Future Africa

Lori Systems is a logistics platform based in Nairobi, Kenya, that connects transporters with cargo owners across Africa. Founded in 2016, the company also has offices in Mombasa, Uganda, and Lagos. Lori addresses a significant challenge in the African logistics sector, where up to 75% of product costs can be attributed to logistics, compared to only 6% in the United States. The platform provides a tech-enabled and operations-driven marketplace that enhances transparency, flexibility, reliability, and cost efficiency, achieving savings of over 18% for users. It offers real-time tracking of cargo, automated documentation, and streamlined payment processes, facilitating smoother goods transportation across the continent. Since its product launch in May 2017, Lori has experienced rapid growth, with a compounded monthly increase of 30%. The demand for its services continues to rise, supported by recent investments from prominent institutional and strategic investors. The company has also received recognition, including winning Techcrunch Battlefield Africa.

Moove is a mobility fintech company focused on providing revenue-based vehicle financing to mobility entrepreneurs across Africa. By leveraging embedded alternative credit-scoring technology, Moove integrates its services within ride-hailing, logistics, and last-mile delivery platforms. This innovative approach allows the company to assess the performance and revenue of mobility entrepreneurs, enabling it to underwrite loans for individuals who have been historically excluded from traditional financial services. Through its unique model, Moove aims to democratize vehicle ownership and enhance access to financial resources for a growing number of mobility operators in the region.

Itana is Nigeria's first Digital Free Zone, designed to facilitate the operation of global technology-driven companies, including startups, e-commerce firms, and service providers, without the necessity of physical presence in the country. This innovative platform offers an optimal online jurisdiction for businesses seeking to expand across Africa. Itana is committed to supporting companies through various operational services, including business incorporation, banking, licensing, and immigration. Additionally, Itana aims to create a favorable environment for African technology talent by providing essential infrastructure and amenities, such as coworking spaces and outdoor facilities, to foster innovation and enhance the digital economy.

At Smile ID they believe anyone should be able to prove their identity easily, anywhere in the world. Their team is made up of American and African engineers and financial services professionals with experience across global markets in highly regulated environments. They have built encryption, authentication and security solutions. They have developed image processing technology from the chip level up. They have been part of security investigations and have pursued fraudsters. Having worked with, or for, telecoms, lenders, banks and startups, they know the challenges of building world class technology and they understand the needs of the African consumer and enterprise customer. They are backed by leading Silicon Valley & African investors and they have pan-African reach, with representation in the United States, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Rwanda.

Uncover is a beauty company that provides skincare products for consumers. The company's mission is to inspire, support, educate, and empower women to take control of health and well-being and become the most trusted skin-care brand. Uncover was founded in 2020 and is based in Kenya.

Nexford University is an online higher education institution founded in 2017 and based in Washington, D.C. It offers degree programs and courses designed to meet the demands of various industries, including technology, business, and healthcare. The university focuses on providing quality, affordable education that aligns with the needs of global employers, utilizing a curriculum informed by the skills most sought after in the job market. Nexford caters to students in multiple countries, such as the United States, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Egypt, and emphasizes flexible learning options to accommodate diverse learners. By leveraging artificial intelligence, the institution enhances its educational offerings to prepare students for success in a global workplace.

Hohm Energy is an online marketplace based in Gauteng, South Africa, founded in 2021. The company specializes in facilitating the adoption of solar energy by connecting customers with accredited solar providers, product suppliers, and financiers. Its platform offers a comprehensive solar purchasing experience, utilizing scalable technology to manage the entire transition process. This includes scoping solutions, overseeing installations, and providing ongoing operations and maintenance support. By building a global solar network, Hohm Energy aims to promote the transition to renewable energy and contribute to a lower-carbon future.

Jumba is a construction technology platform based in Nairobi, Kenya, established in 2022. The company focuses on streamlining B2B construction material purchases and financing, facilitating transactions between manufacturers and retailers. Jumba's platform enables businesses to order a variety of construction materials, including cement, steel, paint, tiles, plumbing supplies, electrical components, glass, and kitchen and bathroom finishes, with the option to pay later. By connecting small hardware stores with medium-sized retailers in their vicinity, Jumba helps enhance inventory management and negotiates pricing to simplify the supply chain for construction materials across Africa.

