From Harare to the global stage, a new name is emerging in Africa’s financial technology scene, and he’s just getting started. Munashe Emperor Roy Mupoto, known widely as Emps Roy, is not simply entering the conversation. He’s preparing to shift its trajectory.
In a continent where fintech headlines often belong to billion-dollar valuations and big corporate moves, Munashe Emperor Roy Mupoto stands apart for his combination of quiet confidence and deliberate, grounded leadership. He isn’t chasing hype. He’s building systems meant to last and he’s doing it with the perspective of someone who understands both the high-speed world of modern finance and the everyday realities of African markets.
A Founder Rooted in Two Worlds
Born in Harare, Zimbabwe, and raised in the United Kingdom from a young age, Emperor Roy grew up straddling two identities: diaspora and homeland. His mother and grandmother came from Buhera, carrying memories of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle. His father’s family hailed from Kenzamba, with deep roots in Chikorekore heritage. These ancestral ties kept him grounded in Zimbabwean culture and community, even as he navigated life in Milton Keynes, UK.
School was a turning point. Moving from Stantonbury School to Walton High, a specialist business academy, opened new opportunities. He later earned a Diploma in enterprise & entrepreneurship from the prestigious Peter Jones Enterprise Academy, setting the stage for his entrepreneurial journey.
Outside the classroom, the lessons were equally formative. Growing up in the UK’s urban landscape, he experienced the pull of street culture, losing close friends to knife crime and accidents. He flirted with the “gangster” lifestyle but ultimately chose a different path, one that merged the grit of his environment with the strategic thinking of the corporate world.
Building the Foundation
By his late teens, Roy was already making moves. He began running events, starting small with local talent before scaling up. At just 21, he organized a sold-out Bugzy Malone show at the O2 Ritz Manchester, complete with BBC 1Xtra DJs and some of the UK’s top music acts. This was more than just an entertainment milestone; it was proof that he could take an idea from vision to execution, even in competitive spaces.
From there, he entered the corporate world, joining SHI International, a $10 billion tech firm. Here, he gained behind-the-scenes insight into enterprise-level operations, global supply chains, and strategic market positioning. These experiences would later form the backbone of his fintech ambitions.
The ZimX Vision (Without Giving Too Much Away)
While the full scope of his latest venture remains under wraps, early signals point to something significant: a connected financial ecosystem designed to link Zimbabwe’s diaspora to reliable access back home. The concept blends technology, digital innovation, and user-friendly tools.
But this is not about replacing banks or bypassing government systems. Instead, Emps Roy is committed to building financial “rails” that are compliant, trustworthy, and usable by everyone from street vendors to small business owners, from government programs to family remittances.
He’s not chasing trends. He’s building infrastructure that can last decades, aligning with Zimbabwe’s long-term development goals and the broader movement towards African fintech innovation.
Leadership That Translates Across Borders
One of Munashe Emperor Roy Mupoto’s strongest assets is his ability to operate seamlessly in both global and local contexts. He can hold his own in a boardroom discussing compliance frameworks and cross-border settlement systems and then step into a township market to understand the friction points that stall adoption.
This dual perspective is rare in the fintech space. Too often, African financial technology is designed in distant headquarters, disconnected from the real-life challenges of its intended users. Roy flips this model, starting with the on-the-ground experience and then scaling up with global best practices.
“Technology is a tool, not a gimmick the point is to make life easier, not more complicated,” he says. That guiding philosophy keeps his projects user-first, ensuring solutions are simple enough for mass adoption but robust enough to meet international standards.
Why Zimbabwe — and Why Now
Africa’s fintech growth has been rapid but not evenly distributed. Countries like Nigeria and Kenya dominate headlines with mobile money and payment startups. Zimbabwe’s fintech sector is still emerging, shaped by unique challenges from currency volatility to infrastructure gaps but also by unique opportunities.
Mobile penetration is high, digital literacy is improving, and the Zimbabwean diaspora is eager for safe, efficient ways to send value home. Global markets are paying attention to Africa’s next wave of financial innovation, and Zimbabwe is positioned to benefit if the right infrastructure is in place.
That’s where Emperor Roy comes in. His approach is not to import ready-made solutions but to build platforms that reflect Zimbabwe’s realities while connecting to global systems.
Laying the Groundwork for Impact
Though much of the technical detail is being kept quiet for now, early hints suggest a multi-pronged approach designed to reduce transaction costs, improve trust, and open up economic opportunities both locally and for the diaspora.
But for now, Roy is holding back specifics, letting anticipation build. The strategy is clear: don’t overpromise, deliver, and then let the results speak.
More Than Profit
In an era where many fintech ventures focus solely on valuations and market share, Munashe Emperor Roy Mupoto has a broader definition of success. For him, the true measure is in lives improved, trust built, and systems created that will outlast their founders.
This ethos reflects his personal journey from the streets to the corporate system, from surviving to building, and now, to legacy-making.
“I went from the streets to the system. From culture to corporate. From surviving to building. Now, it’s about legacy,” he says.
For the Zimbabwean entrepreneur, legacy means creating tools that empower people across the socio-economic spectrum, ensuring that innovation reaches beyond elite circles and into everyday life.
The Global Lens
Emps Roy’s story is also about representation. Too often, African founders are left out of the global fintech narrative until their ventures hit billion-dollar valuations. His rise challenges that pattern, placing a Zimbabwean entrepreneur in the conversation early not because of hype, but because of vision and credibility.
As African fintech matures, there’s room for leaders who understand compliance, regulation, and financial systems, yet remain deeply committed to serving local realities. That combination could prove critical in attracting investment, building trust with regulators, and ensuring scalability.
Building Curiosity
Part of the intrigue here is intentional. By revealing only part of the picture now, Roy ensures that the launch of his ecosystem lands with maximum impact. Stakeholders — from potential partners to curious users — are already paying attention, waiting to see how his plans take shape.
And while the sector can be noisy, his approach is measured: fewer announcements, more substance. In an age of oversharing, that restraint is refreshing.
What’s Next
For now, the focus is on building the right partnerships, refining the technology, and ensuring compliance frameworks are airtight. In fintech, trust is currency — and Emperor Roy is unwilling to compromise on it.
In the months ahead, more details will emerge. Until then, the message is simple: a Zimbabwean founder is preparing to introduce a system that could influence not only Africa’s financial landscape but also how the continent participates in the global economy.
