Founder Magazine sat down with Alex Mativo, a Kenyan entrepreneur and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, who has built multiple ventures at the intersection of sustainability, technology, and data-driven growth. From tackling Africa’s electronic waste problem to building real-time retail analytics for global brands, Alex represents a new generation of startup founders who are not only solving problems but also reshaping industries.
Q1: Alex, let’s start with your journey. What first inspired you to become an entrepreneur at such a young age?
Alex Mativo:
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of solving problems that affect millions of people. Growing up in Nairobi, I saw challenges that others overlooked — like electronic waste piling up in dumpsites, or how brands struggled to understand their customers. I realized that entrepreneurship gave me the freedom to not just complain about these problems, but to actually build solutions.
Q2: One of your first ventures, E-LAB, tackled electronic waste in a very creative way. Can you tell us more about that?
Alex Mativo:
E-LAB was born from the idea that waste could be turned into something valuable. We collected electronic waste like old circuit boards, hard drives, and computer parts, then reimagined them into high-end fashion accessories and design products. This did two things: it reduced toxic e-waste in the environment and created jobs in the circular economy. Seeing people wear and use products that were once “junk” was incredibly fulfilling.
Q3: From e-waste to retail analytics — your startup Duck is quite different. What problem is Duck solving?
Alex Mativo:
Duck is a retail technology company. We noticed that many brands in Africa and emerging markets don’t have access to real-time customer insights. They spend on marketing, but they don’t always know what’s working. Duck gives them analytics on customer behavior, preferences, and engagement so they can make smarter, data-driven decisions. Think of it as giving African brands the same level of intelligence that global retailers like Amazon or Walmart enjoy.
Q4: What challenges did you face when starting Duck, and how did you overcome them?
Alex Mativo:
The hardest part was convincing local retailers that data was as important as sales. Many small and mid-sized businesses are used to intuition rather than analytics. We overcame that by running pilot projects that clearly showed them the revenue impact when they used data. Once we had case studies, adoption became easier.
Q5: You’ve been recognized globally — Queen’s Young Leaders Award, Forbes 30 Under 30, CNN features. How do these recognitions impact your work?
Alex Mativo:
Recognition helps open doors, but it’s not the end goal. What really matters is execution. Awards and features give you visibility, credibility with investors and clients, and inspire the team. But at the end of the day, customers don’t buy because you’re on Forbes — they buy because your product solves their problem.
Q6: Both E-LAB and Duck show your passion for sustainability and innovation. How do you balance impact with profitability?
Alex Mativo:
I don’t see them as separate. A good business solves a real problem — and real problems in Africa often have social or environmental dimensions. At E-LAB, the impact was reducing e-waste; at Duck, it’s enabling local brands to thrive in the digital economy. Profitability ensures the impact is sustainable.
Q7: Many young entrepreneurs look up to you. What advice do you have for startup founders just getting started?
Alex Mativo:
Start with a problem, not an idea. Too many people chase “cool ideas” without validating if anyone actually needs them. The best businesses are born from solving painful problems. Second, execution matters more than inspiration — get your product out there, test, learn, iterate. And finally, don’t be afraid to fail. Every failure is data.
Q8: What’s the long-term vision for Duck? Where do you see it in the next 5 years?
Alex Mativo:
Our vision is to be the go-to retail analytics platform for emerging markets — not just in Africa, but globally. We want to empower thousands of brands to grow smarter, serve customers better, and compete with global giants. In five years, I see Duck operating across multiple continents, supporting retailers from Nairobi to São Paulo to Jakarta.
Q9: You’ve been part of Africa’s growing tech ecosystem for years. What excites you most about the startup scene in Kenya right now?
Alex Mativo:
Kenya has become a true innovation hub. We’re seeing solutions in fintech, agri-tech, climate-tech, and logistics that are globally competitive. What excites me most is the young talent — developers, designers, problem-solvers — who are building world-class startups without waiting for permission from anyone.
Q10: If you had to leave our readers with one piece of wisdom, what would it be?
Alex Mativo:
Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint. It will test your patience, resilience, and courage. But if you focus on solving problems that matter, the rewards — financial, personal, and societal — are worth it.
✍️ Closing Note from Founder Magazine
Alex Mativo embodies the essence of the African founder story: bold, creative, and impact-driven. From turning e-waste into fashion to building real-time analytics for retailers, his journey proves that African entrepreneurs are not just catching up — they’re shaping the future.
