Our people

Different disciplines.
One shared purpose.

u.lab brings together people with different backgrounds, disciplines and perspectives to investigate complex problems, explore new possibilities and develop practical solutions.

Our work draws on expertise across technology, research, strategy, finance, law, data and innovation.

The founders

Building u.lab.

u.lab is built around a shared belief that better solutions begin with better questions, rigorous thinking and a willingness to experiment.

Njabulo Sandawana

Njabulo Sandawana

Co-Founder

Njabulo is an entrepreneur and builder working at the intersection of technology, innovation and institutional problem-solving. His interests centre on how emerging technologies and new approaches to experimentation can help organisations understand complex challenges and develop practical solutions.

At u.lab, he contributes to shaping the organisation's direction, developing new ideas and bringing together the people and capabilities needed to turn promising concepts into practical work.

  • Technology
  • Innovation
  • Institutional Problem-Solving
Rumbi

Rumbi

Co-Founder

Rumbi is an innovation strategist, commercial specialist and ecosystem architect working at the intersection of entrepreneurship, systems change and economic development.

As Co-Founder of u.lab, she brings a systems-oriented approach to designing and enabling innovation, exploring how people, organisations and ecosystems can collaborate to address complex challenges and develop practical solutions.

Her experience spans venture development, innovation strategy, founder coaching, investment readiness and ecosystem building, with a particular focus on African and emerging markets. She combines rigorous strategic thinking with participatory approaches to problem-solving, helping diverse stakeholders challenge assumptions, uncover opportunities and move from insight to action.

  • Innovation Strategy
  • Venture Development
  • Investment Readiness
  • Ecosystem Building

Our experts

A wider range of expertise.

Complex challenges rarely fit neatly within one discipline. Our network brings together specialists with different technical and professional backgrounds, allowing us to draw on the right knowledge and perspectives for each challenge.

Thabolezwe Mabandla

Thabolezwe Mabandla

Expert, Artificial Intelligence & Engineering

Thabolezwe Mabandla is an AI engineer and researcher pursuing a Master of Science in Engineering Artificial Intelligence at Carnegie Mellon University Africa. His work spans applied AI, machine learning, data engineering, large language models, computer vision and robotics.

He has experience developing production-grade data pipelines, fine-tuning and deploying LLM-based systems, and building retrieval-augmented generation applications. His previous work includes real-time threat-intelligence platforms, low-resource African language technologies, and AI solutions for organisations in media, banking and telecommunications.

His research interests include reinforcement learning, robotics, multimodal AI and embodied intelligence, with a focus on translating emerging AI capabilities into reliable real-world systems.

  • Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
  • Large Language Models & RAG
  • Data Engineering
  • Computer Vision & Robotics
Joyline Dzomba

Joyline Dzomba

Expert, Geospatial Research & Data Science

Joyline Dzomba is a research professional with experience leading and contributing to national research projects across diverse domains. Her work sits at the intersection of geospatial technologies, data science, climate change, environmental research, health and sustainable food systems.

She is passionate about using research and data-driven innovation to inform evidence-based policymaking and advance sustainable development across Africa. She is also an advocate for women and young professionals in the geospatial sector, working towards a more inclusive and future-ready geospatial community.

  • Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
  • Data Science & Analysis
  • Climate & Environmental Research
  • Evidence-Based Policy & Sustainable Development
Delight Mandina

Delight Mandina

Expert, Finance & Research Strategy

Delight Mandina is a strategist and problem-solver with a background in finance and research. An author and speaker, he believes the best answers to difficult problems come from experimenting, testing assumptions and measuring what actually works rather than relying on opinion alone.

His perspective brings together financial thinking, research and practical experimentation to help make sense of complex challenges.

  • Finance
  • Research & Analysis
  • Strategy
  • Experimentation & Problem-Solving
Nhlanhla Sandawana

Nhlanhla Sandawana

Expert, Legal

Nhlanhla contributes legal expertise to u.lab's multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving. His perspective supports the consideration of legal frameworks, regulatory environments and the broader implications of decisions and proposed solutions.

  • Legal Research
  • Legal Analysis
  • Regulatory Considerations
  • Legal Frameworks
Wisdom Balicholo

Wisdom Balicholo

Associate Consultant, Software Development & Emerging Technologies

Wisdom contributes to u.lab's work in software development, emerging technologies and digital innovation.

His expertise spans the development of technology-driven solutions, artificial intelligence and the application of digital tools to address practical challenges. He brings a hands-on, problem-solving approach to exploring and building solutions that translate innovative ideas into practical outcomes.

  • Software Development
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Digital Innovation

A multidisciplinary approach

Expertise brought together around the problem.

We do not approach every challenge with a predetermined solution or a fixed team structure. We bring together the perspectives and capabilities required to understand the problem, explore possible approaches and develop solutions grounded in evidence.

Depending on the challenge, this may involve research, technical development, financial analysis, legal considerations or strategic thinking.

  1. 01

    Research

  2. 02

    Strategy

  3. 03

    Technology

  4. 04

    Experimentation

  5. 05

    Implementation

Join the network

Good problems require good people.

We are always interested in connecting with thoughtful people who bring valuable perspectives, specialist knowledge and a willingness to work through difficult problems.

If you are interested in contributing to u.lab's work, we would like to hear from you.

Get in touch