BUBBLE

Who we are 

Our Story

We started Bubble in April 2023 with a vision to make technology more accessible and impactful in South Africa. Our first product was VintageMagazine, launched as part of Bubble’s growing ecosystem. It gave us the opportunity to experiment, connect with communities, and showcase what innovation could look like.

By January 2024, VintageMagazine was discontinued, but it marked an important milestone in our journey. From that foundation, Bubble has continued to evolve — building new ideas, tackling challenges, and shaping solutions that integrate AI, energy, and communication technologies.

We are proud to be a startup driven by resilience and creativity, committed to solving real problems and improving technology for everyone.

Our History

In April 2023, Luphumlo Hamla, a determined college dropout, decided to create Bubble. His frustration came from seeing how much of South Africa’s technology — from gaming to artificial intelligence — was imported from other countries. He believed it was time to build something local, something that could inspire innovation and pride within South Africa.

The name Bubble was inspired by the 2021 animated film Ron’s Gone Wrong. In the movie, a young black creator builds a Bubble bot named Ron to help children find friendship. That story resonated deeply with Mr. Hamla, who saw himself reflected in that character. He envisioned Bubble as a platform where others could step out of their comfort zones, create their own “bubbles,” and contribute to raising South Africa’s technology to a global level.

Bubble’s first product was VintageMagazine, launched in 2023 as part of the ecosystem. Although it was discontinued in January 2024, it marked the beginning of Bubble’s journey and proved that experimentation and bold ideas were possible.

In 2025, Bubble officially became registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) under the name Bubble Universe (Pty) Ltd. This milestone transformed Bubble from a vision into a recognized private company.

As Mr. Hamla often says: “To make something great, you have to keep it simple.” That philosophy continues to guide Bubble as it grows, innovates, and works toward making South African technology recognized worldwide.

We would be happy to hear from you