I am Dr Albert Yaw Opoku, a technology entrepreneur, systems architect, author, and scholar-practitioner with over 20 years of experience launching and scaling impactful ventures across start-ups, SMEs, and multinational organisations. I am the co-founder of HWS Technologies (formerly Hapaweb Solutions) and hapaSpace Innovation Hub, serving as a foundational pillar for West Africa’s technology and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
My work operates at the intersection of business strategy, technology, and social impact. Trained first in accounting and later in computer science, I combine financial discipline, technical understanding, and practical entrepreneurship experience to build systems that help people, businesses, and communities grow.
I hold a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from UCAM (Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia, Spain), an MSc in Computer Science from the University of Bath (UK) as a Chevening Scholar, and a Bachelor’s degree in Administration (Accounting Option) with First Class Honours from the University of Ghana. I also hold a Certificate in Technology Entrepreneurship from Stanford University, alongside professional memberships with the Association for Project Management (APM-UK) and the Institute of Customer Service (ICS-UK). My technical qualifications include certifications as a Google Workspace Deployment Specialist, Administrator, and Cloud Sales Specialist.
In 2010, I co-founded Hapaweb Solutions, which later evolved into HWS Technologies. Leaving the corporate sector in 2012 to manage it full-time, I scaled company revenues from an initial $6,000 to $450,000 annually by 2021, eventually achieving annual cloud service sales peaks of $200,000. As Head of Web and Cloud Services, I have led teams delivering cloud computing, web development, enterprise mobile applications, and digital transformation for key corporate, institutional, and international clients, including Google, Microsoft, First Atlantic Bank, Quality Insurance Company (QIC), the British Council, GIZ, AHK (Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Ghana), and the University of Ghana. My teams have managed enterprise cloud deployments and technical training for over 70,000 Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 users, while delivering corporate training for major organisations such as MTN, Vodafone, Barclays Bank, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
In recent years, I have shifted my focus toward product-led innovation designed to scale globally. I led the product strategy and commercialisation for AdminSheet Pro, a Google Workspace administrative add-on that recorded over 180,000 installs in less than 90 days after launch.
Prior to my full-time entrepreneurial path, I spent seven years with the British Council. I rose through the ranks to become the Digital Services Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, directing enterprise digital initiatives, web infrastructure, and online engagement across 21 countries. Notably, at age 27, I was appointed Office Manager in Kumasi, making me the youngest manager to hold that role in the organisation’s global history across 110 countries.
In 2016, I co-founded hapaSpace, establishing Kumasi’s first premier innovation hub and collaborative workspace. Starting with just 12 members, hapaSpace has grown into a vibrant community of over 2,000 freelancers, creators, and business professionals. In my role leading external projects and strategy, I have facilitated the acceleration of over 1,100 start-ups, helping local founders raise over 15 million Ghana Cedis. I have secured and managed over $350,000 in international project funding through strategic partnerships with the European Union, GIZ, Google, Facebook, the Mastercard Foundation, NEIP, and the Indigo Trust. To deepen grassroots engagement, I established the Kumasi Tech Community, Kumasi Entrepreneurs Community, and Kumasi Arts Community, uniting over 1,500 regional innovators. Landmark social impact initiatives I have spearheaded include the Google-funded Code4Girls project, which trained 1,242 girls in computer programming, and the Jobs for Youth programme.
Beyond technology, I am a published author and storyteller who has written six books exploring personal growth, practical business transitions, personal finance, African storytelling, and the human search for meaning. My published works include What I Learnt Late – 52 Life Lessons (2022), Before You Quit Your Job and Become an Entrepreneur (2023), The Journey Within (2024), Breaking Free From Debt (2025), and the first two instalments of my thriller fiction series, The Golden Return Series: The Golden Boy (2026) and The Golden Shadow (2026). I regularly mentor a reading community of over 10,000 subscribers through my weekly newsletter.
My contributions to technology, social enterprise, and ecosystem development have earned significant recognition. I was named the Global Winner of the British Council Study UK Alumni Award in the Social Impact category and honoured among the “100 Most Influential People” at the 2024 Ghana Development Awards. HWS Technologies was named Best Web & Mobile App Development Company (Sub-Saharan Africa) at the 2022 African Excellence Awards and received nominations for Africa’s Most Promising SME and the Global Excellence Business Leader Award (GEBLA). I have also been nominated for Global Young Professional of the Year and Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the Ghanaian Professional Achievers Awards.
As a speaker, panellist, curator for TEDxAdum and WordPress Kumasi, I bring a grounded, practical, and reflective voice to discussions on startup acceleration, digital transformation, technology adoption, and leadership in Africa. Across all my work as a technologist, founder, author, and community builder, one theme remains constant: building systems, platforms, and pathways that help people rise, thrive, and create meaningful futures.
On a personal note, I am a devoted husband and father of twins—a boy and a girl. Guided by my faith as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I am an avid reader, an active competitive Scrabble player, a table tennis enthusiast, and a passionate supporter of Liverpool FC and Asante Kotoko.
