It’s easy to think that tech stories are all about gadgets, algorithms, and the next big disruption. But sometimes, a tech story is really just a story about two women who looked around, saw what was missing, and decided to do something about it.
Shameera Akbar and Ayesha Bayat are not your typical tech founders. They don’t speak in code or pitch decks first; they lead with empathy, clarity, and an unshakeable belief in community. At the core of their work through DigiYouth Africa, Mesh-Ed Solutions, and Iconiq Technologies is a simple but radical idea: technology should serve people, not the other way around.
Their journey weaves through personal loss, unlikely pivots, and powerful partnerships. From diamond evaluation courses to AI education workshops in underserved schools, they’ve built something that goes far beyond innovation. They’re building Ubuntu in action—a digital world where no one gets left behind.
Roots, Reroutes and Revelations
“I was born in Durban,” Shameera begins, her voice smooth and unpretentious. “I did primary school here, and then my family moved to Cape Town… and later, we moved back to Durban.” Her early life reads like a map constantly folding and unfolding, Durban, Cape Town, back again.
When she finally landed in Johannesburg at the age of 22, newly married, a spark was lit. “That’s when my entrepreneurial journey began. Being exposed to different industries through my husband at the time really ignited something in me.”
Her first venture into business was in evening wear. Then, something else caught her curiosity and held it: diamonds. “I enrolled in a diamond evaluation course at the Oppenheimer Diamond School in Johannesburg,” she explains. That venture still exists, though she’s no longer active in it.
But the diamond industry opened a portal to her true passion. “I became fascinated with the technology behind it. That curiosity led me to pivot into the tech world,” she says. “Technology infiltrates every aspect of life and every industry and I haven’t looked back since.”
Iconiq Technologies was born from this fascination—a managed service provider rooted in digital innovation. But it wasn’t until she met Ayesha Bayat that something much larger took form.
The Meeting That Changed Everything
“When I met my partner, Ayesha Bayat, we started Mesh-Ed Solutions together,” Shameera recalls. “AI is at the forefront of everything now, and it’s grown so quickly.”
Their vision was radical and deeply human: to use technology as a tool, not a trap. “We asked ourselves, how can we use AI as a tool? How do we make it work for us rather than let it overwhelm or replace us?”
In 2021, a dormant dream came back to life. DigiYouth Africa, originally registered that same year, had suffered tragic setbacks. “One of the original founders was diagnosed with cancer and sadly passed away just a few months later,” she says gently. “So DigiYouth had to take a backseat for a while.”
But meeting Ayesha reignited it. “She jumped in without hesitation. We started small, funding workshops in schools ourselves, planting seeds where most people didn’t even see soil.”
Creating Tech Spaces That Heal and Empower
“We began by hosting workshops at schools, basic introductions to technology and AI, and how to navigate that space,” she says. “It’s grown from there.”
Now, DigiYouth Africa develops Tech and Innovation Hubs—digital campuses designed to be self-sustainable and replicable. Their mission is simple but bold: equip young people with the skills to thrive in a digital economy.
“It’s all about purpose beyond profit. We want to empower and genuinely help people,” she says. “We want to see real, tangible change in their lives.”
They chose collaboration over traditional hiring. “The reason we haven’t built a large team is because we’ve opted to collaborate with other companies,” Shameera explains. Mesh-Ed Solutions serves as the umbrella for Iconiq Technologies and DigiYouth Africa, tying them together under a shared mission rooted in Ubuntu: I am because you are.
Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges
Challenges? They had many. But she doesn’t romanticize them.
“Getting funding, getting people to believe in your idea—it’s tough. You eventually learn that you can’t do everything alone,” she says. “You bootstrap. You trade skills the old-school way, I fix your computer, you help with accounting.”
Being a woman in tech brought its own hurdles. “People don’t always take women seriously in this space. They’ll often choose a man over a woman. But over time, things change—people begin to see what you’re capable of.”
She makes it a point to uplift others in similar positions. “Most of the companies I work with are female-owned. I know what it feels like to be overlooked and I want to change that.”
A Legacy of Empowerment
“My proudest achievement is founding DigiYouth Africa,” she says. “It’s about creating opportunities, not just for youth, but for people as a whole.”
She lights up when talking about their impact, adopting a school and introducing young people to futures they never imagined. “In South Africa, we have around 250,000 university applicants a year, but only 6,000 are accepted. What happens to the rest?”
Her answer: exposure. Learnerships, apprenticeships, alternatives that open doors. “We need to show them what’s out there. That’s what DigiYouth is doing.”
Her journey even took her to Rwanda for the Youth Connect Summit. “Across Africa, we’re all facing the same challenges. It’s a pan-African issue.”
Now, with more structure and momentum, they’re expanding. “We’re developing leadership programs, soft skills training, and work readiness workshops,” she shares. “We’re focusing on communication, understanding, articulation… preparing young people for the real world.”
Looking Ahead, Staying Grounded
Shameera is drawn to deep tech, even if it’s intimidating. “I don’t know if I’d call it excitement or anxiety—but I choose to be excited.”
One of the newest projects is Startup Huddle, a networking event for entrepreneurs at all stages. The event is being headed by Ayesha with Shameera offering assistance “We bring them together so they can connect and learn from one another.”
Wisdom from the Frontlines
What advice would she give other entrepreneurs? “Don’t try to do it all alone. Bootstrapping is key. And never let yourself be silenced or oppressed.”
She attributes much of their recent success to her partnership with Ayesha. “What we’ve accomplished in the past year far outweighs what I managed in the previous ten. It’s made a huge difference.”
And her most important lesson? “Be kind in a cruel world.”
At the heart of their work isn’t code or cloud systems, it’s people. It’s belief. It’s two women who looked at a fractured, digital world and chose to build bridges instead of silos.
Through DigiYouth Africa, Iconiq Technologies, and Mesh-Ed Solutions, Shameera and Ayesha are crafting something bigger than themselves, a movement toward equity, innovation, and shared humanity.
As Shameera puts it, “Opportunities are something you create. But be patient—hard work takes time to bear fruit. Nothing happens overnight.”
In a world racing toward the future, they’ve chosen to slow down and lift others as they climb. And in doing so, they are changing everything.
