Solutions (533)
In Africa, more e-mobility apps are emerging. They are appealing both to locals and tourists, mostly because they are safer and more transparent than traditional taxis.
Developed by a Moroccan startup, VotreChauffeur.ma is a digital platform that lets its users book luxury cars with a driver. The Casablanca-based startup was founded in 2014 by Jawad Ziyat and Ismael Belkhayat.
The platform can be accessed on computers but also on Android and iOS devices. On mobile devices, the user needs to register on the App after downloading it. Taxis booked via the platform can be used for intra-city trips, excursions, tourist circuits, or airport transfers. Drivers can also be booked for a given duration.
"The only criterion we take into consideration is whether you want to keep the car with its driver in Casablanca, or outside this city. From that point on, you are free to make all the trips you need, all services are included in the price announced at the time of your reservation," the startup indicates.
The user also has a choice of the type of car. VotreChauffeur.ma has sedans and vans and the type of car affects the rates. Wifi, phone charger, bottled water, newspapers, and magazines are all services available on board the startup's vehicles.
"Prices depend on the option chosen and the city you are located. Our rates are primarily calculated based on the reserved route and the distance of the driver from your starting point," the platform notes. It is possible to view from the web platform and the application the list of available drivers in real-time.
In addition to Casablanca, VotreChauffeur.ma is present in Agadir, Marrakech, Rabat, Fès, and Tangier. On Google Store (Android), the App already totals over 10,000 downloads.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
E-health startups are proving quite useful in helping the people of Africa have greater access to healthcare. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a tech entrepreneur has developed a customized solution for his fellow citizens.
Congo Medika is an e-health solution developed by a Congolese startup. The platform’s users can book appointments with physicians for visits at home or their workplace. They can also have drugs delivered, and get health advice. Founded in 2021, by Emmanuel Epenge, the startup is based in Kinshasa.
Creating an account is compulsory to access the platform’s services. Details required include an email address and a username. Depending on a given user’s health issues and whether they want to book an appointment, the procedure is easy to follow. Personal information, the date and time of the appointment must be filled in for booking.
After sending the request, the user will be contacted and given details about the booked appointment. In addition to this service, the e-health platform also has an online pharmacy. It's possible to purchase various drugs and have them delivered to your home. Congo Medika provides information on all the medications sold in its online pharmacy.
The health advice service includes a blog and video sections. Health-related articles are posted on the blog and the videos offer the same kind of content, only in short formats for easier understanding.
Congo Medika also has a messaging feature that allows users to chat with physicians. The platform is available on Android. The startup behind the solution works with over 120 health professionals.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
To help African entrepreneurs showcase their products across the continent and the world, a tech entrepreneur created a digital platform to facilitate commercial transactions within and beyond Africa.
Awalebiz is a digital marketplace developed by a Senegalese startup. It allows users, sellers, and buyers, to purchase and sell unique products online. The startup is based in Dakar. It was founded in 2014 by Nafy Diagne, to pool entrepreneurs from several African countries on a single platform where they could sell their products to people all around the world.
"In the spirit of the Awalé game, based on the idea of sowing seeds and reaping the fruit, our company focuses not only on online sales, our core business but also on promoting our artisans and African culture that we want to share with the world," the platform explains.
Available on iOS and Android, the platform is most accessed through its website. Users do not need to have an account, but when placing an order, the buyer must always provide their billing and delivery address.
"Sellers from all African countries are showcasing their products. The Cameroonian buyer gets delivered from Kenya, the South African buyer from Senegal, and the Australian buyer from Benin. We cast the net to connect the continent from all sides, and of course, to connect it to the rest of the world. The spirit is Pan-African. The ambition is global," the platform states.
Delivery times depend on the chosen delivery method, where the item will come from, and the buyer’s location. The platform provides a reasonable time range within which items are likely to be delivered.
