Solutions (533)
In various sectors, AI is constantly pushing the boundaries of knowledge. In Africa particularly, tech entrepreneurs are leveraging it to offer tailor-made and innovative solutions to identified challenges.
Baby Cry Insights is a mobile application developed by Nigerian start-up Ubenwa. It helps parents interpret their babies’ cries.
“Ubenwa is building a diagnostic tool that understands when a baby’s cry is a cry for medical attention. [...] Ultimately, our goal is to be a translator for baby cry sounds, providing a non-invasive way to monitor medical conditions everywhere you find a baby: delivery rooms, neonatal and pediatric intensive care units, nurseries, and in the home,” explains Charles Onu, CEO and co-founder of Ubenwa.
Baby Cry Insights is available for Android and iOS devices. Using any of those versions, a user can create a profile and record the cries of the baby to be monitored. The embedded AI-powered system then analyzes the cries to pinpoint the potential triggers identified. Whether it's fear, pain, discomfort, or hunger, the user will know the baby’s sentiment at that moment and act accordingly.
Baby Cry Insights sends a "report to better understand acoustic markers such as pitch frequency and intensity, and track which soothing technique worked best for your little one,” we learn.
The application also enables a user to share a baby’s profile with a second parent or nanny to make babysitting easier. With features like routine monitoring and health information, it facilitates the monitoring of babies’ daily routines such as sleeping, eating, breastfeeding, and any disturbances in their state of health. Users can thus anticipate medical assistance and better manage their baby's state of health.
Since its launch in 2017, the startup behind the solution has raised about $2.3 million to develop its technology and support growth. The Android version of its app has been downloaded more than a thousand times.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Upon returning to her native Ethiopia after her engineering studies in India, Samrawit Tarekegn discovered the challenges faced by women who were passionate about their careers but still needed to take care of their children. She then decided to set up what she describes as "The Uber for Nannies" to address those challenges.
Mogzit In-Home Care is a technological solution developed by an Ethiopian start-up. It connects nannies with parents looking for people who will look after their children. The Addis Ababa-based start-up behind the app was founded in 2021 by Samrawit Tarekegn, Tigist Alene, Rahel Tarekegn, and Biniam Asnake. It aims to provide “flexible and convenient home service [...] at an affordable cost.” Its nannies are trained to, among other things, prepare meals, help with homework, tidy up children's areas, or administer medication with parental consent.
“As the youngest child in my family, I witnessed my older sisters, who are married and passionate about their careers, struggling to find reliable and consistent childcare when they returned to work after giving birth. [...] One of my sisters was forced to leave her child with neighbors whenever she went to work,” explains Samrawit Tarekegn, the originator of the Mogzit In-Home Care idea.
For the time being, the startup has no mobile app for its solution. Users must therefore access its services through its web platform. They can browse the profiles of the over 350 nannies listed on Mogzit In-Home Care. To book one, a user needs to press the "Book a Nanny" button and click on the profile of one of the many nannies on the page. They then click on the "See details" button to see all the information on the chosen nanny. This includes name, surname, age, languages spoken, neighborhood, rates, etc.
If the user validates the profile, he or she can go ahead and book the nanny. Then, the user needs to provide all their information on the platform, including the number of children to be looked after and their place of residence. "Following the booking, our team arranges an in-person or virtual interview in our presence to go over the needs of the parent as well as the services to be provided by the nanny. If an agreement is reached, a legal contract is signed between the two," says Samrawit Tarekegn.
In addition to the on-demand nanny service, the startup also offers on-demand cooks, tutors, and housekeepers services. It wants to introduce other profiles to provide even more comprehensive services.
"Currently, Mogzit is actively registering college graduates in Clinical Nursing, Social Work, and Psychology onto our platform, thereby expanding our workforce. Such graduates can come aboard Mogzit if they meet the criteria," said Samrawit Tarekegn.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
After several years in the global financial sector, three tech entrepreneurs decided to set up a fintech solution to facilitate investment in international markets for Africans regardless of their social level. That is how Ndovu was born.
Ndovu is a fintech solution developed by a Kenyan start-up. It enables users to save money and invest in global financial markets via a mobile application. The Nairobi-based start-up behind that solution was founded in 2020 by Radhika Bhachu, Ro Nyangeri, and Gianpaolo De Biase, three tech entrepreneurs with years of experience in the financial sector. The fintech's aim is to provide Africans with the tools they need to build their wealth.
The solution has a mobile app, available on iOS and Android. Users must first download it to create an account. Upon registration, they will be asked to answer a number of questions, after which Ndovu will help them define financial objectives and set up personalized investment portfolios. After that step, they can now invest in financial markets.
The startup has set up an online academy for its users who know nothing about finance. The academy offers tips and advice on investing and saving.
Ndovu also makes initial security picks to suggest interesting investments to its users.
