From Nairobi websites to thinking machines
I'm Luke Tsalwa, known to friends as Lukie. I'm a Kenyan founder and engineer who likes hard, practical problems.
Luke Tsalwa
Founder & Engineer
- Based
- Stockholm, Sweden · Nairobi, Kenya
- Leading
- Docilis Labs, Biashara Softwares
- Studying
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology
- Degree
- BSc Business IT, Strathmore University
My story
I started out as a frontend developer in early 2024, building websites for Nairobi businesses and community organisations. The first was NMBL Services, a construction company. Those projects grew into Biashara Softwares, which I've since incorporated as a private limited company. With our team we build client platforms and our own products: Chapisha, an AI content tool, and BiasharaPOS, an offline-first point of sale.
Building software for businesses kept raising one question: why do machines compute perfectly yet understand nothing? In 2026 I founded Docilis Labs to work on it. Our first system, the Docilis Visual Intelligence Engine, runs real-time computer vision on a $100 board. It powers Project AI4Sight, a wearable that helps visually impaired children in Kenyan schools get around safely, without the cloud.
Along the way I interned as a software engineer at Safaricom, and I'm now on exchange at KTH in Stockholm. I believe Africa won't just consume intelligence; we will create it.
Experience & education
Aug 2026 – now
Exchange student, Global Development Hub
KTH Royal Institute of Technology · Stockholm
Studying in Stockholm while running both companies remotely. I spoke with builders at Nordic Tech Week.
May – Aug 2026
Software Engineer Intern
Safaricom PLC · Nairobi
Moved an enterprise web system from a static frontend to a full-stack Laravel + React (Inertia) app with PostgreSQL, AWS S3, a custom admin panel, a chatbot and WCAG accessibility work.
Jan 2026 – now
Founder & Lead Research Scientist
Docilis Labs
Founded the lab and designed DVIE, the vision engine behind Project AI4Sight.
Jan 2026 – now
Founder & Product Architect
Biashara Softwares
Led the company's incorporation as a private limited company. I own system architecture, client relationships and our products, Chapisha and BiasharaPOS.
Feb 2024 – Jan 2026
Frontend → Full-Stack Engineer
Biashara Softwares
Built client websites starting with NMBL Services, then full-stack apps such as the Sandwich Podcast webstore and the first version of Chapisha.
2024 – now
Volunteer web developer
Synergy CBO · Proudly Girlie
Built and maintain the websites of two community organisations supporting children and young women.
Degree
BSc Business Information Technology
Strathmore University · Nairobi
Full history, certifications and recommendations are on LinkedIn.