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 the introduction, 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.
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 and 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.
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.
This adoption of cloud technology has created a need for skilled professionals, the MD and VP of AWS, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Tanija Randery said “The World Economic Forum has said 97 million new jobs will be created by 2025, as a result of cloud computing and digitalisa jobs yet” which just shows how much growth and stability the cloud will gain over time. Jonathan then shares his fundamental principle, “the first ability you have to acquire is computational thinking”, and then 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.
The next point of discussion goes on to be Artificial Intelligence, which has found a home in the cloud leveraging the vast resources that can be harnessed on-demand. Jonathan shares his own product that Cloudza has built and won an award from AWS for innovation, the Statement of Work Engine, this tool 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.
Jonathan shares his insights on the stance the cloud takes when it comes to data silos. 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 cutthroat in today’s data-driven environment. He also shares his exciting partnerships with educational institutions to build scalable and accessible learning management systems for students wherever they may currently reside.
When it comes to visibility and compliance, he explains the visibility cloud platforms provide and the ways in which Cloudza ensures the anonymity and integrity of customer data. This transparency enables trust between customers and the cloud, which is essential for maintaining business continuity.
The goal is to not 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.
Jonathan wraps up the interview by sharing his vision for Cloudza within the next five years, and seeing how he understands the unique challenges and opportunities which lie in the African market, with sights on the global market, the future looks promising. In closing, he shares ways to get companies started with their cloud journey. As we’re witnessing a major shift in how businesses operate and innovate, the cloud has become the great equaliser, and that makes the future exciting.