In 2017, Awalebiz won the first prize in the third edition of the Linguère Digital Challenge. As a result, the startup received financial support, in the form of a check of CFA7.5 million (about $12,867), as well as technical support worth CFA2.5 million.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
With financial technology growing rapidly across Africa, more local companies have been developing several solutions to offer consumers interesting alternatives to traditional financial management software.
Tresorerie.ma is a digital platform developed by a Moroccan start-up. It allows SMEs and managers, to manage cash flow, centralize and pay supplier invoices, and follow up clients from a dashboard. Based in Tangier, the startup was founded in 2022 by Hicham Berrahou.
"Tresorerie.ma offers a service complementary to accounting: thanks to Tresorerie.ma, you can anticipate and follow the evolution of your cash flow in real time. This will not impact your accounting process. Your accountant can therefore continue to manage your accounts without any problem," the platform states.
To access the fintech's services, users need to visit the platform and create an account. It offers several pricing grids and a trial for a few days. Among other things, users will need to provide information such as their first and last name, email, company name, and their position within their company.
The platform offers distinct registration options, depending on the number of users. Annual packages cost 249, 490, and 890 dirhams (about $242) respectively for 1, 3, and 5 users. The 5-user package includes all features of the solution, unlike the other packages. These include the integration of various accounting software, a cash flow simulator, and cash flow forecasting. Moreover, bank transactions between Tresorerie.ma and users’ bank accounts are unlimited, whereas they are limited to 100 with the basic package.
Regardless of the package picked, users can, from the dashboard, synchronize and automatically categorize all of their company's banking operations, model and test different development scenarios, analyze various indicators to get an idea of the company's financial health, or even create personalized recovery plans.
The fintech also has a mobile application, but it is not available from the Play Store or Appstore. Tresorerie.ma claims to have over 325,000 active users and more than 94 tracking indicators available to its customers. It also offers personalized business support.
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Initially named Tayar, this startup was founded in 2018 by Hassan Kamel and Mohamed Gessraha. It was later rebranded and shifted its focus to AI-based solutions that support startups operating in the delivery sector. The Cairo-based startup provides a technological solution that assists companies operating in the e-commerce, retail, and delivery service sectors in better managing their last-mile delivery operations.
Since its inception, the startup has raised over $700,000 to develop its technology and accelerate its growth. Roboost's service includes order collection, route optimization, delivery agent management, and real-time monitoring of all delivery operations.
"Radical and transformational change in delivery operations has positioned us as the optimal solution for local and multinational brands that we are proud to serve with a 100% retention rate," explains Hassan Kamel. By integrating Roboost's programming interface, businesses can harness its AI capabilities to reach their full operational potential.
The AI solution provides detailed reports on each operation and evaluates the performance of delivery agents. In the case of multi-branch startups, the system allows for performance comparison across various locations. Companies can monitor operations on the web platform or mobile application which is available on iOS and Android, with AI handling all processes autonomously.
"With data collected from more than 2,200 delivery agents who have traveled more than 9 million kilometers, we are always looking for new ways to improve our clients' delivery operations and add new features," says Hassan Kamel.
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This tech entrepreneur already heads an edtech but still decided to venture into the fintech sector.
GoFree is a technological solution developed by a Nigerian startup. Available on iOS and Android, the mobile app gives access to financial services, e-commerce, and instant messaging. Based in Nigeria and the US, the startup was founded in 2022, by Lekan Adejumo.
Adejumo, according to a Medium post, claims that "if data can freely circulate between different mobile phone operators, money should be able to do the same.” The post further explains that the founder “wanted to create the equivalent of GSM for money, allowing seamless transactions between various financial services". Thinking of this interoperability was one of the reasons that pushed him to put together a team to solve the problem.
