UDOM graduates turn university project into tech firm

Founded by University of Dodoma (UDOM) graduates Grayson Julius, Nelson Malekela and Jackson Twalipo, the company has expanded from developing university systems and small software projects into a firm with more than 35 ICT professionals working on digital transformation projects across different sectors.

The founders started building software solutions while studying at UDOM’s College of Informatics and Virtual Education (CIVE), where their skills developed into practical applications. One of their early projects was the University of Dodoma Student Registration system (UDOM SR), formerly known as the Academic Registration Information System (ARIS).

Mr Julius, who is IPF Software Business Development Director and co-founder, said the project changed their view of software development after a professor challenged them to create solutions that institutions often outsourced.

“There was a professor who asked us that if people were paying a lot of money for software systems, why couldn’t we build them ourselves?” he said. The university later formed a team of seven engineers, including the three founders, to develop the system while they were still second-year students.

By their third year, they had registered IPF Software as a business name in 2015 while continuing to work on technology projects.

After graduation, the founders faced a choice between seeking employment and continuing with their company. Despite receiving job offers, they decided to focus on building IPF Software.

Mr Julius said support from their parents helped them pursue entrepreneurship despite the uncertainty.

“We organised a brunch for our parents and told them we would pay for it. We explained that we did not need money or funding, only their support,” he said.

Their first attempt at developing a technology product was Africa Fashion, an application connecting fashion enthusiasts with designers. The start-up became a finalist in Pivot East, a regional competition held in Nairobi.

However, the founders later realised they needed more business knowledge.

“At that time, we did not understand fashion, and convincing people to use and pay for the solution was difficult,” Mr Julius said.

They later joined Buni, a technology innovation hub that helped them understand entrepreneurship, customer needs and business development.

A major turning point came through a seven-year partnership with CARE International to develop CHOMOKA, a mobile platform supporting women and informal savings groups.

The platform helped savings groups manage funds, access loans and improve financial records. Through CHOMOKA, IPF facilitated more than Sh6 billion in loans and recorded savings exceeding Sh13 billion.

The partnership also introduced the company to international software engineering practices, including Agile, Scrum and DevOps methodologies.

By 2020, IPF Software had grown to between 15 and 18 employees, supported by projects involving organisations such as the World Bank and CARE International.

In 2021, the Tanzania ICT Commission recognised IPF Software as the Best Software Development Company.

The company later expanded into financial sector solutions, developing compliance systems and platforms such as the Real Time Supervisory Information System.

Mr Julius said the company is now focusing on helping organisations adopt AI and improve business processes.

“We don’t think ‘software company’ is the narrative we want to keep for the next five years. We need to move towards transforming operations with enterprise AI,” he said.

IPF introduced the AI Ladder, an assessment tool that helps organisations evaluate their readiness to adopt AI. The company also runs AI training programmes through IPF Academy.

Its growth has been supported by partnerships with OpenAI, Google Cloud and Meta for WhatsApp solutions, as well as ISO 27001 certification for information security.

From a university project developed by three graduates, IPF Software has become part of Tanzania’s growing technology sector, providing locally developed solutions for businesses and institutions.