Nosipho
Maketo-van den Bragt

about the jury

Nosipho Maketo-van den Braft, CEO of Chocolate Tribe, is an admitted attorney, creative business entrepreneur, and writer who thrives on synthesizing ideas, rapid learning, and adaptability. 

With a passion for storytelling and advocating for creatives, she co-founded in 2014 the high-end visual effects, animation and film content development studio, Chocolate Tribe. Under her leadership, Chocolate Tribe has become a leading studio producing award-winning international films, episodics, and commercials on the African continent. 

To further boost the growth of animation and visual effects driven projects on the continent, Chocolate Tribe focuses heavily on developing young talent. Nosipho’s vision goes beyond commercial success; she is also dedicated to narrative change, social responsibility, and community development. In 2021, Nosipho founded Chocolate Tribe’s CSR initiative, AVIJOZI, in partnership with Netflix. 

This initiative provides a platform for African and global talent within the gaming, animation, visual effects and film production space to connect to global ecosystems and networks, with the aim of opening up opportunities through projects and employment. 

Both the AVIJOZI roadshows, and yearly AVIJOZI festival (with over 4000 attendees) provides access to free masterclasses, access to local and international industry professionals, networks, mentorship, and internships, helping the creative industry build their skills and careers. 

Nosipho is also a mentor for Women in Animation and was recently featured in the powerful I AM campaign, sponsored by Nasqad and showcased in Times Square. In addition to this recognition, she has been selected for the prestigious EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women (EMEIA) Class of 2024, and she is a board member of the FMX Advisory Board for 2025, further emphasizing her leadership and influence within the animation industry.