Episode 37: Building Quantum Community Across Africa

Farai Mazhandu, physicist, high school teacher, and dynamic social entrepreneur, first worked with quantum tech in 2019. To continue the energy and enthusiasm he experienced from a Qiskit coding class, he first led the Africa chapter of One Quantum and more recently founded the African Quantum Consortium (AQC). In this episode of The Quantum Spin, Farai and host Veronica Combs discuss the challenges and excitement of creating a continent’s quantum strategy for today and for the future, using Africa’s inherent strengths, and building a broad community.

00:00 Introduction to the Quantum Spin Podcast

00:34 Meet Farai Mazhandu: STEM Advocate and Educator

00:48 The Birth of the Africa Quantum Consortium

02:18 Building a Quantum Community in Africa

05:34 The Importance of Community and Happy Hours

08:43 Quantum Use Cases and Africa's Technological Future

15:34 Investing in Africa's Quantum Ecosystem

19:09 Addressing Western Misconceptions About Africa

23:28 The Role of Storytelling in Science Communication

28:31 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Farai Mazhandu is a quantum strategist shaping Africa’s tech trajectory. He founded the Africa Quantum Consortium (AQC) and drives STEM talent pipelines across Africa and the U.S.

Holding dual master’s degrees from the Colorado School of Mines and University of Witwatersrand, Farai brings 15+ years in physics education, quantum research, and ecosystem leadership. He has led cross-continental initiatives advancing quantum innovation, policy, and public engagement.

Originally from Zimbabwe, Farai is a published author, journal editor, and ecosystem architect committed to securing Africa’s quantum future.

Host Veronica Combs is a quantum tech editor, writer and PR professional. She manages public relations for quantum computing clients at HKA Marketing Communications, the #1 agency in quantum tech PR. Veronica joined HKA from TechRepublic and has covered technology, healthcare and business strategy for more than 15 years.

Connect with Veronica on LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronicacombs/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with HKA Marketing Communications on LinkedIn at

https://www.linkedin.com/company/hka-inc--public-relations/ or on our website at ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://hkamarcom