“If you were to save $100 per month for 10 years in a bank account paying 2% per annum, you would earn $13,200. On the other hand, if you invest $100 per month for 10 years using Ndovu, into the S&P 500 fund, you could earn approximately $23,500,” explains Ro Nyangeri.
The minimum investment on Ndovu is 5,050 Kenyan shillings (around $35). The Android version of its mobile app has already been downloaded more than 50,000 times. Since its launch, the fintech has received several awards. Among others, it won the She Loves Tech competition in 2021 and was selected for the Google for Startups Accelerator the same year.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
DigiCow Africa Ltd has developed several digital solutions to help farmers. Among them, the DigiCow Dairy application, its major solution, has won several awards.
Digicow Dairy App is a mobile application developed by Kenyan start-up DigiCow Africa Ltd, formerly FarmingTech Solutions. It provides “verified, reliable, and timely information on animal husbandry” to farmers. The solution was launched by Peninah Wanja, a Kenyan practicing extension officer determined to address the challenges faced by farmers in her country after witnessing them firsthand.
“It's a gap that I saw because when you look at the statistics and what is on the ground, our government has provided one extension officer for close to 4,000 farmers. So, there is a need for these critical services,” the tech entrepreneur explains.
The Digicow app is available for Android devices only. Once installed, it enables farmers to register by providing all the necessary information on their livestock. Based on that information, Digicow assists the farmers in their various tasks by notably providing real-time reports and sending notifications concerning important cow breeding dates.
"The App is designed to use the data and feedback production, financial reports, breeding and health reports. The farmer has the option to access analyzed financial statements and receives important alerts such as dropped milk production, when to observe for heat signs, indicating a failed conception, and when to expect the cow to calf among other advisories," Digicow indicates, describing its Android app.
The app features a virtual training room, available 24 hours a day. The training room includes on-demand written audio and video content. There is also a real-time chat room where farmers can interact, exchange ideas, and discuss with group experts.
Thanks to the Digicow app, DigiCow Africa Ltd has set up an ecosystem to help farmers increase milk yields, ensure better herd health, and improve farm organization among other things. Digicow also has a lending mechanism designed to provide farmers with credit for personal and agricultural expenses.
In 2019, DigiCow was named Kenya's most innovative agritech in a World Bank challenge. It claims to work with over 200,000 farmers.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
The solution was launched to particularly allow users to get their food and groceries delivered anytime, even at night time as there were no night-time delivery services at the time.
Noofy is a mobile application developed by an Algerian start-up. It enables users to have food and groceries delivered to their doorsteps. On its website, the startup behind the app explains: “When Noofy founder and CEO Nacer Eddine Gacem returned to Algiers in 2022, he discovered a city full of excellent restaurants open at night, but was astonished that there was no option for food and grocery delivery as well as tobacco delivery at night. He made it his personal mission to bring the best local night store work right to people's doorsteps.”
In line with its commitment, the startup has developed a mobile application, accessible for Android and iOS devices. Through that app, a user can create an account, with just a phone number, and check the restaurants and stores listed.
Among other things, users can buy local or western foods, and stock up on groceries and other goods from convenience stores, specialty stores, or supermarkets.
To further simplify the process, Noofy requires users to enter their geographic location before anything. Based on that location, the app will suggest nearby restaurants or stores to reduce delivery time.
Apart from food and grocery, Noofy also delivers tobacco and medicines on demand. Its delivery drivers ride bicycles to reduce the startup’s environmental impacts.
The idea is successful since, according to Play Store data, in about one year of existence, the Noofy Android app has been downloaded more than a thousand times. Nevertheless, the startup, which currently operates in Algiers, seeks to expand to other large cities including Oran, Constantine, Setif, and Tlemcen.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
After 19 years outside his native Côte d’Ivoire, Zaza Gnahore, the founder of Djoloo decided to return home to reconnect to his culture and popularize African culture across the world. Through his online platform, he is doing just that.
Djoloo is an e-commerce platform developed by an Ivorian start-up. It enables users to purchase items from artists and artisans who showcase African culture.
On the platform, unregistered users can browse the online stores and the various items on sale. The items include books, games, gift packaging, and accessories, as well as clothing for men, women, and children among other things.
Apart from Côte d'Ivoire, the products on sale on the platform come from several African countries, including Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Benin, Cameroon, Tunisia and Morocco. To place an order, a user will need to create an account by entering the necessary information.
Djoloo does not offer delivery services but the orders can be shipped to the address indicated by buyers. Delivery time usually ranges between two and four days, unless stated otherwise on the product description page or during order validation.
The startup explains that when a delivery fails, the carrier hired to deliver the order will deliver the products to a neighbor/nearby address or collection point.
