Startup Story
Komeshni Patrick is the founder and director of ZellaTech Law, a tech legal consultancy in South Africa founded in 2022 and focused on empowering tech businesses across Africa. An admitted attorney with over 20 years of experience, she’s worked with multinational corporates, public sector and international tech clients across Africa and the Middle East. Passionate about innovation, championing women in tech and advising on regulatory compliance, emerging innovation, digital policy, privacy and data protection. She participates on several boards and fora driving inclusive digital development. Komeshni mentors tech entrepreneurs, contributes to local and international incubation programs and women in tech initiatives, internet governance and digital transformation. Her business has created jobs for 5 people to date.
LoA spoke to the pioneering founder, Komeshni Patrick, about her passion for innovation and championing women in the tech sector.
What does your company do?
Zella Tech Law is a tech legal consultancy and we work with forward-thinking businesses that rely on technology to operate, grow, and lead. Our goal is to provide legal advisory services that are practically aligned with business realities.
Our advisory services analyse emerging technologies and innovation, identifies legal risks, and provides regulatory compliance support across areas like data privacy, cybersecurity, IP, online consumer protection and digital transactions. We draft and negotiate robust tech agreements that protect and enable businesses as they scale. Through our Mentorship & Coaching services, we support founders, companies and legal teams through mentoring, masterclasses and strategic coaching — blending legal insight with business acumen to build future-ready leaders. Lastly, our Research & Development services are aimed at businesses as they explore new markets, delivering in-depth legal research, regulatory reports and customised training to ensure informed expansion and compliance.
We make legal understanding accessible, practical and strategically valuable for businesses building the future. At our core, we craft powerful risk mitigation strategies for our clients.
“At Zella Tech Law, we are committed to being at the forefront of legal innovation by positioning ourselves as a trusted partner to businesses navigating the complexities of technology and law across Africa.”
What inspired you to start your company?
I am a people’s person, I love the work that I do, and I love technology. I am a curious mind who loves reading, problem solving, puzzles and understanding how things work so it’s no surprise that in this era, I became a tech lawyer. I started the company because I could see the need for a different type of consulting that businesses in this 4th industrial revolution now require. The fast moving pace of technology and business and the inter-connectedness requires advisors who advise as the innovation and business evolves. Through my work I have been able to meet a host of inspiring founders and C-suite tech leaders and have cutting edge conversations around the technology they have created. I enjoy understanding the functionality of innovation created, seeing the complexities it creates legally and working towards a methodology of risk mitigation.
What makes your business, service or product special?
What’s in a name? Zella means “one who knows the way” and we certainly do. Zella Tech Law stands out as a dynamic, tech legal consultancy with an all-women team dedicated to advancing innovation and legal excellence across the continent. What sets us apart is how we combine deep legal expertise with a genuine understanding of the challenges and opportunities that come with building technology-driven businesses across the local regulatory landscapes in the different countries. We don't just advise — we partner with our clients to find smart, practical solutions that support growth and innovation.
“We’re proud to be a Pan-African focused team with a shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and purpose-driven work.”
Tell us a little about your team
We’re proud to be a Pan-African focused team with a shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and purpose-driven work. We are lawyers, researchers, strategists and mentors — each bringing a unique perspective and depth of experience to the table.
We’re unique because:
• We focus specifically on the legal needs of tech and innovation-focused businesses;
• Our Pan-African perspective means that we understand the local realities and regulatory landscapes across the continent;
• As a team, we bring diverse experiences and a collaborative spirit to everything we do – we link clients with each other, with markets and opportunities; and
• We go beyond the legal — we offer holistic strategic support to help our clients succeed in the long run.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
I am the first entrepreneur in my family so technically breaking new ground here. Strangely enough, as a little girl I always wanted to own a business. I have had many attempts at it over the years in various forms. During high school, my sister and I sold hand bags which we sourced from a distributor, in my twenties a friend and I wrote a business plan around offering legal plans to the public but lacked the business experience and savvy to see the end goal, in my thirties I ran a wedding stationery store with a business partner so I could have a creative outlet and then found my first professional creative space at a tech law and policy consultancy which I owned with a business partner. Zella Tech Law is now my professional creative outlet which allows me to use legal insights and knowledge to benefit clients.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
At Zella Tech Law, we are committed to being at the forefront of legal innovation by positioning ourselves as a trusted partner to businesses navigating the complexities of technology and law across Africa. As technology continues to reshape industries, our goal is to evolve alongside it.
We have a vision to run and gain support for an African Female Founders Programme. We want to use our mentorship and coaching partners and experience to empower African female founders, creating more diverse leadership within the tech industry. We want to create bespoke leadership education, events and experiences with networking opportunities and benefits to support and grow the community of tech female founders. The concept is to build more tech women-led businesses, ensuring voices are heard and to increase the African footprint of female founders.
“We want to create bespoke leadership education, events and experiences with networking opportunities and benefits to support and grow the community of tech female founders.”
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
My work is a way for me to thrive by “doing good” when the value and impact is delivered to a business. I want to see people live better lives. I enjoy seeing the growth of a company in creating employment and economic opportunities. I feel we owe it to ourselves and others to “leave the world in a better state than we found it” and this is my way of doing that.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Know yourself and be authentically you – therein lies your greatest strength. Listen to that inner voice telling you that you have an amazing idea and can do it. Be your greatest supporter and remain loyal to your goal. Stay passionate about your business! Businesses are based and built on relationships. Use your authentic self to show up, show interest in others and to put yourself forward every day. The authentic you will drive interest, hold engaging conversations and build meaningful connections that will support your business.
Find out more
Email: connect@zellatl.co.za
Website: http://zellatl.co.za/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/zellatechlaw?igsh=NmF3bHJ1amZlYnB3&utm_source=qr
Why LoA loves it…
In the fast moving world of tech, with new players and regulations coming into the marketplace every day, it has never been more essential for entrepreneurs to navigate the complexities of technology and the law across Africa. Komeshni Patrick and her team at Zella Tech Law bring a wealth of legal tech experience and expertise to the table to help businesses to draft and negotiate robust tech agreements that protect and enable them as they scale. This is a business to watch as it helps a new wave of African tech companies to grow and make their mark in the sector. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa