Solutions (533)
Inspired by the Russian instant messaging platform Telegram, two Ethiopian entrepreneurs decided to set up a similar platform more suited for local users. The platform was almost an instant hit.
Hulugram is a mobile application developed by an Ethiopian startup. It enables users to access several services such as instant messaging, online payment solutions, online marketplaces, and even translation into over 20 languages.
Users can create their Hulugram accounts, through its Android-only app, with just their phone number. To create that account, a user needs to input his/her phone number, receive the verification code, and then configure the profile. Among other things, a user can share stories like on Instagram, and exchange messages with contacts and people near their location.
Thanks to its “People Nearby” feature, the platform allows users to discuss with nearby users. "To display details about the people, users can tap on the avatar icon. Users can enable or disable their profile visibility by tapping on the icon that is on the top right of the screen," the platform indicates.
Its "Marketplace" feature allows users to buy or sell online. When a user chooses to sell goods through Hulugram, he/she needs to create a store and add the item to be sold. On the other hand, when the user chooses to buy, he/she will be able to browse the online stores and the items they are selling.
Hulugram also allows its users to listen to music and get text translated. Since its launch, the application has been downloaded more than 500,000 times. In 2023, it was selected for the summer cohort of the Techstars Toronto accelerator.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
The startup behind the solution was primarily operational in the delivery sector. It later formed partnerships to facilitate the purchase and delivery of goods from certain retailers.
Quench is a mobile application developed by a South African startup. It enables users to buy goods from its partners and get them delivered. The said startup was founded in 2016. Its aim is to "create a convenient shopping experience, giving [users] more time at home and less time in stores."
The mobile app is available on iOS and Android. Through the app, a user can register for an account and buy groceries and essentials, alcoholic beverages as well as food.
To place an order, users must first enter their address by clicking on the "Account" button and then on "My Delivery Addresses". This first step is to determine whether there are delivery options for the addresses imputed by users. If there are no delivery options for the addresses imputed, users can not proceed further.
However, if there are delivery options, users can add items to their baskets, and checkout to validate orders. When ordered products run out of stock, Quench always contacts users to inquire whether it should replace them.
Since its launch, the Android version of its mobile application has been downloaded more than 50,000 times, according to Play Store data. It wants to become a super app, and in April 2021 it raised an undisclosed amount to kick-start this project by strengthening its partnerships and improving its technology.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
In some regions, in Africa, access to medicines can prove challenging. Startups operating in the distribution of pharmaceuticals are interesting alternatives for people living in those regions.
Afia Pharma is a digital solution developed by Rwandan firm Afia Group Ltd. It enables users to purchase pharmaceutical products online from the comfort of their homes. The Kigali-based start-up was founded in 2020 by Biganza Papy.
We are “on a mission to make quality medications accessible, available, and affordable to billions of people across Africa, to ensure that everyone has access to medicine at any time and everywhere,” Afia Pharma stated on its website.
Through its mobile apps –Android and iOS apps–, users can create accounts and purchase pharmaceuticals, from antivirals, vitamins, and antimalarials to anti-inflammatories.
To order on Afia Pharma, users need to simply search for the products they are looking for, add them to their cart, select the delivery option, and confirm the order. Users can upload their prescriptions for products that require so.
Afia Pharma accepts most electronic payment methods, such as credit cards. To help users take their medications as prescribed, Afia’s mobile app includes a reminder option.
In 2023, the healthtech solution was selected to join the second cohort of the pan-African Investing in Innovation (i3) program, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Microsoft, among others. This selection entitles it to $50,000 in funding to accelerate its growth across Africa.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
The solution was co-funded by a Nigerian-born entrepreneur who spent the bulk of his professional career working for international IT firms.
WallX is a fintech solution developed by a Nigerian startup of the same name. It enables users, both individuals and corporate entities, to send and receive money, receive payments, and settle online transactions. The startup, based in Lekki in Lagos State and New York in the USA, was founded in 2020 by Richmond Ogigai and Subomi Jegunmah.
"I had seen firsthand the experiences of small business owners when it comes to payments and how their businesses eventually die out because they don’t have the basic tools or knowledge to build out their businesses. [...] Things like smart digital payment tools, record keeping, hiring, and sales management, are still very much done in a very manual way, and they end up running your business down," says Richmond Ogigai.
The solution features a mobile application accessible for Android and iOS devices. Once downloaded, users must create an account to access the various services it offers. Both individuals and companies can generate payment links as well as PIN codes to easily collect merchant payments or gift vouchers, pay electricity bills, buy airtime, or make monetary contributions such as participatory financing.
Since its launch, the Android version of the mobile application has already been downloaded more than a thousand times. WallX has been selected for the Spring 2023 cohort of New York accelerator Starta. It is also one of the 12 startups selected for the second cohort (2023) of the Fast Accelerator program supported by Microsoft.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
In Africa, access to pharmacies and hospitals can prove challenging in some regions. To address the problem, e-health solutions have been introduced.
Zendawa is an e-health platform developed by a Kenyan startup. It enables access to pharmaceutical products and facilitates online appointments with doctors. The Nakuru-based start-up was founded in 2022 by Wilfred Chege. It aims to establish sustainable solutions in the health technology sector.
Currently, the solution has no mobile app. So, users have to visit its web platform to browse the various services it offers, without even having to create an account. Users need no account to even book an appointment. They just have to click on the "Make an appointment" button and fill in the required information, including the name, e-mail address, phone number, appointment date, and details about the medical condition.
Zendawa offers pharmacists a cash and inventory management service and access to working capital. "We leverage on Artificial Intelligence, based on data from our pharmacies' digital suite, to come up with credit scores which unlock access to capital for our pharmacies from our lending partners," it says on its web platform.
The platform also has a feature that allows doctors to share patients’ medical records. "We provide our medical practitioners with an integrated digital suite from which they can share patient's medical records and leverage on Artificial Intelligence to provide fully informed care decisions," Zendawa states.
Zendawa has launched a deferred payment service to facilitate supplies to pharmacies in the event of stock shortages. In 2023, it was selected as one of 29 African startups to take part in the second cohort of the Investing in Innovation (i3) program.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
With the acceleration of digital transformation across Africa, private and public companies and public administration are looking for digital skills. This startup offers a solution with its edtech platform.
Stutern is an edtech platform developed by a Nigerian startup. It enables access to IT courses online. Based in Lagos, the startup behind the edtech platform was founded in 2015 by Kehinde Ayanleye (photo, right) and Taiwo Ayanleye (photo, left).
On Stutern, users can choose from a range of courses, including UI/UX design, front-end and back-end web development, data science, and mobile development. As the solution has no mobile app, users have to visit its web platform, create their accounts, and register their interest in the said courses.
To register their interest, they need to fill out a form stating their interest and motivation and answer questions about their general skills in writing and video form. They will then answer specific and technical questions relating to the chosen program. Their suitability to the desired courses will be determined based on the various answers provided.
Training lasts between 16 and 24 weeks, with two sessions per week. It's worth noting that courses are held live online, and learners can ask questions for better understanding. The edtech startup allows learners to pay their fees in three different ways. These include full payment, payment in installments, and a revenue-sharing agreement. The latter means that the learner pays part of the tuition during the course and then repays the rest after finding a job, according to a revenue-sharing agreement.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
The Kenyan agritech company aims to be a modern and advanced alternative to its competitors. It uses megadata to improve its production.
Founded in 2015 by Joseph Rehmann and Steve Moran, Victory Farms is a Kenyan agritech company specializing in tilapia farming and commercialization. Through its web platform, users can purchase tilapia in bulk or per unit (depending on the size of the fish).
"We sell to mass market Africans via a highly innovative RTM cold chain which uses predictive data to push fish to thousands of market women every day all across Kenya with less than 1% spoilage. [...] This allows us to innovate and create more cost-effective solutions through our systems and the power of data to deliver a better, fresher product to more consumers," explained Joseph Rehmann, CEO of Victoria Farms, in 2022.
To place an order with Victoria Farms, buyers need to visit the startup’s web platform –as it currently has no mobile application, create an account, or sign in if they already have. They can then place their orders and pay using the mobile money service M-Pesa or via bank card before or at delivery.
To help buyers locate the nearest branches, the startup issued a USSD code that can be dialed to locate one or more of its 54 sales outlets where more than 15,000 market women stock up on fish.
Since its launch, the company has raised over $43 million to, among other things, improve its technology, develop its activities, and accelerate its growth both in and outside Kenya. “We’ve got several initiatives underway and planned to build the world’s first carbon-negative fish platform. And I think it’s very exciting because we’ve got a lot of tangible and measurable dimensions built into the business to achieve that,” indicated Joseph Rehmann.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Alpha Direct was founded in 2014 but, it came into the spotlight in 2021 when it announced record sales of around $4.8 million during the previous financial year.
