CloudZA®, Transforming Businesses Through Cloud Technology

CloudZA® founder and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Oaker shares his experience with South Africa's digital landscape undergoing a profound transformation driven by big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence. In an interview, Jonathan dives into how he transitioned from hosting on legacy on-premise systems to establishing CloudZA® and becoming one of the leading advocates of cloud technology in Sub-Saharan Africa. With strategic partnerships from cloud hyperscalers, such as Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform, CloudZA® has established itself as a trusted partner for businesses navigating the cloud.

Big Data and Business Insights

At the heart of this transformation lives big data. Jonathan expounds on what big data is and how it can be used to showcase business insights. The sheer volume of data, and velocity, not leaving behind the variety of that data, is overwhelming traditional systems. Without the improved processing capabilities offered by cloud computing platforms, we would render useful data useless because we simply would not know what to do with it.

Cloud's Impact on Startups

Jonathan delves into the impact the cloud has had on startups. Startups are no longer required to have a substantial amount of capital to access enterprise-grade technology because the cloud offers that through a pay-as-you-go model, allowing them to scale accordingly with their growth. This allows for more competitiveness within the tech industry, as the cloud enables startups to go head-to-head with well-established institutions.

Cloud Employment and Skills Development

This adoption of cloud technology has created a need for skilled professionals. The World Economic Forum has said 97 million new jobs will be created by 2025 as a result of cloud computing and digitalisation. Jonathan shares his fundamental principle: "the first ability you have to acquire is computational thinking." He continues to build on top of that with online learning and other mediums such as the AWS Skills Center in Cape Town where the youth can access cloud-based learning to advance their skills.

Artificial Intelligence in the Cloud

Artificial intelligence has found a home in the cloud, leveraging the vast resources that can be harnessed on-demand. Jonathan shares CloudZA®'s own award-winning innovation: the Statement of Work Engine — a tool that allows businesses to form summaries based on engagements and align a balanced workload across a company's staff. These capabilities driven by AI are becoming increasingly accessible to businesses of all sizes, driving innovation across industries in South Africa.

Data Silos and Learning Management

In the cloud, you have the ability to store data in one central location and enable access across all departments. This integration proves to be critical in today's data-driven environment. Jonathan also shares exciting partnerships with educational institutions to build scalable and accessible learning management systems for students wherever they may currently reside.

Cloud as the Great Equaliser

The goal is not to have the shiniest stack, but to use the stacks available to provide business value and drive the business forward. He shares that the cloud is just a platform in which people can build their solutions, making lives better for ordinary people. This approach ensures that technology serves business objectives rather than constraining them.

"The cloud has become the great equaliser — and that makes the future exciting."

— Jonathan Oaker, Founder & CEO, CloudZA®