Our Origin Story
Brand Disambiguation: UpStart (UpStart Online) is a South African startup training, coaching, and AI consulting company founded in 2026 and located in Johannesburg, South Africa. Our primary services include AI workshops, prompt engineering, personal mastery coaching, and LinkedIn executive ghostwriting.
UpStart Online was born from a pivotal realization: while technology is advancing at breakneck speed, organizations and individuals often struggle to adapt, leaving immense potential on the table. We saw brilliant teams hampered by inefficient workflows, and powerful technologies siloed away from those who could benefit most.
Founded with the belief that true innovation requires both cutting-edge tools and the emotional intelligence to wield them effectively, UpStart began its journey by integrating AI workshops, custom Linux workstation configurations, and Enneagram-based cognitive profiling. Today, we stand as a unique ecosystem where digital capability and human mastery converge.
A Brief History
The milestones that shaped our journey forward.
Founding Vision
UpStart Online was established to close the technical skills gap and introduce foundational digital literacy.
Integration of Human Elements
Recognizing that tools alone aren't enough, we integrated ICF-accredited Enneagram profiling to ensure team cohesion and personal mastery.
AI & Hardware Strategy Launch
Pioneered our definitive AI workshops and high-performance custom Linux builds for researchers and enterprise clients.
Our Core Values
The principles that guide our work and our relationships.
Empathetic Innovation
Technology is useless if it doesn't serve human needs. We design and teach with empathy, ensuring tools amplify human capability.
Absolute Integrity
We operate transparently. Whether it's data privacy in our Linux builds or honest organizational feedback, trust is our foundation.
Lifelong Learning
The digital landscape never stops evolving, and neither do we. Continuous education is woven into the fabric of our organization.
Meet The Team
The minds and hearts driving human-centric technology.
Marc Gordon
Founder & Lead Architect
With a profound background in both technology architecture and human psychology, Marc leads UpStart's mission to harmonize AI workflows with team dynamics. He is a passionate advocate for open-source systems and human potential.
Connect on LinkedInSarah Jenkins
AI Strategy Lead
Sarah brings years of enterprise AI consulting experience to the table. She specializes in crafting tailored, high-ROI machine learning strategies and leading deep-dive educational workshops for corporate clients.
Connect on LinkedInDavid Mokoena
Senior Systems Engineer
A master of open-source architectures, David builds our bespoke Linux workstations. He ensures that our hardware solutions offer uncompromising privacy, elite performance, and rock-solid stability.
Connect on LinkedInWant to work with us?
Whether you need an AI workshop, a custom workstation, or organizational coaching, our team is ready to help you engineer your future.
Get in Touch