He designs technology projects in Kenya and across Africa, developing tools for video games, education, and community collaboration.

Max Musau (photo) is a Kenyan tech entrepreneur and founder of Jiwe Studios. He aims to transform Africa's video game industry by creating immersive game worlds inspired by African cultures and histories.

Established in 2013, Jiwe Studios develops and publishes original video games like USAWA, Usoni, and 1001 Nights in Zanzibar. These games immerse players in adventures that combine myths, contemporary issues, and technological innovation.

Beyond game production, the studio also provides a community platform that connects African creators and gamers. This initiative supports the growth of new talent and the distribution of local content. In March 2025, Jiwe Studios launched the Jiwe Game Jams, a year-long series of events designed to boost game development in Kenya and across Africa.

In addition, Musau leads programs at the Africa Creative Coding and Learning Foundation, which he founded in 2018 to promote creative learning and education through play. He also acts as a strategic advisor at Re-imagining New Communities (RNC), an initiative that unites diverse communities for peacebuilding, cultural exchange, and dialogue.

Musau earned a bachelor’s degree in Information Systems Technology in 2013 from the United States International University, Africa. He then completed a master’s degree in Social and Sustainable Entrepreneurship at Colorado State University in 2015.

Before becoming an entrepreneur, Musau started his career in 2014 as an ICT solutions developer at Cyberworks Security, a Kenyan firm. The next year, he became chief technologist and coordinator of his university’s innovation and incubation center.

In 2018, he joined Africa’s Talking, a startup studio, as studio lead. Simultaneously, he served as operations director at Decoded Africa, a software development company. From 2020 to 2024, he spearheaded gamification and platform initiatives for Kura Yako Sauti Yako!, a civic awareness campaign that encouraged Kenyans to understand their rights and responsibilities in shaping the nation’s future.

By Melchior Koba,

Editing by Sèna D. B. de Sodji