The startup behind the solution was founded by two Moroccans with decades of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. When they decided to venture into entrepreneurship, they turned to a rapidly-growing sector they knew best: pharmaceuticals. 

Blink Pharmacie is a digital solution developed by Moroccan start-up Blink Pharma. It provides pharmacies with access to a marketplace where they can directly source pharmaceutical products from wholesalers and laboratories. The start-up, based in Casablanca, was founded in 2019 by Bertul Adil and Sami Khalil Mohamed Ali.

One of the main objectives of this solution is to prevent stock-outs and delivery delays. "We want to accelerate the digitalization of healthcare services [...] The healthcare sector is undergoing a profound transformation due to digital technology, and we aim to support healthcare stakeholders in this transformation. Leveraging our in-depth knowledge of the scientific and regulatory environment, as well as our background in healthcare, we have a deep respect for the ethical rules that govern the sector," says Sami Khalil Mohamed Ali.

Blink Pharmacie launched its mobile app for Android and iOS in 2020. Users can create an account on the app to access the marketplace. During the account setup process, users are required to specify their professional designation, such as pharmacist, pharmacy technician, laboratory representative, wholesaler, or visitor. These designations are then authenticated by the start-up to provide a better framework for its activities.

Laboratory representatives and wholesalers can use the app to share news about new product launches or advertising campaigns and monitor prospects in real-time. Based on the data they collect, they can adjust their marketing strategies for greater efficiency.

According to Blink Pharma, the platform currently has over 4,500 registered pharmacists, more than 41 wholesalers, and over 20 laboratories. The Android app alone has been downloaded more than 5,000 times, as reported by Play Store data.

"We faced significant challenges in authenticating pharmacists, particularly due to the regulations governing the medication supply chain. Initially, it was difficult to convince people about our idea. However, through hard work, we have successfully carved out a niche for ourselves in the market," explains Sami Khalil Mohamed Ali.

Adoni Conrad Quenum

Branper combines two words, “brand” and “perception”. The solution offers tech entrepreneurs another way of assessing their brand image. Thanks to Branper, they can anticipate certain situations. 

Branper is a B2B service developed by strategy consulting firm GOWL.  It enables users to conduct or participate in customized surveys and market research. Tech entrepreneurs can use it to optimize their business intelligence and customer experience by predicting consumer trends. It aims to get insights, customer perceptions, and benchmarks.

The service has no mobile app so users need to visit its web platform to access its services and features. They can register either as users or tech entrepreneurs and access the Branper dashboard. During registration, the platform collects personal information, which can be used by its clients for brand advertising. 

Users can then take part in various surveys or market studies. "The questions mainly focus on consumer satisfaction at each stage of the sales process. That is to say, how they are welcomed in the stores, how their request is handled, how interest was shown in their needs, the quality of the products, whether they intend to recommend the brand or not, and whether they plan to buy the brand's products or services again," says Saïd Ben Jlili founder of GOWL. 

 Each survey earns users points that can be redeemed for airtime top-ups or gift vouchers. "Facebook's services are [gradually] becoming fee-based, which could harm SMEs. Brands are therefore called upon to work harder on customer satisfaction by finding other communication channels and more innovative strategies. They can no longer rely on their images alone," says Saïd Ben Jlili.

Adoni Conrad Quenum

After several incubation programs, including Plug and Play and 212 Founders, the Moroccan fintech is now growing rapidly and wants to invest in other African countries.

Hsabati is a fintech solution developed by a Moroccan start-up. Among other things, it enables the owners of very small, small, and medium-sized enterprises (VSMMEs) to track prospecting performance, stocks, invoicing, and finances. 

"I've managed several SMEs, I've done consulting and freelance work with SMEs, and they all had the same problem (we didn't have the right tools). Either they were easy to use but too simple and not at all extensible, or they were very complex tools and you had to have a developer on hand. So, after a few months, we had to go back to Excel,"  founder Saad Kemou told We Are Tech Africa while expanding on the reasons that prompted the creation of Hsabati.

The solution has a mobile application accessible on Android and iOS. Once registered, a user can access the various functionalities that facilitate day-to-day business management. Hsabati is a turn-key solution with functionalities like "CRM", which lets users manage and organize customers and their contacts with all the necessary information, as well as the history of interactions, and "Finance", which lets them keep track of cash flow.

What's more, users can use it without even installing any software and they also need no tech skills. Nevertheless, a premium subscription is required. Its basic package costs MAD149 ($14.62) monthly against MAD249 for the premium package. 

Currently, Hsabati operates in Morocco but, it plans to conquer international markets, starting from West Africa. "The simplest and most historic connections are Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal, and then we can expand to the other countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union," Saad Kemmou said. 

Since its launch in 2019, the solution has attracted $600,000 in funding to support its growth.

Adoni Conrad Quenum

Africa suffers from inadequate access to education despite the governments’ efforts. To address the challenges preventing access in some regions, tech entrepreneurs create edtech tools but, they are sometimes inadequate to ground realities.  

Genoskul is an edtech solution developed by a Chadian start-up. It allows access to online training courses, and tutors. It also allows users to get relevant answers to their questions, thanks to its smart assistant. 

Through its Android app, users can register with an email or phone number to access services like virtual classrooms, where they can discuss with other learners. 

"The virtual rooms interconnect learners from different backgrounds for an intellectual exchange. They are supervised by qualified teachers for effective preparation for national and international secondary and higher education exams and competitions,” the startup explains.  

Genoskul offers courses in a diverse range of professions such as loincloth shoe making, shea butter processing, and rabbit breeding, as well as in public management and sustainable development, and civic action. According to Valery Kagro, founder of Genoskul, everyone should have access to the education and training of their choice, whatever their age or the type of training they aspire to. 

To support its growth, Genoskul has raised CFAF5 million (around $8,149). It is also supported by Chad Innovation, an incubator that gave the start-up a stand at the Gitex Africa 2023 in Marrakech, Morocco.

Recently, it told We Are Tech Africa it has over 17,000 users in French-speaking African countries. It also indicated it was planning to create an English and Arabic version of its platform to expand to African countries where these languages are spoken.

Adoni Conrad Quenum