Users must first set up an account to use the app’s various services. Information needed includes a phone number, which will be linked to the user's banking services, virtual cards, payments, and social services on GoFree. A Naira wallet is automatically created upon setting up the account; this eases access to the fintech’s financial services, such as sending and receiving money, paying bills, or managing one's finances. The wallet can be topped up by various means such as bank wiring, Nigerian-issued bank cards, Flutterwave, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
The messaging function, on the other hand, allows for exchanging instant messages with colleagues, friends, or family, sharing files and documents, and collaborating on projects. The application also integrates e-commerce services. Users can publish items on their GoFree profile and also sell them to other users. GoFree doesn’t charge fees for in-App transactions. According to Play Store statistics, the Android version of the app has been downloaded more than 500 times.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
Social networks have an important place in Africans’ daily life, despite the continent having a low penetration rate for the Internet and smartphones. In this context, some local tech entrepreneurs have been building African solutions to tap into this market.
Turaco is a social network platform developed by a Central African start-up. It allows users to interact by posting reviews, photos, videos, or even listening to the radio. Founded in 2021 by Gamando Marius Roméo (pictured right), the start-up signed a partnership agreement on Friday, June 30, with the private institute Gutschool. The agreement provides Gutschool with an account on Turaco to publish information related to the university, similar to Facebook or Twitter.
"Turaco is a social network created by a Central Africans for Central Africans, and the goal is to encourage the sons and daughters of this country to use this social network. As in Marketing, the Turaco application is a product and it needs to be consumed. We are trying to boost this application, which is why we are calling on young people of all ages to come to this platform to connect freely and at a lower cost," declared Turaco's founder.
The solution has a mobile application accessible only on Android. After downloading, the user will create a profile and begin interacting with contacts already present on the platform. It is possible, among other things, to contact other users via private messaging, to create discussion groups or join existing ones, listen to the radio, or access information via mass media.
"Through this network, compatriots here and elsewhere can follow the news of the country and listen to several radio stations live. The novelty is that subscribers can already make calls like on Messenger," explained Gamando, three months after the app’s launch.
On Android, the app has been downloaded over a thousand times, and the Central African firm is working to get more people to use the app. For example, it gave out smartphones to top users on several occasions.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
The African e-mobility sector is attracting giants from all over the world. In Sudan, a tech entrepreneur has partnered with his friends to establish a solution to compete in his country.
Tirhal is a technological solution developed by a Sudanese start-up. It connects passengers and drivers in four regions of Sudan. Based in Khartoum, the start-up was founded in 2016 by Mohamed Elzakey, Omer Elzakey, Yaser Abba, and Siddig Eltaj. Since its launch, it has already raised approximately $500,000 to support its growth and develop its technology.
"Tirhal's vision is to work to facilitate people's lives by providing various transport services that suit all groups," the platform states.
The mobile App is available on iOS and Android. Users register by creating an account, allowing them access to various features of the app. To take a ride, users simply input their destination, the type of vehicle, and the starting point, and Tirhal displays the fare for the ride. It is also possible to book a taxi for a future ride.
The start-up also offers delivery services, such as delivering parcels and taking orders from restaurants. Tirhal has a fleet of more than 200 motorcycles. For taxis, the start-up works with 2,900 vehicles that have already traveled more than 100,000 kilometers. A laudable record, despite rocky beginnings.
"When we started, we only had three cars, my uncle's and two of my friends'. Today, we have 45,000 drivers and 4.5 million customers," Mohamed Elzakey explained in 2019.
Tirhal charges 10% of the ride fare. This is a low percentage compared to what start-ups operating in the sector earn. However, this strategy, coupled with the quality of the fleet's vehicles, has allowed the start-up to dominate the Sudanese market. According to Play Store statistics, the Android version of the application has already been downloaded more than a million times.
In 2023, it was among the finalists of the AfricaTech Awards, an event that took place last June 15 on the sidelines of the Parisian technology exhibition, VivaTech.
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In a bid to analyze data on South African consumer behavior, tech entrepreneurs have decided to set up a custom application.
Maholla is a technological solution developed by a South African start-up. It allows users to earn bonus points on all purchases made. The start-up, based in Amsterdam and Cape Town, was founded in 2021 by Adam Reilly and Jed da Silva. Since its launch, it has raised approximately $2.1 million to support its growth, among other things.
