Vitalik Buterin, the co-creator of the world's second-largest cryptocurrency, Ethereum, has expressed his support for Zambia's tech startup founders' mission to create a regulatory and business environment that would attract more tech firms and capital to the southern Africa nation.
Buterin expressed his support in a virtual meeting with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema earlier this year following a 2019 visit to the country as a guest of Mwiya Musokotwane, the son of Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane, who wanted him to view a new charter city outside Lusaka that is also positioning itself to attract businesses.
Musokotwane is also the CEO of Thebe Investment Management, and one of the people pioneering Zambia’s tech ambitions through the Zambia Technology Sector Working Group.
Buterin said that he was impressed by everyone's willingness to go and do big things.
The group receiving support from Buterin is in the process of organizing a conference in May in Lusaka to draft detailed policy proposals that they believe will see Zambia succeed where previous African tech hubs have failed to make headway.