Q&A – From Zvishavane to the World : Kumbirai Chipadza’s journey to Mining Efficiency

Question and Answer with an entrepreneur in the diasporan community 

Mining technology has undergone massive evolution and a Zvishavane born young entrepreneur has embraced this metarmorphosis and established linkages in Europe where he is now based in Germany. Last weekend President Mnangagwa hailed the diasporan community for luring investors.

Express Mail Zim founding  editor Nigel Pfunde (NP) had a wide-ranging interview with the award winning Kumbi Chipadza (KC) who candidly retraced his inherent passion and turbulence journey in mining and construction industry.

NP: Good day Mr Chipadza please tell us a brief background yourself. Place of birth and your journey ?

KC: “My name is Kumbirai Chipadza, born on 28th March 1983 in the small mining town of Zvishavane, Zimbabwe. I attended Shabani Primary and Victoria High School, followed by a brief period at Midlands State University, before continuing my studies at the University of KwaZulu Natal, where I pursued Philosophy, Politics, and Law.

“Growing up in Zvishavane, we lived in a well-resourced mining community supported by Shabanie Mine. The collapse of Shabanie Mine impacted not only my family but the entire community and the effects are still being felt. Where as the coming in of Mimosa Platinum Mine has helped restore the shattered social fabric. This sparked my ambition to contribute to sustainable mining where communities benefit not only in social programs but in business.

When you took the entrepreneurial route what are
challenges do Zimbabwean entrepreneurs face?

KC: The biggest challenge for Zimbabweans as a whole is a lack of unity . There is pervasive division across various sectors, including religion, tribalism, politics, and sports. This creates an embarrassing culture of negativity and undermines our potential for success. Unlike other nations, where citizens support each other and uplift their countries, Zimbabweans often engage in backbiting and rivalry.

This “bring him down” mentality is detrimental, ( Winky D vs Jah Prayzah ), ( Prophet Makandiwa vs Prophet Magaya ), ( Peter Ndlovu vs Moses Chunga ), ( Mai Titi vs Madam Boss ) yet all these people are gifted in their art and we can celebrate them all.

“Sorry i digress from your question, Zimbabwean entrepreneurs often lack a strong support system network of business angels, mentors, and investors. Even successful Zimbabweans abroad may hesitate to invest or promote Zimbabwe due to fears of embarrassment or polarization. As a result, the country struggles to attract significant funding and investment, which is reflected in the negligible figures compared to our regional counterparts.

NP: What have been your entrepreneurial learnings, success, and failures in Zimbabwe?

KC: Together with Simanga Zhou and Pride Mafede, I co-produced the My Own Boss Entrepreneurial Show in 2012. We had an incredibly strong business model that, under different economic conditions, could have made us millionaires. However, due to the economic instability in Zimbabwe at the time, the model didn’t quite work out. What really stood out for me during that period was the opportunity to learn from industry giants like Dr. Philip Chiyangwa, who served as our anchor, along with the late Zororo Makamba (RIP). The show also featured inspirational insights from business leaders such as Adam Molai, Hon. Chamu Chiwanza, and Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa, and a remarkable cast of young entrepreneurs.

“In 2014-2015, I was involved in a multi-million dollar electrical reticulation project that unfortunately didn’t end with us getting paid. The most significant lesson I took from this experience is that “it is only your money when it’s in your pocket.”

“These experiences taught me invaluable lessons about resilience, adaptability, and the importance of a strong support network in business.

NP: Why did you then to relocate to Germany?

KC: Well, I moved to Germany in 2016, initially as an asylum seeker. Despite the challenges, I managed to start my first company, Deutsch Connect. Deutsch Connect teaches German and links African and German businesses and talent through B2B matchmaking, market linkages, and talent acquisition.

” We have taught over 300 students German language and +70 have come to Germany for Apprenticeship. In 2021.

” I was awarded the Ortel African Entrepreneur of the Year in Germany, and in 2022, I was selected as one of 40 African and German business leaders in the AGYLE Program by the German government, which aims to accelerate economic cooperation between Africa and Germany.

“This experience led me to apply as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Beam Berlin, the company builder for BEUMER Group, where my life changed as I co-founded Kuchera alongside my two partners, Mxolisi Sibiya and Christian Hugger.

NP: Intresting my brother, tell me more about the formation of Kuchera:

KC: Kuchera was founded in 2023 after our time at Beam Berlin. The name “Kuchera” reflects both the act of digging in mining and our work as a software company focused on extracting and analysing data. With our flagship product, teamUp, we aim to revolutionise load and haul operations by assisting teams to set up objectives, track them and providing real-time actionable data, helping them achieve efficiency through incremental gains even in the most remote areas via satellite.

NP: Please kindly fill us in on your vision and operations:

KC: Our vision is to optimize performance in the construction and mining industries, particularly in Africa. Although we are based in Germany, we have embraced a global operational model. We are currently in 8 countries across the world.

“We collaborate remotely with teams across Germany, Africa, and Latin America.

” I myself (sic) worked with my co-founder, Mxolisi, for more than a year before we even met in person.

“Our key to success is a strong team culture of ownership and going above and beyond for our clients.

NP: All been said and done, what is/are the game-changing products and services.

KC: Kuchera platform, teamUp, is an OEM-agnostic performance management solution. It focuses on key areas of productivity, safety, maintenance, and sustainability. We track metrics like cycle times, speed limits, mechanical data, and fuel consumption. teamUp provides users with data on loads, distances covered, and asset tracking—all from the convenience of a mobile app.

“An example is one Tawanda, a mine operations manager in Mberengwa, can monitor all his equipment and performance metrics from Harare while spending time with his family. Similarly, Linda, a Safety and Health Manager at a mine in Chiadzwa can be playing golf on a Saturday in Harare, while overseeing safety violations remotely in real-time.

NP: How has the Zimbabwean market embraced your innovative services so to speak:

KC: ” We are grateful for the warm reception of our solutions in Zimbabwe. Kuchera has presented to the Association of Mine Managers of Zimbabwe and the Association of Mine Surveyors of Zimbabwe. We’ve been featured in Mining Zimbabwe, and I had the honour of meeting the Chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee for Mining, Honourable Matangira, at Mining Indabaf. Furthermore we are already working with four mines and 3 Mining Contractors in Zimbabwe.

NP: Ok fine Mr Chipadza, my million dollar question is what impact has Kuchera exerted in terms of results?

KC: At Kuchera, we believe in delivering results before asking for payment. With our unique Value-Share model, you only pay once we’ve delivered the agreed value—reviewed quarterly. No upfront costs, no risk. 💯

Here’s how we create impact:

🚛 Fuel Efficiency: L/BCM & L/Hr (minimising fuel burn)

⏳ Idle Time Analysis: Lost time, idle fuel waste, cycle optimisation, haul simulation

⚙️ Utilisation: Actual run-time vs delays

📊 Productivity: BCM/hr & operator performance

✅ Safety & Compliance:
Enhanced monitoring and adherence to safety regulations

NP:Thank you very much for your time and Express Mail Zim wish you well in your endeavours as you fly the Zimbabwe flag high and keep up the patriotism.

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