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About Me
AI researcher, systems architect, and open-source builder designing technology that creates real-world impact across Africa and beyond.
Thabang Mashinini-Sekgoto
AI researcher, open-source builder, and educator. I design production AI systems that create measurable impact, and I teach others to do the same.
Built AI systems that cut processing times by up to 90%, contributed to R1B+ in savings, and improved forecast accuracy for climate risk intelligence.
Creator of the Ubunye Engine, an open-source ML framework with declarative ETL, feature stores, and YAML-driven pipelines. I build tools so others can build faster.
Training the next generation in practical AI through hands-on courses, from zero-code AI agents for everyday professionals to advanced agentic engineering for developers.
I believe in building technology that uplifts communities and making AI knowledge accessible to everyone, not just those with PhDs.
Annual OPEX Savings
Vodacom Smart Generators
Latency Reduction
ABSA ML Platform
Forecast Accuracy Gain
IBM Climate Intelligence
Subsidy Generated
Wits Enrollment System
- 🎥Photography & Filmmaking
- 🎶Music Production
- 🌍Calisthenics & Exploring
- 🪂Skydiving
- 🏁Drag Racing
Strive to build things that make a difference.— Thabang Mashinini-Sekgoto
Work With Me
I'm open to consulting on AI systems architecture, ML platform engineering, and data strategy. I also do public speaking and advisory work. Whether you need a keynote, a technical advisor, or hands-on help scaling your AI infrastructure, let's talk.
What People Say
From Colleagues
“Thabang was an integral member of my team for several years, during which we tackled numerous challenging data science problems together. His dedication and passion for solving complex problems are truly commendable. His technical knowledge in data science is impressive, with hands-on experience in Gaussian process models, graph algorithms, probabilistic graphical models, and traditional machine learning algorithms.”
Jaco du Toit, Ph.D.
AI/ML & Data Team Lead, Mobile Network Innovation
Impact“It was evident from the start that Thabang is an exceptional and hard-working researcher driven by achieving the goals set before him. He always found a way to get a task done — he took initiative, made a decision, and executed on it with speed and to the best of his ability. It was an absolute pleasure to have worked with him.”
Etienne Vos, Ph.D.
Research Scientist Manager, IBM
Teaching“As a data scientist, he played an instrumental role in enhancing our data and prediction pipelines. He identified new sources of predictability and tested multiple hyper-parameter search strategies, which ultimately boosted the performance of our models. His attention to detail, willingness to collaborate, and strong communication abilities made him an invaluable teammate.”
Akram Zaytar, Ph.D.
Senior Research Scientist, Microsoft | GeoAI
EngineeringTools & Technologies
Tech Stack