Capsa Technology operates a fintech platform designed to assist small and medium-sized businesses in Africa by facilitating the trading of invoices. This platform aims to alleviate financial concerns for these businesses by converting unpaid invoices into working capital, thereby helping them avoid the detrimental effects of bad debt. Through its online service, Capsa enables companies to buy and sell invoices securely and efficiently. Since its inception, the business has successfully traded over $26 million worth of invoices and processed more than $80 million in payments within a span of 20 months. By unlocking liquidity for small businesses, Capsa is creating a new asset class for fund managers while enhancing financial flexibility for its clients.

MIA Group is a consumer internet company in Francophone Africa. We are on a mission to make commerce easy through a digital ecosystem fulfilling the everyday needs of consumers online and offline. Our businesses include Miaplenou.com: The largest online retail platform operating in Togo, Benin, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. Launched 2012. Kiosk: online reselling App that enables anyone to start a business without investment. Launched 2021. MiaPay: QR code payment and lifestyle services

Big Cabal Media (BCM) is a digital media company focused on serving African audiences through high-quality media brands and original content with both local and global relevance. It operates two prominent publications: TechCabal, which provides in-depth coverage of the technology sector's impact on Africa, and Zikoko, which captures and amplifies the narratives of Nigeria's youth culture. TechCabal offers valuable insights into startups, innovation, and technology, catering to entrepreneurs, investors, and decision-makers. Its data and intelligence unit, TechCabal Insights, assists development finance institutions, NGOs, and startups in navigating challenges within the digital economy. Meanwhile, Zikoko engages younger audiences through diverse content formats, including written articles, videos, and memes, reflecting the vibrant elements of youth culture. BCM aims to leverage Africa's digital economy as a path to prosperity for the continent.

Simplifyd offers a cloud infrastructure platform designed for modern application deployment, addressing the specific needs of the African market. The platform provides computing, storage, and managed database services that emphasize high throughput and low latency, all billed in local African currencies. This enables businesses to effectively deploy and scale their applications with ease. Additionally, Simplifyd includes user-friendly web and mobile management software tailored for small businesses, featuring streamlined invoicing, customer relationship management, and sales tracking tools.

Octo is a digital banking platform dedicated to providing financial services to Egyptians who lack access to formal credit. The platform facilitates a range of financial transactions, allowing users to deposit and withdraw funds at multiple locations, make purchases with a card, and transfer payments through its application. Additionally, Octo enables users to manage their finances by offering the ability to pay with credit at any store that accepts card payments, while allowing them to split transactions between cash and credit at competitive rates. This approach aims to enhance financial inclusion and offer greater flexibility in managing personal finances.

Mecho is an on-demand auto repair and maintenance platform that serves individuals and businesses across Africa. The platform facilitates the registration and scheduling of maintenance services, connecting customers with a network of certified mechanics and automobile technicians. By leveraging this network, Mecho enables users to access vehicle maintenance, inspection, and repair services efficiently and conveniently. This innovative approach aims to streamline the auto repair process, making it accessible and straightforward for users in the region.

Finclusion is a FinTech accelerating company that provides financial services and credit products using AI-powered and data-driven lending for fraud prevention and credit granting. The company also offers buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) services, salary advance schemes, loan services, and transactional banking to individuals and SMEs across 5 countries—South Africa, Eswatini, Namibia, Kenya, and Tanzania.

Stitch is a payments infrastructure company that helps businesses seamlessly connect to the financial system, so they can deliver a better user experience and optimize operations. Headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, Stitch launched in February 2021 and has global staff. Stitch offers all popular online payment methods and operates as a Payments Service Provider. Its platform supports a variety of pay-in methods and solutions; financial and payment management solutions; and Payouts. Learn more at stitch.money.

