Student’s tech start-up prioritises ‘overlooked’ businesses
For University of Cape Town (UCT) student entrepreneur Rivar Maharaj, small businesses like wholesalers and retailers that operate in towns and townships across South Africa hold the country’s economy together. But unlike their larger counterparts, they don’t have the luxury of using sophisticated systems to get the jobs done
Maharaj’s tech start-up, Tennsa, aims to change this. It sits alongside small businesses to learn how they work and understand the processes that slow them down. In response, the team builds software technology that helps their clients’ businesses grow. The start-up’s first system – Tennsa OS – connects the processes that businesses already have in place, such as accounting, stock and payment systems, and groups them together in one place. This, Maharaj said, helps owners clearly see what matters, where the threats and opportunities are and what to do about them.
“Tennsa exists because we believe technology should be built around people, not in place of them,” he said. “Every wave of technology has reached large corporations first. They have the budgets, the teams and the systems built to receive it. Meanwhile, the businesses that hold this country’s economy together run on paper and systems no international vendor will ever support. So, we go to the smaller businesses, we sit in their offices and engage in their stores – learning how things actually work to streamline systems for them.”
Since founding the start-up in late 2025, the third-year computer science and applied statistics student has already kicked his business up a notch
In July, Tennsa closed a pre-seed funding round with Oakvale Invest – a firm that focuses on investing in artificial intelligence businesses. It’s also the firm’s first investment on the African continent. The pre-seed funding means it holds a minority stake in Tennsa and occupies a seat on the board
“They chose to make their first investment in a third-year UCT student, building for businesses in towns and townships in South Africa.”
“The investment means a great deal. Oakvale exists to back African entrepreneurs and they chose to make their first investment in a third-year UCT student, building for businesses in towns and townships in South Africa,” Maharaj said
He said the investment has allowed the business to grow its team, and he has recruited top talent from within UCT
“One of the main things for me was growing our talent pipeline and where else would I look but at UCT? We have two students here in leadership roles already and working alongside ambitious operators has been one of the best parts of all of this,” Maharaj said
Building software for ‘overlooked’ businesses
Thanks to the capital injection, Tennsa will also strengthen its engineering capabilities
Maharaj said thousands of businesses in South Africa are too large to run their operations on a single spreadsheet. Yet, they are too small to employ anyone to review their data. This means they run on paper and outdated systems
“We are building [software] for businesses that have been overlooked. Most of these businesses run software that lives on decades-old servers in back offices with no internet-facing interface. Those are the businesses we want to serve. We want to develop engineering nobody has done because from outside South Africa the market is invisible,” he said. “And when these businesses grow, so do the economies they operate in. And that means more employment opportunities for those who need it.”
And this is exactly what sets his business apart from its competitors that serve firms that already have access to cloud software
“Once we get it right here, the same will apply to every developing region where businesses have been overlooked in the same way,” he said
A juggling act
For this student entrepreneur, balancing full-time studies, chasing his business ambitions and still making time to unwind with family and friends has been a juggling act
“Actually, it’s a sacrifice more than balance. Some weeks the degree wins, some weeks the company wins. Sometimes I put both aside just to get outside with family or friends,” Maharaj said
And despite the stresses in the various facets of his life (and there are plenty), Maharaj said gratitude keeps him grounded
“I am grateful for everything. It is a privilege to be busy. It is a privilege to be able to chase something you are passionate about. What really keeps me going is remembering how fortunate I am to have difficult days. To have too much to do and to be stressed about things I chose to do. When I remember that, it humbles me,” he said
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