In addition to online sales, the platform has a blog on which it showcases African artisans and artists and their products. The blog features several articles telling the success stories of the owners of various African brands.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
MedsToGo was launched by Ebrahim Ally, a South African finance professional, to facilitate the supply of pharmaceuticals in major South African cities.
MedsToGo is a business-to-customer e-health solution developed by a South African start-up, launched in 2016. It allows users to purchase prescription drugs, health items, vitamins, and baby care products.
Through its mobile (Android and iOS) apps, a user can create an account to access its services. For the account, the user needs the following information: name, email address, telephone number, and a secure password among other things. To place an order, the user must click on the "Orders" tab, and then specify whether the drugs and products are prescribed or self-prescribed. Once this step is completed, the user can access the virtual pharmacy, select the products needed, and finalize the purchase.
From Monday to Saturday, orders are delivered the same day when placed before noon. If not, they are delivered the following day. It should be noted that MedsToGo partners with numerous pharmacies in various parts of the country to facilitate the supply of pharmaceutical products.
In addition to this service, it integrates a messaging feature that enables messages to be sent to the pharmacist when needed. Among other things, it can help readjust the dosage of a patient's medication, or change it if the patient's condition is not improving.
For the time being, the startup wants to sustain its growth in the domestic market before considering an international expansion. Since its launch, the MedsToGo Android app has been downloaded over a thousand times.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
To offer his compatriots the opportunity to cash out from agriculture, Nigerian tech entrepreneur Adama Joseph Adama developed a solution that allows everyone to invest in farm projects and get a share of the profits generated.
Farm4me is a contract farming solution developed by a Nigerian agritech start-up. It allows users to invest in farm projects of their choice and receive dividends after a set period.
Through its Android app, a user can create an account and access the various investment opportunities offered by the agritech startup. With Farm4me, investing 227,000 naira (around $294) in the cultivation of a hectare of maize will yield 27,240 naira after 6 months, while a hectare of rice will cost 298,278 naira for a 53,690 naira profit over the same period. The company also offers investments in crops such as sesame, sorghum, and soybeans.
In addition to this service, the startup also rents out agricultural equipment, trades in agricultural products and inputs, and loans out farm inputs to small-scale farmers. Farm4me boasts some 32,223 users and 22,311 jobs created. The startup farms over 356,213 hectares. According to Play Store data, its app has already been downloaded over 5,000 times.
In 2021, Farm4me was awarded the prize for the best digital agricultural investment platform in West Africa by the Nigerian Institute of Brand Management. The same year, the World Quality Institute also awarded Farm4me the prize for the best provider of quality agricultural equipment sales and rental services in Africa.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
In Africa, there is a growing presence of e-mobility companies. Multinationals like Uber and Bolt coexist with local initiatives on the continent.
Lefa is an e-mobility solution developed by an eponymous Namibian startup. It enables users to easily send drivers on their errands.
Through its Android and iOS apps, a user can create an account by entering his/her phone number and a valid email address. Once this step is completed, users can start ordering cabs. The process is simple. They just need to enter their destination to get things started. To make the order process even simpler, Lefa has a feature to save favorite destinations.
The solution offers various types of cars and rates, depending on users’ preferences. Its applications integrate real-time monitoring features as well as several payment methods. Nevertheless, users can also pay for their rides with cash.
"LEFA charges a minimum of N$40.00 per trip. Fares are calculated based on the distance and duration of the ride at N$4.00/kilometer plus N$3.50/minute rate. Once you enter your pickup and dropoff address, the LEFA app will automatically calculate the fares before you confirm your trip. LEFA offers no fixed fares or surge pricing," the startup explains in its FAQ section.
In addition to on-demand errands, the start-up also offers a variety of services such as personnel transport, event transportation solutions, and parcel delivery services.
Since its launch, its Android app has been downloaded more than 10,000 times, according to Play Store data.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
In 2012, the family counseling association Guryosamo was founded, in Somalia, to help young Somalis get married among other things. Ten years later, it decided to modernize operations, hence the birth of Guurdoon.
Guurdoon is a digital solution developed by the Somali association Guryosamo, founded in 2012 and headed by Ahmed Abshir Geedi. The solution, launched in 2022, connects users looking for spouses.
In the Somali language, "Guurdoon" literally means "in search of marriage".
"We have big problems today with marriages. Our young people are rushing to get married and then immediately getting divorced. We understood the need to promote a platform where people of all ages can meet and find each other as partners since our young people are mainly on social networks these days. The [solution] is something totally new, and some people are confused by its use," says Ahmed Abshir Geedi.
Its mobile app is available only for Android devices. Through the app, users can register for accounts by entering a number of information. Among other things, they will input their level of education, the desired education level, and the employment status of their partners, etc..
