Liquid C2 and Google Cloud open partner training and AI development facility in Johannesburg

The centre gives resellers and partners access to Google Cloud certification programmes, engineering support and a testing environment for AI and cloud solutions before deployment

Liquid C2, a pan-African cloud and cybersecurity services company and subsidiary of Cassava Technologies, has opened a Partner Experience Centre in Johannesburg in partnership with Google Cloud. The facility is intended to support partners and resellers in designing, testing and deploying cloud and artificial intelligence solutions across African markets.

The centre provides access to Google Cloud technologies including the Gemini Enterprise platform and AI development tools. Partners can use the facility to prototype and test solutions in a controlled environment before moving them into operational deployment. An onboarding and certification programme is available to help partners qualify in Google Cloud technologies, and engineers are on hand to assist with solution design. Completed solutions are distributed through Liquid C2's existing partner network.

Liquid C2 contributes the facility's infrastructure, its partner distribution channels and market knowledge across Africa. Google Cloud provides the technology platforms, AI models and certification frameworks that underpin the centre's training and development programmes. The facility is open to enterprises, startups, developers and public sector organisations working on solutions for African markets, with a focus on sectors including telecommunications, banking, retail and government services.

Strive Masiyiwa, founder and chairman of Cassava Technologies, said the centre was designed to address the infrastructure and skills gaps that slow technology adoption across the continent. "This centre will host sector-specific platforms for industries such as financial services, healthcare and retail, demonstrating the application of AI in business operations. The time for us to talk about AI is over. This is a time for us to invest and build the infrastructure and put in place the digital ladder to enable AI services and ensure they are efficient," he said. Masiyiwa added that the initiative should extend to education and government, with teachers and public officials gaining access to tools such as Gemini to develop practical skills.

Ziaad Suleman, senior vice president at Cassava Technologies and CEO for South Africa and Botswana, described the centre as a practical environment for building out the partner ecosystem. "The Partner Experience Centre powered by Google Cloud creates a practical environment where organisations can explore, test and scale solutions that deliver real business value. By combining our infrastructure, expertise and continental reach with Google Cloud's advanced technologies, we are helping to democratise access to AI and cloud capabilities for enterprises across Africa," he said.

South Africa's communications minister Solly Malatsi attended the launch and described the facility as an indicator of investment confidence in the local market. "This centre represents a vote of confidence in South Africa's market and an indicator that we've got the right momentum. For me, it is important that not only do we become the gateway for the continent, but that we continue to position South Africa as a leading voice in shaping conversations about the evolution of technology," he said.

Tara Brady, president of Google Cloud EMEA, said the facility reflects the company's approach to partner-led expansion across the region.