Founded in 2014 by Arun Iyer (photo), Alpha Direct is a Botswanan startup operating in insurance technologies. Headquartered in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, it announced the completion of a $600,000 funding round, in 2021, to accelerate its growth.
The startup has developed an eponymous insurtech solution to enable users to purchase various insurance policies right from their smartphones. The solution is accessible through an Android app or a web platform. Through those mediums, a user can create an account and choose the insurance policy that best suits his or her needs (from car insurance to travel insurance) and get a quote. Once the quote is obtained, the user can subscribe to the chosen policies if he/she agrees with the conditions.
Apart from subscribing to policies, through the Android and web platforms, a user can also submit claims. All that is needed is to fill out a form providing all the relevant information to ensure rapid processing.
Since its launch, the mobile application has been downloaded over a thousand times. The startup plans to conquer other regions in Botswana and enter the Zambian and South African markets.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Despite being democratized, the Internet is still not easily accessible in some African countries. Nevertheless, some tech entrepreneurs are doing their utmost best to offer connected populations tailor-made solutions and services.
Warani Shop is an e-commerce application developed by a Central African startup. It enables users to make online purchases and have them delivered to the address indicated during the ordering process. The Bangui-based start-up was founded in 2023 by Vianney Kanda.
"After numerous reflections on some of the problems faced by Central Africans, notably in accessing quality products, or getting products delivered, I decided to create Warani, which is a bridge between the customer and the seller. [...] Warani's main objective is to allow access to services and products for Central Africans," says Vianney Kanda.
Through the Warani mobile app –for Android and iOS devices, a user can create an account to access the services offered by the solution. From cosmetics and beauty products to kitchenware, hardware, loincloths and clothing, Warani Shop is a comprehensive online boutique. It integrates several payment methods, such as Visa card, Orange Money, or even cash on delivery.
Given that internet penetration is low in the Central African Republic –10.58% in 2021, according to the International Telecommunications Union– the startup has dedicated a number for orders by phone. Since its launch on Saturday, September 9, 2023, the Android version of its mobile app has already been downloaded more than a hundred times, according to Play Store data.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
After years of successful operations in Egypt, the super app decided to enter several Middle Eastern markets this year. To this end, it has signed several partnerships to enhance its services.
Yalla is a super app developed by an Egyptian startup. It enables users to send and receive money, pay merchants, and order food from partner restaurants. The Cairo-based startup behind it was founded in 2021 by Waleed Sadek.
Through its mobile app –available for Android and iOS devices only, users can create accounts to access its various services. In addition to the main services mentioned above, it also integrates on-demand transport, an online store, payment for data and airtime, insurance subscriptions, etc. Yalla also offers virtual cards to facilitate online commercial transactions.
"Yalla Card (physical & virtual in Yalla Super App) is the only financial account you will ever need to manage your money. It will help you send, receive, pay, withdraw, save, invest, and track your money," the startup explains on its website. It is also possible to make ATM withdrawals, lock and unlock the card in just one click, and set spending limits, right from the mobile app.
The super-app claims over 1.6 million users and more than 6 billion Egyptian pounds (approx. $194 million) in transactions since its launch. In addition to Egypt, it is also present in the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. Talking about the expansion into Saudi Arabia, which was announced last week, Waleed Sadek explains that his startup aims "to attract around one million Saudi users in the first year of operation, by offering the best possible services that meet” customers’ needs.
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Founded in 2021, it quickly found itself in the spotlight with its participation in the summer cohort of a major accelerator program. Since then, the startup has been growing at an accelerated pace.
FoodCourt is a digital solution developed by a Nigerian startup. It enables users to order food online from several restaurants and have it delivered to their home or office. The Lagos-based startup behind the solution was founded in 2021 by Henry Nneji and Paul Adokiye Iruene.
“Consumer behavior is changing in Africa, and despite the rise of food delivery aggregator apps like Jumia Foods and Glovo, there is still a massive amount of inefficiency in the food delivery space. We realized that all customers really wanted was good food and a seamless ordering experience,” explained Henry Nneji on the reasons that promoted the creation of FoodCourt.
The solution has a mobile app –For Android and iOS devices– through which a user can create an account to start placing orders. The app lists several restaurants offering a variety of food. It also allows users to group orders. With its cashless policy, no cash payment is accepted. Payments can be made only via dematerialized payment methods such as digital wallets, bank cards, or bank transfers.
"The delivery fee is determined by the distance between you & the restaurant. Our delivery fees currently go from 390 – 850 naira & may increase as much as 1.5x during a surge. Surges are caused by irregular factors like heavy traffic, heavy rainfall, fuel scarcity, high order volumes at the restaurant, etc.," says FoodCourt concerning its delivery fees.
