ICU Alumnus Lasford Kalonde Delivers Keynote To Mordovia’s Head Of State After World Youth Festival 2025
Haggai Kasalu
ICU Zambia
Saransk, Republic of Mordovia – September 2025
Zambian ICT innovator and Information and Communications University (ICU) alumnus Lasford Kalonde, Founder and CEO of Laska Technologies Limited, addressed His Excellency Mr. Artem Alekseevich Zdunov, Head of the Republic of Mordovia, following his participation in the World Youth Festival 2025 in Nizhny Novgorod.
Kalonde, who represented Zambia alongside comedian Ndine Emma and student Swana from Russian House, highlighted opportunities for Zambia–Mordovia cooperation in ICT, education, agriculture, and youth exchange programs.
“I believe there is great potential for mutual cooperation between Zambia and Mordovia,” said Kalonde. “At Laska Technologies, we are ready to partner with institutions, businesses, and government bodies in Mordovia to bring these opportunities to life.”
During the World Youth Festival, Kalonde served as a panel speaker at the session titled “Idea vs Idea: How to Start Something New,” where he shared his entrepreneurial journey and insights with other participants. He also acted as an evaluator of innovation pitches, reviewing ideas from young entrepreneurs from across the globe. In addition, he was featured in several official World Youth Festival highlight videos, representing Zambia’s growing ICT and innovation ecosystem on the global stage.
In his keynote address to Mordovia’s leadership, Kalonde shared the story of Laska Technologies’ growth, including the launch of Zamtutions, an e-learning platform now serving over 35 teachers and 2,000 students. He emphasized that his company was named among the Top 10 ICT Innovators in Zambia in 2021 and 2023, and pointed to past collaborations such as the Russia–Africa Summit 2022 and Robotrack Company partnership to train youth in robotics and STEM.
Kalonde proposed joint efforts in education technology, smart infrastructure development, agricultural innovation, and youth exchange programs. He concluded by calling for stronger people-to-people ties and platforms to empower young innovators from both regions.