The application is available on iOS and Android. Users create an account with their email and phone number and then begin scanning their receipts on the app. Regardless of the store where the purchases were made, users will earn bonus points which can be accumulated and exchanged for various gifts such as airtime, access to the in-app games, etc. Users earn more points when scanning receipts from the start-up's partner brands.
Data collected by Maholla is used for marketing purposes. "Data collected by more than half a million receipts on the Maholla app indicate that members of our youth are turned to wholesalers and bulk retailers to make ends meet," Adam Reilly, co-founder of Maholla, explained in a report. The app collects data on the consumption habits of South Africans, which could help its partner firms adjust their policies as needed.
At present, on Android, the App has passed 100,000 downloads and it successfully raised $1.5 million in a funding round last April. Maholla has recorded more than 8.5 million receipts, according to its data.
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During his final year of medical school, Imad Chakri came up with the idea of creating a mobile application. It aims to assist doctors and healthcare professionals in their daily work.
PocketDoc is a digital solution developed by a Moroccan startup. It allows users, specifically doctors, to access relevant and practical information to enhance patient care. Dr. Imad Chakri (see photo) founded the startup, based in Casablanca, in 2018.
"Despite memorizing medical information for the past 7 years, I constantly forget important details, whether it's a prescription or a diagnosis when working in the hospital emergency department or a healthcare center. There was no solution, so I had to repeatedly excuse myself from patients to search on Google or call a colleague, or treat the patient's symptoms rather than the underlying cause of their illness," Imad Chakri stated.
The solution offers a mobile application available on iOS, Android, and Huawei's AppGallery. Once they download the application, users can register and gain access to various features. These include a list of over 300 conditions in 23 medical specialties, a medical semiotics dictionary, a selection of ready-to-use medical certificates, and a platform to discuss with doctors and healthcare professionals.
The startup generates revenue through subscriptions from doctors and healthcare professionals, as well as advertising from sponsors. According to Play Store data, its Android version has already been downloaded over 50,000 times.
PocketDoc wants to expand outside its local market. "After launching the application, we noticed significant traffic coming from other countries such as Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal, Guinea, Cameroon, and France. [...] Our goal is to be present in all French-speaking countries," Imad Chakri explained.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
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The Democratic Republic of the Congo, like many other African countries, has a huge potential for tourism. Here, we take a look at a startup that showcases this potential, both to members of the Congolese diaspora and foreigners.
Yebo is a digital solution that enables users, mainly foreigners and members of the African diaspora, to visit the Democratic Republic of Congo on tailor-made tourist tours. The platform was developed by a Congolese startup, founded by Nelson Badibangi in 2021.
According to its developers, "Yebo is an innovative solution that brings together all tour operators in one place with the best tourism service offers, to make it closer to local and international consumers."
Users can access Yebo’s services via mobile, through a dedicated app. All they need to do is register and explore available offers. It is possible to choose a tour, based on one’s tastes and means. There is also a search bar which helps filter tours, based on users' preferences.
With Yebo, tourists do not have to go through any hassle. Transportation during the trip, short-stay accommodation, sightseeing and visits to private parks and/or tourist sites; the solution takes care of everything. The startup also assists with the administrative procedures necessary to obtain a visa. Users can access the Congolese embassy website from the Yebo platform.
At present, the startup offers over 52 tourist circuits. During the Canadian week in Kinshasa in June 2023, it won a prize for its great impact on cooperation between Canada and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
After spending several years in the US, Afery Johnson (picture on the left) returned home to Togo, and set up his transport startup.
Lomé Taxi is a ride-sharing solution developed by a young Togolese company. It allows customers heading in the same direction to share transportation costs. Through this solution, users can travel around the city in cars at affordable rates. Already, the startup operates in 11 designated zones within the urban area of Lomé.
"The carpooling concept at Lomé Taxi emerged from the need to lower transportation costs for our customers. Faced with the repetitive rise in fuel prices, we had to increase our fares, and we noticed a decline in the use of our services due to the high cost of living. Through careful consideration, we found a solution that would allow our customers to continue using our services affordably," said Afery Johnson, founder of Lomé Taxi.