Kwara GmbH is a technology company that specializes in developing a digital banking platform tailored for savings and credit co-operative societies (SACCOs). Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany, with an additional office in Nairobi, Kenya, Kwara aims to modernize credit unions by providing a comprehensive cloud-based solution. The platform facilitates loan application servicing and approval for members, while also offering integration services, customer support, real-time financial tracking, and compliance assistance. Kwara's offerings include Kwara Pronto, a tool for managing loans. Currently, the company serves over 200 SACCOs across Kenya, South Africa, and the Philippines, enabling these financial institutions to enhance their operations and improve access to formal financial services.

Eden Life Inc., based in Lagos, Nigeria, specializes in tech-enabled housekeeping services for professionals. Through its online platform and mobile application, the company offers a range of services including laundry, meal preparation, house cleaning, equipment maintenance, and meal delivery. By aggregating vendors offering diverse services, Eden Life enables clients to efficiently manage their household chores.

Edves Limited is a company based in Lagos, Nigeria, that specializes in designing and developing school management software aimed at automating various administrative and educational processes. Founded in 2016, Edves's platform serves over 1,700 K-12 schools across 11 African countries, streamlining enrollment, school fees payment, result processing, and online learning. The software offers features such as e-books, video tutorials, and virtual classrooms, facilitating a comprehensive digital learning environment. Additionally, it provides tools for school owners to manage fee defaulters and set reminders, while educators can generate annual reports to track student performance. By enhancing digital infrastructure for educational institutions, Edves aims to improve learning outcomes and optimize school operations.

Releaf is a Nigerian company founded in 2017 that operates as an online marketplace connecting agribusiness buyers and sellers. It focuses on sourcing ingredients for African food factories, including cassava, palm oil, ginger, and maize, among others. Releaf aims to create climate-adaptive supply chains in response to the continent's growing population. The firm provides extension services to smallholder farmers, acting as a buyer and streamlining the conversion of raw materials into factory-grade inputs for vegetable oil production. By leveraging digital technologies such as USSD and open banking, along with proprietary machinery, Releaf collaborates with over 2,000 smallholder farmers, facilitating the supply of high-quality palm kernel nuts to food factories. This approach not only enhances operational efficiency for food manufacturers but also supports the economic development of small agricultural startups.

At Smile ID they believe anyone should be able to prove their identity easily, anywhere in the world. Their team is made up of American and African engineers and financial services professionals with experience across global markets in highly regulated environments. They have built encryption, authentication and security solutions. They have developed image processing technology from the chip level up. They have been part of security investigations and have pursued fraudsters. Having worked with, or for, telecoms, lenders, banks and startups, they know the challenges of building world class technology and they understand the needs of the African consumer and enterprise customer. They are backed by leading Silicon Valley & African investors and they have pan-African reach, with representation in the United States, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Rwanda.

MarketForce is a technology company headquartered in the United States, with operations in Kenya and Nigeria, focused on enhancing B2B commerce and fintech solutions for African merchants. Launched in 2018, the company has developed the "RejaReja" platform, which allows merchants to digitally source, order, and pay for inventory. In addition to these services, MarketForce offers access to financing, enables digital payment collection, and allows merchants to resell digital financial services like airtime and utility tokens. Operating in five markets across Sub-Saharan Africa, MarketForce has established a rapidly growing network that includes over 200,000 merchants and 50 consumer brands. The company employs an asset-light business model to drive efficiency and productivity in the distribution of goods, utilizing advanced technology to streamline operations for its users.

Rivy is making it easier to finance small and medium sized businesses in Africa. There is a need for financing of $158 bn for SMEs in Nigeria alone. To start, Rivy o helps SMEs access and spend lender capital effectively. During their first full operational year in 2020, the Rivy o co--founders leveraged their domain expertise and founding experience to beat their 2020 goal by 50%.

