25 Mar, 2026

The UK immigrant who founded a South African online PC giant with more than 100 employees

The UK immigrant who founded a South African online PC giant with more than 100 employees

In the past 18 years, Evetech has grown from a two-man custom PC builder operation in a small store in Pretoria to one of South Africa’s most popular online computer shops.

Evetech was founded by Imran Sorathia shortly after he immigrated from the UK. Sorathia told MyBroadband the idea of creating Evetech came after he identified a glaring gap in the market.

“Tech enthusiasts who wanted to build custom PCs or access quality gaming peripherals had limited options online,” Sorathia said. “This was not just an inconvenience; it was an opportunity.”

“In 2007, I founded Evetech with a simple vision: to give South Africans the freedom to choose, access to fair pricing, and a trusted destination for their technology needs.”

Sorathia said the initial weeks tested every ounce of determination I had. “We were nobody, no brand recognition, no reputation, and working with minimal resources,” he said.

“E-commerce was still in its infancy in South Africa, and convincing customers to trust an unknown online retailer felt like scaling a mountain.”

 

 

 

Sorathia said every single order became a make-or-break moment for Evetech’s credibility and was celebrated as a major victory.

“We had one path forward: prove ourselves through exceptional service and unwavering consistency, one customer at a time,” he said.

Evetech went from taking a handful of orders weekly to serving thousands of customers every month. Sorathia emphasised that this was not some overnight success.

“It was deliberate, steady growth fueled by continuous reinvestment, expanding our product range, and an unwavering commitment to putting customers first in every decision,” he said.

 

 

 

Sorathia believes that Evetech’s suppliers, customers, and staff were the most critical factors in Evetech’s growth.

“This journey would not exist without our suppliers who believed before we had proven ourselves, our customers who chose to trust us, and our team who pour their hearts into this vision daily,” Sorathia said.

“Our early suppliers extended credit when we had nothing but promises. Our first customers took a leap of faith on an unknown brand.”

 

 

 

 

A big name among gamers

Much of Evetech’s success has been due to its focus on the PC gaming community. “Gaming has been our North Star,” Sorathia said.

“Gaming laptops, custom-built desktops, and high-performance graphics cards have consistently driven our growth.”

Over the years, Evetech used major gamer-focused events like the Rage Expo, Comic Con, and various e-sports tournaments to grow its brand and win over customers.

“As South Africa’s gaming community grew, we positioned ourselves at the forefront of this movement, becoming the go-to destination for serious gamers and enthusiasts,” Sorathia said.

Sorathia’s company has created many jobs. As of September 2025, Evetech’s staff consists of more than 100 people, including sales consultants, logistics coordinators, technical support, and management.

 

 

 

Sorathia described the Evetech workforce as more of a family than a team. “Their dedication and passion have been instrumental in transforming a startup dream into a market leader,” he said.

His advice to entrepreneurs looking to enter e-commerce was to begin with “clarity and commitment” about their vision.

“Start small but think strategically,” Sorathia said. “The local market presents unique challenges such as complex logistics, building customer trust in digital commerce, and navigating economic fluctuations. “

“If you genuinely solve problems for your customers, you will differentiate yourself. When obstacles arise, remember that persistence often matters more than perfection.”

 

 

Sorathia said that putting people at the centre of your business, having courage and authentic care for customers, and remaining committed to the vision were essential.

“I started this journey with nothing more than a second-hand desk, a slow Internet line, and a lot of determination,” Sorathia said.

“Looking back, I realise the biggest upgrade I ever made was not to a PC, but to my belief that small beginnings can lead to giant outcomes.”

Despite his significant achievements, Sorathia prefers to keep a low profile. Below are images from Evetech’s history, staff, and facilities.

 

 

 

Evetech history and staff

Original Evetech logo (left), updated from 2013 to 2018 (middle), and the current logo (right), adopted in 2018.

Sorathia (centre at the back) with the Evetech team at Rage 2014

Evetech team at Rage Expo 2019.

Previous Evetech offices

Evetech offices from 2020
 
 
 
 
 
Issued on MyBroadband by Hanno Labuschagne | https://mybroadband.co.za/news/gaming/610002-the-uk-immigrant-who-founded-a-south-african-online-pc-giant-with-more-than-100-employees.html