Charlene Anup has made the move from corporate leadership to startup founder, inspiring women in the tech space and creating space for love.
South Africa (24 February 2025) – Charlene Anup has spent the past 20 years working in the world of technology, from cybersecurity to spearheading smart manufacturing initiatives; her skill set has primed her to innovate and create a space where South Africans can find love.
Rewind two decades, when South Africa was joining the shifting technical world, Charlene earned her Master’s in Technology and became a technology leader, working in strategic roles for some of SA’s top companies. She specialised in various areas, including complex cloud migration projects and IoT implementations, data science, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies like AI.
Wanting to use these skills to help others, Charlene set her sights on connections and love.
“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work on cutting-edge technologies, but I always felt something was missing – that essential human element,” Charlene says. “During the pandemic, I saw friends and loved ones struggling with isolation and shallow online connections. I knew I had to create something better.”
Using her deep technical proficiency, Charlene has started leveraging technology to solve human problems and improve lives. It was inspiration from friends and loved ones that drove her to create an app that would help people make connections based on qualities that form real bonds. Her hope is to create a space that gives people the chance to build authentic romantic relationships. She created AuraCo and has visions of seeing it change the dating game.
Coming from the corporate world, this passion project has the power to change lives. Many global apps are used throughout South Africa, but local is lekker, and Charlene hopes to inspire more than just a swipe culture.
While still in its early stages, AuraCo is rapidly building a community of people seeking genuine interactions. Her five-year goal is to make AuraCo the go-to destination for those yearning for authentic social and romantic connections.
“Success isn’t defined by user numbers, but by the quality of bonds formed through our platform,” she explains. “My greatest wish is for AuraCo to be renowned as the start of countless deep, lasting relationships between soulful connections.”
Charlene credits her “stay passionate, keep evolving” mantra as the fuel needed to move from corporate leadership to startup founder. When she isn’t working on this shift, she advocates for tech education in South Africa and mentors aspiring entrepreneurs.
“Technology should bring people together, not drive them apart. At AuraCo, that’s exactly what we’re here to do.”
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