Ever-smiling and always the big dreamer, Austin Chenge, 36, from Grand Rapids, West Michigan, is the embodiment of the American Dream. Austin has always stunned critics by achieving what others consider impossible. A graduate of the School of Law at the University of Birmingham England, Austin raised over $200,000 in funding for his first startup in England and soon expanded to San Jose in California.

 

He created Waving in a social networking environment in 2011, a concept later seen on Facebook's Wave. In 2016 his off road vehicle design (termed Wazobia tricycle) aimed at improving the lives of peasant farmers, made history in the West African nation of Nigeria as the first designed, engineered and manufactured by a person of Nigerian descent. He has been decorated with a U.S Army Achievement Medal as Distinguished Honor Graduate and for exceptional performance while on Active duty. 

 

As of March, 2020 Austin became the first Republican Candidate for Governor of Michigan, for the 2022 election. He is the first candidate for Governor to travel to all 83 counties in Michigan in more than 30-40years, visiting small businesses, farmers, families and Sheriffs, and uploading pictures on his Facebook page. Austin travelled more than 11,000miles and spent over 7weeks on the road. He began in Keweenaw, making his way across all the Upper Peninsula counties first, then Northern Michigan, and eventually made his way across the whole State of Michigan. 

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Austin raised more than 19,000 signatures, 4,000+ more than the 15,000 required to be on the ballot, but withdrew from the race in order not to split the Grassroot vote on the ballot.

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Austin is married and lives in West Michigan with his wife and 3 beautiful children.