Cofounder and CEO of Ibex Technologies and Tina Mart, Ezedin Kamil is a young techpreneur on a mission to find innovative ways to create businesses, contribute to development, and improve people’s lives through the power of technology.
Ezedin began his journey with STEMpower—a continent-wide initiative geared towards guiding pre-university students towards careers in science, technology, mathematics, and engineering—when he joined one of their centers in Wolkite. He went on to sign up for an entrepreneurship program offered by STEMpower in collaboration with Visa, which helped him develop into a professional entrepreneur. In a recent conversation with The Reporter’s Samuel Getachew, Ezedin spoke about his dreams, his rise in Ethiopia’s local tech community, the impact he is making across the country, and his vision for the sector a decade from now. EXCERPTS:
The Reporter: Tell us about yourself.
Ezedin Kamil: I am an innovator and entrepreneur. I am a cofounder and CEO of both Ibex Technologies and Promotion PLC, and Tina Business Group PLC. Ibex Technologies have achieved many milestones over the years.
Can you share some of its notable achievements?
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Ibex Technologies and Promotion is a tech company focused on software development and software-as-a-service (SaaS) products. To date, we’ve developed over 400 software solutions for clients across seven countries, with a strong focus on Ethiopian clients. Some of our notable clients include Two Brothers Biscuits, Wolkite City Administration, and Bole Sub-City Administration.
Under our SaaS model, one of our flagship products is iCard—an NFC-based digital business card solution. Launched in May 2024, it has attracted over 5,500 subscribers within just 11 months. Each subscription is sold at 4,600 birr annually.
What was your first innovation and what impact did it have?
My first innovation was a theft-control system. I developed it after my mother’s café was robbed. It was a device that would automatically make a phone call to my father whenever the door was touched after hours. This project had a deep personal motivation and went on to win an award from the Wolkite City Education Bureau, laying a foundation for what I wanted to do with my life.
In many ways, it was a pivotal moment that sparked my long-term journey in innovation.
What role do you see in technology and innovation that can be useful for a country like Ethiopia in solving some of its shortcomings?
I would like to highlight this through one of my recent ventures, Tina Mart. It is an e-commerce platform aimed at solving issues related to market accessibility, affordability, and financial inclusion.
We’ve secured a pre-seed investment from a US-based VC firm called Penatran Group. Tina Mart is designed to create a modern, trusted, and time-saving digital marketplace for Ethiopians. Through technology, we aim to empower consumers and producers, particularly by offering wide product variety at competitive prices—a solution that can play a big role in addressing some of Ethiopia’s economic challenges.
What is X-Disturb?
X-Disturb is a new app built by my team at Ibex Technologies and Promotion PLC, and it’s set to launch around the end of this month. It’s designed to automatically silence your phone when you enter places like mosques, churches, or libraries, and then switch it back to loud mode when you leave. It’s helpful for avoiding those embarrassing moments when your phone rings during a prayer, service, or study session. But what makes X-Disturb really stand out is that it’s more than just a silencing app; it’s part of a bigger vision.
The idea is to foster a more mindful, respectful community. By helping people be more present and less disruptive, X-Disturb is contributing to a culture of awareness and mutual respect. And there’s more to come. My team behind it will soon be sharing a deeper statement on why they believe X-Disturb is not just a tech tool, but a community builder.
Tell us about X-Fire.
X-Fire is an intelligent fire alarm system that detects fires based on smoke thresholds and immediately makes phone calls to four family members and one fire control agency—all within just 50 seconds (10 seconds per call). This innovation received recognition and an award from the SolveIT Business Competition, organized by the US Embassy, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and iCog Labs.
But beyond the recognition that has come my way over the years, what satisfies me most is when my effort is having a profound impact on other people and we are beginning to see that. The award is the cream on the cake!
Looking back on your own career, what was essential in helping you make your mark in innovation?
The tech and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Ethiopia is steadily improving, however belatedly. Access to global tools is growing, and we have a strong pool of talent, especially from universities like Adama Science & Technology University and Addis Ababa Science & Technology University.
There is now a general understanding and support of what we do by all actors—in government, the private sector and funders. I believe that is important as a way to nurture our dreams and aspirations.
The government’s commitment, particularly through the ‘Digital Ethiopia 2025’ strategy, is a key driver of this progress. Personally, I see ventures like Tina Mart growing into public companies listed on the Ethiopian Securities Exchange and even becoming a tech unicorn in Africa within the next decade.
What helped me the most in my journey was solving real problems with a personal connection, continuously learning, and building strong teams that share a mission. To be exposed to some of the brightest people in the world as well as their work is really something to celebrate and a way to inspire the mind to think big but act locally, if I may rephrase the old saying.
How do you envision Ethiopia’s technology sector ten years from now?
Ethiopia’s future in tech is promising. The software industry, in particular, offers immense opportunities for global impact with relatively low barriers to entry. However, there are still limitations holding back local innovators such as lack of access to international platforms like Apple’s Developer Program and limited access to global payment systems. I believe with the right support and reforms, Ethiopian tech talent can thrive globally, and our startups can compete at an international level.
Ultimately, my goal is to help refurbish the image of Africa as a place where technology succeeds and young people with big dreams can have the support they need to prosper without having to leave the continent and look for support elsewhere. Supporting and mentorship is important to me and I have made it part of my brand to be approachable, to listen and wherever possible, encourage others to follow my work and example.
