Zambian Entrepreneur Lasford Kalonde Calls for Stronger Zambia–Mordovia Ties in ICT and Innovation
Zambian ICT entrepreneur and Information and Communications University (ICU) alumnus, Lasford Kalonde, Founder and CEO of Laska Technologies Limited, delivered a keynote address to His Excellency Artem Alekseevich Zdunov, Head of the Republic of Mordovia, following his participation in the World Youth Festival 2025 in Nizhny Novgorod.
Kalonde, who represented Zambia alongside comedian Ndine Emma and student Swana from Russian House, highlighted the potential for cooperation between Zambia and Mordovia in ICT, agriculture, education, and youth exchange programmes.
“I believe there is great potential for mutual cooperation between Zambia and Mordovia,” Kalonde said. “At Laska Technologies, we are ready to partner with institutions, businesses, and government bodies in Mordovia to bring these opportunities to life.”
During the festival, he featured as a panel speaker in the session “Idea vs Idea: How to Start Something New”, sharing his entrepreneurial journey and later serving as an evaluator of global innovation pitches. His participation was also highlighted in several official World Youth Festival videos, showcasing Zambia’s innovation ecosystem on an international stage.
In his keynote address, Kalonde reflected on the growth of Laska Technologies, including the success of Zamtutions, an e-learning platform serving over 35 teachers and 2,000 students. He also referenced the company’s recognition as one of Zambia’s Top 10 ICT Innovators in 2021 and 2023, as well as collaborations such as the Russia–Africa Summit 2022 and a robotics training partnership with Robotrack Company.
Proposing deeper collaboration, Kalonde urged joint initiatives in education technology, smart infrastructure, agricultural innovation, and youth development, stressing the importance of stronger people-to-people ties and platforms to empower innovators from both regions.
