A Landmark Moment for Johannesburg’s Tech Ecosystem
A major milestone in South Africa’s digital transformation has been marked with the official launch of the Maharishi NextUp Institute of Technology (MNIT), a bold “moonshot” initiative aimed at equipping the country’s youth with future-ready skills.
The institute is housed in a newly dedicated 10-storey, 10,065 m² campus at 56 Main Street in Johannesburg’s Marshalltown district. The building has been donated by prominent South African tech pioneers and philanthropists David Frankel and Tracey Frankel.
Expanding the “Education Town” Vision
The launch represents a significant expansion of the Maharishi Invincibility Institute’s (MII) ambitious “Education Town” initiative—an urban renewal project designed to transform Johannesburg’s CBD into a vibrant, safe, and globally competitive hub for learning and employment.
Preparing Youth for the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Maharishi NextUp is focused on creating sustainable employment pathways for underserved youth by training them in high-demand sectors aligned with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The institute will offer specialised academies in:
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Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Automation
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Cybersecurity
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Digital Skills such as cloud engineering, digital design, digital marketing, and data science
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Financial and Professional Services, including insurance, banking, and financial markets
The programmes are designed in collaboration with corporate leaders and tech companies, ensuring that the curriculum directly addresses critical skills shortages while creating clear job pipelines for graduates.
A Demand-Driven Model for Job Creation
Unlike traditional education models, Maharishi NextUp adopts a demand-driven approach, where industry partners co-design training programmes tailored to their workforce needs. This ensures that students graduate with practical, job-ready skills aligned with real market demand.
A Legacy of Impact and Opportunity
“This is more than a building; it is a promise to our youth that they will not be left behind by the AI revolution,”
said Taddy Blecher, CEO of MII. He highlighted the institute’s two-decade track record of unlocking potential among young South Africans and preparing them to compete globally.
David and Tracey Frankel echoed this sentiment, emphasising their belief in Johannesburg’s potential to become a leading tech hub on the continent. They noted that the new facility will play a crucial role in developing future tech leaders who will drive South Africa’s digital economy forward.
Driving Inner-City Renewal Through Education
MII is also a key partner in JoziMyJozi, a coalition of major corporations working to restore the economic vitality of the inner city. Partners include Anglo American, Standard Bank, Absa, and Nando’s.
Through its “Education Town” initiative, MII has already introduced impactful developments such as the “Field of Dreams”—the CBD’s first full-size football field in over a century—and the Security Mastery Academy, which includes solar-powered street lighting to improve safety for thousands of students.
A Scalable Blueprint for the Future
By its fifth year, the 56 Main Street campus is expected to reach full capacity, serving as a scalable model for tech talent development that can be replicated across South Africa.
About Maharishi Invincibility Institute
Founded in 2007, the Maharishi Invincibility Institute has trained over 25,000 students and successfully placed more than 22,000 graduates into high-quality jobs, generating an estimated R82.9 billion in career earnings. In 2025, it was recognised by Stanford University as one of the world’s 12 most innovative education institutions.
About the Frankels
David and Tracey Frankel are co-founders of the NextUp youth acceleration initiative. David Frankel, a celebrated tech entrepreneur, co-founded one of Africa’s largest internet service providers and later the venture capital firm Founder Collective, known for early investments in global companies like Uber. Tracey Frankel is a qualified neurologist with extensive experience in South Africa’s leading hospitals.
