Let’sCreate was founded by a team of innovators with a shared conviction: technology should be built not for novelty’s sake, but to solve real problems with lasting impact. “Our vision was to create a venture builder that bridges the gap between cutting-edge digital capabilities and the pressing needs of enterprises and entrepreneurs,” says Alex de Bruyn, Let’sCreate Founder.
“From the outset, we focused on more than just developing products — we set out to build sustainable platforms. By combining entrepreneurial instinct, technical depth, and operational discipline, Let’sCreate grew into a full-stack venture builder that can validate, design, launch, and scale digital businesses.
“The journey started with DoshEx, a blockchain and digital asset company I co-founded in 2017. Out of that foundation, Let’sCreate was born in January 2024, carrying forward the experience of building digital commerce and blockchain-enabled solutions,” he explains. “Today, we oversee R3,6 billion in revenue under management and support digital commerce platforms operating in over 1 000 stores across South Africa, Namibia, Nigeria, and Australia.”
The Road to Entrepreneurship
“My entrepreneurial journey has been shaped by resilience, reinvention, and an unwavering belief in technology’s ability to transform industries. After starting as a financial analyst, I left corporate life to pursue entrepreneurship. Over more than a decade, I’ve built and scaled multiple businesses, from consulting to manufacturing, from blockchain ventures to digital commerce platforms.
“Some ventures thrived, others failed, but each one sharpened my ability to identify real market needs and build solutions that endure. DoshEx was my entry point into the world of digital assets and blockchain. Let’sCreate is the evolution — a platform for building platforms, designed to help others achieve scalable success without repeating the mistakes I had to learn through experience.”
Through Let’sCreate and his previous ventures, he has focused on building platforms that empower entrepreneurs rather than compete with them. For example, their digital commerce solutions have enabled retailers and suppliers to automate their operations, reduce costs, and reach new markets.
“By designing B2B SaaS platforms that solve real bottlenecks — whether in payments, loyalty, procurement, or compliance — we’ve created the tools entrepreneurs need to thrive. More importantly, we’ve provided SMEs with access to technology and partnerships that were previously reserved for large enterprises. This combination of innovation and accessibility ensures entrepreneurs can scale sustainably, while contributing to the broader ecosystem of business growth across Africa.
Venture Building and the SME
“Venture building is the process of creating startups in-house, rather than waiting for external founders,” De Bruyn explains. “A venture builder conceives, funds, and operationally supports these startups until they can stand on their own. Unlike accelerators or incubators, which primarily provide mentorship and short-term funding, venture builders roll up their sleeves and work side by side with teams to de-risk execution and accelerate growth.
“In South Africa, the opportunities are massive: digitisation is accelerating, enterprises are eager to modernise, and SMEs are hungry for platforms that unlock access to markets, funding, and efficiency. The challenge lies in bridging the execution gap — too many ideas falter because they lack the right combination of technical know-how, commercial model, and operational follow-through. That’s where venture builders like Let’sCreate play a critical role.”
De Bruyn elaborates that venture building can support SMEs without overwhelming risk or cost. “SMEs are the lifeblood of Africa’s economies, but they often lack the resources to digitise effectively. Venture building offers a pathway to partner with SMEs, co-creating solutions that scale without overwhelming them with risk or cost.”
He also adds that technology plays the central role: from digital commerce orchestration and SaaS platforms to CRM, loyalty, and payments, the right tools level the playing field for SMEs. “At Let’sCreate, we’ve seen how applying enterprise-grade technology through affordable, accessible platforms empowers SMEs to reach new customers, manage operations more efficiently, and compete with larger players on equal footing.”
Lessons Learnt
The most important lesson De Bruyn has learnt in his more than a decade in the industry is that success isn’t about always being right — it’s about never giving up on becoming successful.
“Success is a craft. It requires learning how to fail without being defeated, how to work with people, how to endure pressure, and how to keep showing up when the odds seem against you. It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes years of quiet persistence — grinding, learning, listening, and refining. You don’t just refine your ideas; you refine yourself. And that growth is what ultimately makes the difference between those who fade and those who build something that lasts.”