Nexford University is an online higher education institution founded in 2017 and based in Washington, D.C. It offers degree programs and courses designed to meet the demands of various industries, including technology, business, and healthcare. The university focuses on providing quality, affordable education that aligns with the needs of global employers, utilizing a curriculum informed by the skills most sought after in the job market. Nexford caters to students in multiple countries, such as the United States, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Egypt, and emphasizes flexible learning options to accommodate diverse learners. By leveraging artificial intelligence, the institution enhances its educational offerings to prepare students for success in a global workplace.

Termii is an online platform based in Lagos, Nigeria, that assists African businesses in engaging with their customers through personalized communication via SMS, email, voice, and instant messaging channels. Founded in 2014, Termii offers a comprehensive suite of business applications that cater to various needs including digital branding, sales, marketing, customer relationship management, eCommerce, accounting, inventory, and project management. By providing these tools, Termii aims to enhance customer retention and improve business operations, making it easier for companies to secure repeat customers and foster effective communication.

Sote, Inc. is a technology company specializing in the logistics sector, focusing on digital customs clearing and freight forwarding solutions. Established in 2017 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, with an additional office in Nairobi, Kenya, Sote provides a platform that allows industrial cargo owners to efficiently manage freight clearing and forwarding processes. The platform includes a comprehensive dashboard that tracks shipment status, payment history, and estimated container arrival times, streamlining communication among all parties involved in logistics. Additionally, Sote is dedicated to enhancing trade finance in Africa by leveraging proprietary trade data to enable banks and financial institutions to lend to corporations and SMEs without traditional collateral requirements. By bridging the trade finance gap and offering reliable credit and risk management solutions, Sote aims to empower African businesses and facilitate growth in the continent's trade landscape.

Evolve Credit Limited operates a platform designed to enhance financial accessibility and transparency for consumers in Africa. Established in 2020 and based in Lagos, Nigeria, the company enables users to compare a variety of loan products, including personal loans and business loans, based on price, interest rates, and terms. Its platform also features expert reviews and personalized recommendations, helping users select the most suitable financial options for their needs. In addition to serving individuals, Evolve Credit provides solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises, addressing a broad spectrum of lending requirements. The company's goal is to streamline the loan application process while promoting inclusivity in financial services.

Indicina Technologies Limited is a Lagos-based company that offers a digitized credit analysis platform aimed at enhancing consumer finance strategies in Africa. The platform serves a variety of financial institutions, including banks, insurers, and consumer finance companies, by providing tools for creating credit rules and models, conducting credit assessments and scoring, managing loan portfolios, and facilitating loan collections. By leveraging analytics-driven insights, Indicina helps these institutions optimize their credit decision-making processes, improve application acceptance rates, and reduce default rates, thereby contributing to the development of a robust credit infrastructure in the region.

Releaf is a Nigerian company founded in 2017 that operates as an online marketplace connecting agribusiness buyers and sellers. It focuses on sourcing ingredients for African food factories, including cassava, palm oil, ginger, and maize, among others. Releaf aims to create climate-adaptive supply chains in response to the continent's growing population. The firm provides extension services to smallholder farmers, acting as a buyer and streamlining the conversion of raw materials into factory-grade inputs for vegetable oil production. By leveraging digital technologies such as USSD and open banking, along with proprietary machinery, Releaf collaborates with over 2,000 smallholder farmers, facilitating the supply of high-quality palm kernel nuts to food factories. This approach not only enhances operational efficiency for food manufacturers but also supports the economic development of small agricultural startups.

Kobo360 is a digital logistics platform that connects cargo owners, truck operators, and drivers to streamline the supply chain process. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, the platform utilizes data analytics and artificial intelligence to enhance efficiency in logistics operations, particularly in last-mile delivery. Kobo360 aims to reduce communication gaps and optimize pick-ups and deliveries, ensuring goods are moved seamlessly across the continent. The company also supports rural farmers by minimizing farm wastages, thereby enabling them to access new markets and increase their earnings. In addition to its logistics services, Kobo360 plans to establish a marketplace to link farmers directly with buyers globally, which will help eliminate intermediaries and improve profitability for smallholder farmers. Ultimately, Kobo360 seeks to build a comprehensive logistics ecosystem that enhances trade and commerce in Africa and emerging markets.