The solution does not require a mobile application. Users can easily access it through a web browser. To do so, they only need to provide information such as the departure date, departure time, departure neighborhood, destination, phone number, email address, and the number of passengers. The last piece of information is necessary to notify the start-up that you are open to sharing your ride with another person.
Besides the web platform, reservations can also be made through social media platforms like WhatsApp. SMS and direct calls are also available methods for contacting the start-up to make a reservation.
Lomé Taxi boasts a fleet of over 25 cars and operates from five offices across the Togolese capital. The fare for a trip downtown is CFA2,000, and CFA3,000 for trips to peripheral areas. The startup also offers a special service for people visiting the country.
"The driver picks them up from the airport to their place of residence. For those who no longer want to rent expensive cars during their stay, the company owner provides his car fleet at very affordable rates, tailored to their schedule," according to the platform.
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To bolster access to financial services in Africa, which remains weak, fintech companies have been developing various solutions that fit the African market, and answer the needs of its people.
Two weeks ago, Syca SAS, an Ivorian tech startup launched in 2015, joined the incubation and acceleration program of Scaleway, a cloud infrastructure services provider. The startup was selected with its first module, SycaPay, which launched in 2016.
"This collaboration provides us with an excellent opportunity to accelerate our development and strengthen our position in the market. We look forward to working closely with the Scaleway team and benefiting from their expertise and resources to continue providing innovative solutions to our customers," Mouhamadou Diop, CEO of SycaPay, said.
SycaPay is a fintech solution developed by the startup. It helps companies receive payments from their customers via mobile money, QR codes, and Visa and MasterCard bank cards. The mobile app is available on both iOS and Android.
After downloading the app, businesses must create an account providing the necessary information. Afterward, they can get payments and track their inflows and outflows from their dashboard.
For e-commerce operations, SycaPay offers an application programming interface (API) integration option. "Integrated into an e-commerce website, SycaPay allows merchants to accept mobile money payments without needing an account with every operator," as stated on the platform.
The Android version of the mobile application has been downloaded over 1,000 times. While currently available only in Ivory Coast and Senegal, the fintech company is working towards covering all UEMOA and CEMAC markets.
Adoni Conrad Quenum
In recent years, healthtech startups have revolutionized the way Africans access healthcare. They are democratizing access to care by offering tailor-made services, and boosting tech adoption while at the same time keeping populations healthy.
HealthTag is a healthtech solution developed by Egyptian startup Bypa-ss. It enables access to digitized medical records via a mobile app and a QR-code-embedded card. Bypa-ss was founded in 2019 by Andrew Saad. Since its launch, it has raised $1.15 million to, among other things, develop its technology and support its growth in the country.
“HealthTag (a mobile app and a physical card) aggregates and gives patients ownership of their health records, while giving doctors and healthcare providers visibility on the patient’s full history allowing people-centric digital health information exchange as 1st of its kind in Egypt and north Africa,” the startup wrote in a statement.
The HealthTag mobile app is accessible on iOS and Android. Through it, users can register for their accounts and provide their health details to allow quick access in case of emergency. Thanks to HealthTag, patients can also pay for their medical services online, receive prescriptions and laboratory analyses, and benefit from a 70% discount with healthcare providers in Egypt when doing out-of-pocket payments.
To take advantage of these various services, a subscription is required. While the free package allows users to digitize their medical history and health record, individual packages of 100 Egyptian pounds (approx. $3.24) and 150 Egyptian pounds give several other benefits. The start-up also offers family packages at 250 Egyptian pounds and 350 Egyptian pounds for 5 people.
HealthTag has over 3,000 laboratories, pharmacies, and scanning centers in its medical network. It claims more than 250,000 subscribers, and its Android app has been downloaded more than 50,000 times, according to PlayStore data.
Adoni Conrad Quenum