Despite public authorities, associations, and organizations’ efforts, access to healthcare is still challenging in Africa. The various solutions developed by start-ups are proving to be interesting alternatives.

Appy Saude is a digital platform developed by an Angolan eponymous healteth startup. It allows users easy access to pharmacies and healthcare centers when needed. With its digital solution, the healthtech startup (founded in 2017) aims to quickly connect people to healthcare professionals, medicines, and information by leveraging digital tools.  

“We are trying to improve accessibility to healthcare services using the digital tools we have available today. [...] Our vision is to connect everyone to our health service, which is what most NGOs and governments are working for,”  said CEO and co-founder Pedro Beirao (photo, right) in 2021. 

Through its mobile app (available for Android and iOS devices), users can create their accounts by providing the usual information: name surname, email, and password. Then they can access all the services offered by Appy Saude. 

The app lists health and beauty products, clinics, healthcare centers, and laboratories. Users can view the feedback and ranks given by fellow users to healthcare centers, clinics, and laboratories. That way, they can choose which healthcare center to go to, based on other users’ experiences. 

To reach a wider audience in Angola, the healthtech startup formed a strategic partnership with telecom operator Unitel. “In terms of expansion, we see mobile operators as an important part of our growth, and the digitization of health services. They have coverage everywhere, they are looking for solutions that people can use to access healthcare or other digital services, and they can help collect data on pharmacies and doctors on our open platform,” Pedro Beirao explains.

In 2019, Appy Saude successfully raised US$1 million to expand into Rwanda and South Africa. In February 2019, it was selected to present its solution at the Africa Startup Summit in Kigali. The following year, it won the ITU Virtual Digital World SME Awards. 

This year, it is one of the 30 African start-ups selected to participate in the pan-African program "Investing in Innovation (i3)" funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. On Playstore, its solution has already been downloaded more than 50,000 times. 

Adoni Conrad Quenum

In recent years, the number of streaming apps has shot up in Africa but local old-school songs are usually left out. A Congolese startup is offering an interesting solution. 

Baziks is a digital solution developed by a Congolese eponymous startup. It allows Android users access to old and new Congolese songs. The startup behind the solution was founded by Baya Ciamala (photo) in 2016. However, it was incorporated in 2019 and launched to the public in 2021. 

“Baziks is the first local music streaming app that aims to fight piracy and promote youth entrepreneurship. We support artists by educating the population and encouraging them to stop buying pirated MP3 music,”  explains Baya Ciamala.

Once they download the Android app and register an account, they can browse the feature but they will not be able to listen to the available songs. They can listen to music by purchasing a subscription or buying the “pass miziki” via Orange Money. Its subscriptions range from US$0.15 (daily) to US$0.75 (weekly) and US$2.99 (monthly). Once subscribed, users can access and listen to the music index (with or without ads) and customize their interface.  

The “Pass miziki” is a code card that allows access to the index and lets users listen to the songs on the platform. The daily pass costs US$0.1, while the weekly is US$0.7 against US$2.99 for the monthly. They can be ordered online and delivered (physical or electronic cards) for free anywhere in DRC. 

There are also African songs on the platform but those by artists from the two Congos are predominant.  

According to Play Store data, the app has already been downloaded more than a thousand times. In 2021, the start-up won the DRC edition of the Orange social venture competition, bagging a US$6,000 check. 

Adoni Conrad Quenum

Online tickets are gradually becoming the go-to option for important events. In Guinea, a startup has decided to democratize its use thanks to tech tools. 

Billetfacile is a digital solution developed by an eponymous Guinean startup founded in 2019. It allows event planners to safely create and sell tickets online solution.

Through its web and mobile apps -the mobile app is available for Android and iOS devices-, users can register their accounts and access the services available. For instance, they can create an event (free or paid) and let the Billetfacile and social media community know about it. 

The solution also enables NGOs and associations to organize various fundraising campaigns. Those campaigns are shown in users’ feeds giving them the choice to approve or decline support to specific campaigns in just one click. 

It also gives event planners the possibility to assess the community’s interest in their events thanks to the various stats it provides. With the stats in hand, event planners can turn to the startup’s social media channels to boost interest in their events. Then, they can create tickets on the platform and start distributing them. 

Billetfacile claims more than 275 event planners are already registered with 307 events and 21 fundraising campaigns organized and 476,184 tickets sold. In 2022, the startup was one of the finalists of the Guinean chapter of the Orange Social Venture Prize. It came third in the competition, winning a check of GFr20 million (US$2,285.7) and the opportunity to participate in the finance phase that will bring together participants from seventeen countries. 

Adoni Conrad Quenum

In Africa, the edtech industry is growing fast, in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic that demonstrated the importance of digital transformation. Many startups are offering tailored solutions for students in that industry. 

SmartED Africa is a digital solution developed by a Cameroonian eponymous startup. It provides access to courses, quizzes, and tests in various subjects. The start-up, based in Douala, was founded by Valerie Patricia Bararunyeretse, Simplice Tankoua, and Laba Kagalang.

The solution has an Android-only mobile app that allows users to register a SmartED Africa account, and choose their education level (class) to access the most helpful content. Although the app suggests the content most suited to every user’s education level, other content can be accessed via the side menu or even allow users to change their education level if they want to. 

Users can watch or read the contents online or download them for offline access. The startup included the offline access feature to account for internet access issues that occur quite often in Africa. 

SmartED Africa includes more than 500 lessons, 2,500 quizzes, and 200 tests per class in seven subjects. In the short term, the startup targets 10,000 app downloads. It also wants to increase its user base to 9,500 users and 6,500 subscribers. For now, its Playstore statistics show some thousand downloads. 

Its pricing is as follows: XAF1,600 (US$2.41) monthly XAF3,100 quarterly or XAF4,600 annually. In 2022, it won the special women's prize during the Cameroonian chapter of the Orange Social Venture Prize. It thus won a  check of XAF1 000 000 and 6-month coaching. It will also participate in the final phase of the competition involving 17 countries in which the Orange group operates.

Adoni Conrad Quenum