Digital entrepreneur and Africa’s first spaceman Mark Shuttleworth was born in the Free State but educated in Cape Town. His passion for technology was first revealed through his love of computer games. While studying Business Science at the University of Cape Town, he encountered the internet, and quickly became intrigued by the changes that it would bring to business and society.
Digital entrepreneur and Africa’s first spaceman Mark Shuttleworth was born in the Free State but educated in Cape Town. His passion for technology was first revealed through his love of computer games. While studying Business Science at the University of Cape Town, he encountered the internet, and quickly became intrigued by the changes that it would bring to business and society.
He initially planned to become a website designer, but his interest in internet security prompted him to join an online discussion group chatting about coding and digital certificates. In 1995, during his final year, he started a company, in his parent’s garage, that specialised in internet security verification for electronic commerce. This led to the establishment of the Thawte Internet Security System, which specialised in the development of digital certificates that prove one’s identity over the internet. Thawte was one of the first companies to be recognised by both Netscape and Microsoft as a trusted third party for website certification.
By 1999, when it was bought by VeriSign for R3.5 billion, it was the fastest-growing internet certificate authority worldwide, and the leading certificate authority outside the US. Mark decided to use his newly gained wealth wisely, not only to increase his own range of experience, but also to invest in the future of science and technology in South Africa.
Believing that South African entrepreneurs had the potential to start businesses with a global impact, Shuttleworth formed HBD Venture Capital. The name refers to the phrase “Here Be Dragons” – the phrase used to indicate uncharted territory on early maps.
HBD has invested in several innovative South African companies that have the potential to serve a global market in a variety of sectors, such as software, pharmaceuticals, electronics and mobile phone services. Shuttleworth also believes risk capital could be as important for social development as it is for the economy, and created a non-profit organisation that supports social innovation in education in Africa.
The Shuttleworth Foundation funds projects that have the potential to bring about dramatic improvements to the education system, and has funded initiatives proposed by teachers, small businesses and private individuals. He also started the Hip2B² campaign (and TV programme) which encourages children to study maths and science at school.
African in space
In April 2002, at the age of 28, Mark became the first African in space when he blasted off as a member of the crew of Soyuz mission TM34 to the International Space Station in a Soyuz-U rocket from the Baikonur Star City cosmodome in Kazakstan, Russia. Along with Russian cosmonaut, Yuri Gidzenko, and Italian astronaut, Roberto Vittori, he orbited Earth and docked with the International Space Station (ISS).
Shuttleworth scorned the "space tourist" label some tried to attach to his trip and conducted a number of scientific experiments in the ISS. The three-day trip cost him $20 million, but he is adamant that it was worth every cent to see the Earth from space.
After returning to Earth, he developed a roadshow to share his space experience, as well as his enthusiasm for science, maths and technology with young people. It was seen by more than 100 000 pupils and spawned a wide range of initiatives under the Hip2B² banner.
In early 2004, while living in London, Shuttleworth founded the Ubuntu Project, which aims to produce a high quality desktop and server operating system that is freely available all over the world. The project brings together the best free software stack, with cutting-edge desktop and handheld innovation and solid server-side infrastructure. As a spin-off, the project has resulted in the creation of a number of unique tools for free software developers, such as the Bazaar version control system and Launchpad.net. Sub-projects include specialised desktop environments for schools, such as Edubuntu and Kubuntu. A remarkable South African life.