Unlike traditional dating applications, where users have to swipe profiles, Guurdoon selects the best profiles that match users’ requirements. "I entered the characteristics I wanted in my partner and the app suggested [...] I just need to make up my mind and choose one," explains Abdifatah Adan, a tuktuk driver in Mogadishu. Although Somalia is a conservative, religious-oriented society, the app has already been downloaded more than 50,000 times, according to Play Store data.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
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The digital solution was launched by two entrepreneurs experienced in the management of private, government, and non-profit initiatives. Its aim is to demystify mathematics.
Watobe is an edtech startup that teaches, mainly secondary school students, mathematics. The Cape Town-based start-up was founded in 2019 by Erik Lönnroth and Henry Warren.
It has an Android app through which users can seamlessly access its courses. Users on the iOS platform, however, need to download the videoconferencing app Zoom to be able to access its courses. The startup offers two live classes weekly. Those who miss the live classes can access the recordings on its platform 24 hours after the live session to solve the quizzes on time.
Based on quizzes and participation in live classes, teachers track learners’ progress and send weekly reports to parents. "Watobe live classes are interactive from start to finish and include plenty of opportunity for questions. Questions can be asked either verbally or in writing using the live chat," the platform says in its FAQ.
The edtech startup offers two types of packages: one costs 299 rand (approx. $15.95) and the other is 99 rand. It also offers a 14-day trial for learners to validate whether or not this type of learning is right for them. This trial period costs 50 rand. Since its launch, the company has raised around $1.1 million to finance its growth.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
In Africa, digital payment methods are booming. Fintech startups are, therefore, launching ever-innovative products for day-to-day use.
Flash is a fintech solution developed by an Egyptian eponymous start-up. It enables users to pay their bills or purchases by just scanning a QR code.
According to Erik Gordon, CEO of the startup behind the solution, the aim is to make payments easier and secure for everyone. For that purpose, the startup has a mobile app for Android and iOS devices. Through the app, users can create their Flah accounts to access the various features. They need to add bank cards or top up their wallets to be able to make transactions.
In addition to its basic functionality, Flash plans to add new financial management tools to help users make better spending decisions, according to Erik Gordon. To develop its technology and platform, the startup has already raised over $6 million. According to Play Store data, the Android version of its app has been downloaded more than 5,000 times.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
After studying in Canada and working as a consultant at McKinsey, Sophia Alj became a digital entrepreneur, launching this startup for dentists.
Mondentiste.ma is an e-health solution developed by a young Moroccan startup. It allows dentists to manage their daily appointments and patients to schedule dental care appointments in several cities throughout the country. The app was launched in Casablanca in 2017 by Sophia Alj, a serial tech entrepreneur who also co-founded the startup Chari.ma and co-leads the incubator Wib.co.
The goal is to "connect dental health professionals, patients, and advertisers in the oral hygiene sector."
The solution features a mobile application available on iOS and Android for healthcare professionals. Dentists, using their smartphones, can check their appointment schedules in real time, book new appointments, and accept and modify online appointment requests. Patients, for their part, can access the service only via its web platform.
Users are not required to have an account to browse the platform. All they have to do is, based on their location, use the search bar and look up a dentist from available options. Next, they schedule an appointment, provided that the timeslot picked is available. With Mondestiste.ma, it is also easy to find a specific dentist, given that the user knows the first and last names of this professional.
The platform also includes a blog where topics related to oral health are discussed. Since its launch, the Mondentiste.ma app has been downloaded over a hundred times.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
The Cameroonian market is witnessing a growing number of solutions developed by natives who are intent on creating local solutions for local problems. Almost every sector is concerned including the e-mobility sector. Last April, that sector notably welcomed Ongo, an urban and interurban transport app. Following in its wake, Klandoo was launched by a member of the diaspora who returned to Cameroon to contribute to the development of his native country.
Klandoo is an e-mobility application developed by a Cameroonian start-up, recently launched to facilitate access to transport.
True to the startup’s spirit, the application (available for Android and iOS devices) allows users to easily book rides. All they have to do is to create an account or log into an existing one, enter the departure and destination points then select the type of car they want.
Klandoo will then suggest drivers close to the departure point along with an estimate of the fare to be paid. Once at their destination, the application urges users to rate their experience and, drivers who receive the best ratings are included in users’ “favorite” lists.
"All the cars’ technical inspection files are checked, assuring a perfect driving experience. In the event of a road accident or any kind of aggression, drivers and clients are taken care of by partner hospitals," explains Serge Itjo, the founder of Klandoo. Serge Itjo explains that Klandoo drivers are considered “partners” working for their own accounts. Klandoo nevertheless collects 20% of drivers’ proceeds.
To ensure the security of both drivers and clients, Klandoo’s team tracks rides in real time. The startup is currently active in Douala, Yaoundé, and Kribi but it wants to conquer the whole Cameroonian market. According to Play Store data, the Android version of its app has already been downloaded more than a hundred times.
Adoni Conrad Quenum