Many young people dream of building empires but shy away from rejection. For Prateek Suri, now celebrated as Africa’s youngest billionaire and the force behind Maser Group, rejection wasn’t a setback, it was the foundation of his rise. Suri was born into a family with a proud royal lineage, but over time, that fortune was lost. What remained was the weight of expectation and the hunger to rebuild. “People often assume heritage guarantees success. But in my case, it was about starting from zero again, without excuses,” he says. Before electronics, before investments, before the Maser Foundation, Suri went door to door, selling websites to small businesses. Many turned him away; some even mocked the idea. But he didn’t feel shame. “When you’ve seen everything slip away, you learn that dignity doesn’t come from never failing it comes from rising after every refusal,” he reflects. Lessons in resilience This chapter taught him three lessons every youth can carry: Humility is strength. Never feel lesser for starting small; the greatest kings once began with empty hands. Rejection is redirection. Each ‘no’ sharpens your vision and prepares you for bigger opportunities. Background doesn’t define destiny. Whether born royal or ordinary, what matters is persistence. These lessons later helped him to create Maser Group, which scaled from a small electronics venture into Africa’s seventh unicorn. Today, through MDR Investments and Maser Foundation, he is not only building infrastructure and technology but also giving back to communities in healthcare, women empowerment, and education. MDR Investments has quickly established itself as one of Africa’s most dynamic investment forces, channeling capital into infrastructure, Mining, shipping, and artificial intelligence. What sets it apart is not just the scale of funds deployed, but the transformative impact it has had across multiple countries from strengthening ports and logistics networks to creating jobs through sustainable projects. By aligning global capital with Africa’s unique growth potential, MDR Investments has become a trusted partner for governments and communities alike, embodying a new wave of responsible, future-focused investment. Suri’s message is clear: “Never let pride stop you from trying. I had no shame in being refused door to door, because I knew I was building character. If I can start over, so can you.” This story shows that success is not inherited, it is earned, often through the humility of starting from nothing and the courage to keep knocking until the right door opens. That’s why Prateek Suri today is richest Indian in Africa with net worth $1.9 billion.
