The Angle Podcast

In this episode of The Angle, we speak with Brendan Fernandez, founder of Grand African Innovative Technologies, about the realities of building digital tools for the public good. His work spans civic tech, industrial AI, and IoT but it’s grounded in a belief that solving local problems can be profitable, scalable, and impactful. We explore how he launched South Africa’s first digital landfill monitoring system, how he’s using predictive maintenance tech in the mining sector, and how his startup has grown from a solo hustle into a multi-project business that still keeps its public mission intact. Brendan also reflects on: Why working with government is frustrating but necessary What it really takes to survive as a founder in South Africa Why civic tech needs to get out of the pilot trap How small interventions like digitizing landfill data can unlock major budget savings It’s a conversation about grit, trust, and building useful technology in a country that desperately needs it. Chapters and Timecodes: 0:00 – Intro & “Doing Well by Doing Good” 2:00 – What Grand African Innovative Technologies Does 5:00 – Building Alone and Bringing in Talent 8:30 – How Government Grants Helped Them Start 11:00 – COVID-19 Contact Tracing Innovation 14:30 – Civic Tech & Social Impact: Why It Matters 18:00 – Youth Innovation Gaps & Access Barriers 21:00 – Smart City Challenge & Piloting with Pick It Up 25:00 – Building a Landfill Data System 33:00 – Automating Waste Billing and Fighting Revenue Loss 40:00 – Environmental “Angels” and Recycling Realities 48:00 – The High Cost of Delayed Government Payments 52:00 – Applying Tech to Mining: Predictive Maintenance & AI 1:00:00 – Working with OEMs and Building Relationships 1:05:00 – Advice for Entrepreneurs: Don’t Give Up #CivicTech #SouthAfricaStartups #DigitalInnovation #GovTech #SmartCities #AIinAfrica #SocialImpact #EntrepreneurshipZA #TheAnglePodcast #TechForGood