a greater collective effort that puts shape and substance to South Africa emerging as a true center of excellence for AI.
We'll pursue products with global impact—something I know firsthand from building WooCommerce into the world's second-largest ecommerce platform. And throughout this journey, we'll infuse our work with Ubuntu principles, bringing a uniquely South African perspective to how AI can serve humanity.
More soon.