BY VICTOR ADAR
Dreams can be powerful. Maybe there is no evidence to this, but when your dreams come true, you can inspire others to also make an effort and move ahead. And one Tumaini Bundi is proof that dreams are always valid.
At just 24, when most young people focus on employment while they could start something and thrive on it, Mr Bundi already knew that nothing is better than a good business. The entrepreneurship bug bit him way back in 2014 while still college, and is currently running Hasof Limited, a venture that he says was necessitated by the fact that there was a lot of demand in the know-how of microcontrollers and embedded systems by electrical and electronics engineering students at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
We all know the temptations that come after completing studies especially when the only option that you have for you to get some income is to secure a job. Armed with a capital of Sh50, 000, an amount used to buy various prototyping materials to facilitate in learning how stuff works, Bundi has never looked back.
“Our mission is to offer exceptional services in all the disciplines that we deal in and satisfy our clients at friendly prices as per the scope of work,” he says
“The unique thing about Hasof is that we have since diversified into outdoor marketing, specifically use of skaters in advertisement on major roads in Nairobi; something you may have seen at peak hours on our roads.”
To him, Hasof, which is a tiny company whose name originates from “Ha”rdware and “Sof”tware, ought to be one of the leading technological companies in sub Saharan Africa, and beyond.
“It should be the number one technology firm since we have been working on our own innovations which will cause a seismic shift in the region in the near future,” he says, adding that they mainly analyze and speculate on challenges then design the best solutions that suit various needs and expectations.
Describing Hasof as “a distinctive company that offers products and services in IT, electrical and electronic engineering to solve most of problems associated with such fields”, Mr Bundi’s aim is to develop and provide designs and systems that meet the current and future societal demands and realize them outstandingly. At a time when an entrepreneur’s journey is not an easy one, he is in serious business. His is a milestone in the entrepreneurship journey.
“We are involved in development and provision of electrical plan work, automations, circuit designs, web applications, mobile applications, network solutions and cyber security solutions,” he says.
That Hasof Limited offers services including mobile apps, web design, cyber security, engineering and outdoor marketing, you may think that the company is spreading itself too thin. But that’s not the case. The company has three main departments that include Information and Technology, engineering, and of course, marketing. “In each department we have enough staff who are diligently handling their duties. I have employed about 12 people. Six of them are permanent employees while the rest are on contractual basis. This has led to client satisfaction over the years,” Bundi explains.
So far, the uptake of his services is fantastic thanks to what he calls “being creative and innovative”. App development, for instance, ranges from as little as Sh70, 000, an amount that many of his customers are able to pay up despite being on a tight budget.
“Our services are quite affordable,” he affirms. “The market is constantly dynamic both for individual and corporate clients, this has necessitated us to be more creative and up to the game. The latter has given us a niche in the market leading to massive referrals from our existing clients. So far we have slightly over 150 serious clients who we are proud of as Hasof. This number keeps on growing day by day.”
Bundi runs a company, which mainly focus on customized systems, and believes that it is fulfilling to do business that way. He says: “Every client has unique needs, so our focus on customized systems helped us realize solutions tailored to specific client’s need.”
There may be a potential of a new crop of entrepreneurs especially these days when you may be armed with that degree with a distinction or credit to crown it all, but getting a job could still just be another drama. Having been in business for five years now, every day is a new adventure, and things are clicking for him. When he is not pitching for business, and serving clients, you’ll find him playing golf at Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club. While playing golf, he gets a chance to network with other city golf players.
“I am an innovator in the technological world and a JKUAT product who is in the mission of promoting local innovative solutions… and I love golf,” he says.