According to Play Store data, the Android version of its mobile app has already been downloaded more than 50,000 times. In 2022, FoodCourt was selected to participate in the summer cohort of Californian accelerator Y Combinator. The startup wants to conquer Nigeria, expand to other countries in Africa, and even go beyond the continent.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
The number of e-commerce platforms is increasing in Egypt, and competition for market share is fierce. Although based in Cairo, this start-up has decided to conquer other cities in the land of the pyramids.
Kenzz is an e-commerce platform developed by an Egyptian startup. It enables users to shop online at competitive prices without going through intermediaries or resellers. The Cairo-based start-up was founded in February 2022 by Ahmed Atef, Mahmoud Al Silk, and Moataz Sami. In October of the same year, it raised around $3.5 million to accelerate its growth in the domestic market.
"We’re going after a completely different segment that Amazon and the big platforms are not looking at as they are centralized in big cities and towards the people who are comfortable buying online. [...] What we’re doing is bringing that experience much closer to the masses and building a reliable, trustworthy e-commerce platform that caters specifically to the mass market, solving for the barriers to buying, whether it’s trust, affordability, and relevance while capitalizing on social engagement and social interaction aspects of e-commerce," explains Ahmed Atef.
Through the Kenzz mobile app –available for Android and iOS devices, users can create accounts with their phone numbers and access the various stores on the platform. Whether for groceries, clothing, home and sports goods, household appliances, or even books, Kenzz has stores specialized in all of those items and more.
It allows users to make group purchases, with friends or family, for up to 65% discounts. Currently, the startup has chosen to develop activities in secondary cities in Egypt. For the time being, Play Store data show rapid growth as the Android version of its app has been downloaded more than 100,000 times.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
The solution behind the startup was established as SmartWage. Later, its founders decided to broaden its offering. So they updated its name.
Jem is a digital solution developed by a South African startup. It enables employers to share documents and information with their out-of-office employees. The Cape Town-based startup was founded, in 2019, under the name SmartWage by Alex Platt, Caroline van der Merwe, Nick Platt, and Simon Ellis. It has raised around $2.5 million to, among other things, support its growth and develop its technology.
"Payslips and leaves are still done manually with paper printouts, while employee communication is done using notice boards or apps, which have huge usage drop-offs. Onboarding and disciplinary procedures are still paper-based, costing businesses precious time, money, and resources," says Simon Ellis.
The digital solution is accessible via WhatsApp instant messaging app, so users won't have to download any apps from the Play Store or App Store. Jem allows users to receive company-wide communications, access payslips, request time off, or even access financial wellness products, all via WhatsApp.
"If we can save employers time and money through digitization, we can bridge the gap between South African enterprises and their frontline employees, helping enterprises connect clearly and dynamically with their employees, whilst offering financial wellness tools at the same time," explains Simon Ellis.
To share payslips via the solution, each employee pays 4.90 rand (approx. $0.26) per month, and to receive all communications, the rate rises to 8.9 rand. The startup also offers access to salary advances that need to be repaid the following month.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
The solution aims to help people build financial discipline.
Alvin App is a fintech solution developed by a Kenyan startup. It helps users efficiently manage, save, and grow their money.
"The only personal finance apps we could find in Kenya were not optimized for the local context, they offered no guidance to help us acquire the assets we wanted to save toward, and only offered the ability to save but gave no daily support to help us save for goals that require consistency for long periods.[...] Alvin is ultimately designed to be your daily pocket companion that makes it dead simple to feel like you’re in control of your financial situation, and that every day," explains Winston Reid, CEO of Alvin.
Through the Alvin Android app (only the Android app is available for the time being), users can create their accounts and set spending and saving goals to let the app track their budgets. Alvin defines daily, weekly, and monthly spending thresholds, enabling users to track the evolution of their savings.
In addition to setting up the budget, Alvin assists the user daily by sending budget alerts. It also carries out comparative analysis based on current and past spending. The analysis aims to help users build and stick to spending habits that facilitate the achievement of predefined saving goals.
"For anyone to build sustainable saving habits, they need to have sustainable spending habits. And doing this requires giving people more support than reminders to make deposits," says Winston Reid.
In 2022, the startup behind the app raised $740,000 to accelerate its growth. At the time, it indicated that the app was in its private beta phase, adding that it was planning to go international.
Adoni Conrad Quenum