Future Africa

Founded in 2016, Lori Systems operates a logistics platform that connects transporters with cargo owners. Based in Nairobi, Kenya, with offices in Mombasa, Kampala, and Lagos, the company uses technology to improve transparency, flexibility, reliability, and cost savings (up to 18%) in Africa's $180 billion annual haulage market.

Itana operates Africa's first Digital Free Zone, enabling global tech companies to operate remotely across the continent without physical presence. It offers end-to-end support for business incorporation, banking, licenses, immigration services.

Smile Identity Inc. is a technology company based in San Francisco, California, that focuses on identity verification solutions. Founded in 2016, the company has developed an application called SmartSelfie, which allows users to create a universal biometric for authentication on Android devices. The team comprises engineers and financial services professionals from both the United States and Africa, bringing expertise in global markets with a focus on highly regulated environments. Smile Identity has developed advanced encryption, authentication, and security solutions, as well as image processing technology. The company has experience working with telecoms, lenders, banks, and startups, enabling them to understand the unique challenges faced by consumers and enterprises in Africa. With support from prominent investors in Silicon Valley and Africa, Smile Identity has established a pan-African presence, operating in countries such as 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, based in Washington, D.C. It aims to provide accessible and affordable education tailored to the demands of the global workforce. Serving markets such as the United States, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Egypt, Nexford offers degree programs and courses across various industries, including technology, business, and healthcare. The university's curriculum is designed to align with employer needs, leveraging artificial intelligence to identify and focus on in-demand skills. This approach ensures that learners, particularly from middle-income societies, receive a relevant and dynamic education that prepares them for success in a competitive global job market.

Tripesa is a company focused on enhancing Africa's travel and tourism sector through innovative payment solutions and digital technology. It develops comprehensive systems that enable tourism-related businesses to create secure, customizable websites and web applications. Tripesa’s platform includes essential features such as inventory management, booking and payment processing, and event management tools, all accessible via a user-friendly dashboard. By providing these solutions, Tripesa supports businesses in scaling their operations and improving their overall service offerings within the tourism industry.

Founded in 2021, Hohm Energy is a South Africa-based company that operates an online marketplace connecting customers with accredited solar providers, product suppliers, and financiers. Through scalable technology, it manages the entire solar transition journey, from initial scoping to installation, operations, and maintenance.

Jumba is a construction technology platform based in Nairobi, Kenya, established in 2022, that streamlines B2B procurement of construction materials and financing. The platform allows hardware stores and construction firms to order a wide range of materials (cement, steel, paint, tiles, plumbing, electrical components, glass, kitchen and bathroom finishes) and to pay later. It aggregates materials from multiple suppliers, manages logistics and financing, and provides transparent pricing, quality control, and efficient delivery options. By offering a dependable sourcing channel and consolidated procurement, Jumba aims to help projects stay on budget and on schedule.

Capsa is a fintech platform that enables small and medium-sized businesses to unlock liquidity by turning unpaid invoices into working capital. It provides an online marketplace for trading receivables, allowing the digital buying and selling of invoices to improve cash flow and reduce bad debt, with a focus on SMEs in Africa. The platform has facilitated substantial activity, having traded over $26 million in invoices and processed over $80 million in payments within approximately 20 months of operation.

Norebase is a company that facilitates business operations in Africa by leveraging technology to simplify the complexities of the market. It specializes in providing intellectual property services that enable businesses to scale across the continent. Norebase offers a streamlined process for setting up and registering trademarks, allowing clients to efficiently upload necessary documentation and obtain a registered company along with a tax identification number. This approach reduces the hassle and risks associated with doing business in Africa, supporting clients in building and expanding their enterprises globally.

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 both on the continent and globally by producing high-quality media brands and original content. The company operates two prominent media publications: TechCabal, which provides in-depth coverage of technology, startups, and innovation in Africa, and Zikoko, which captures the essence of Nigeria’s youth culture through engaging storytelling across various formats. TechCabal also features a data and intelligence unit, TechCabal Insights, that aids development finance institutions, NGOs, state governments, global tech brands, and African startups in addressing challenges within the digital economy. By reflecting and amplifying the voices of African youth and providing critical insights into the tech landscape, BCM aims to highlight the potential of Africa's digital economy as a pathway to prosperity.

Simplifyd is a cloud infrastructure platform designed for modern application deployment, providing essential services such as compute, storage, and managed database solutions. Unlike traditional local cloud providers, Simplifyd offers a streamlined and efficient approach that caters specifically to the unique needs of businesses in Africa. The platform emphasizes high throughput and low latency, with billing options available in local African currencies. Simplifyd aims to simplify the application deployment process, enabling businesses to scale their operations quickly and effectively. Additionally, Simplifyd offers user-friendly small business management software that includes features like three-click invoicing, customer relationship management (CRM), and sales tracking, making it an all-in-one solution for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Octo is a digital banking platform focused on serving Egyptians without access to formal credit. It offers flexibility in financial transactions through its platform, allowing users to deposit and withdraw funds, spend with a card, transfer payments, and pay with credit at stores that accept cards.

Mecho is an on-demand auto repair and maintenance platform tailored for individuals and businesses in Africa. The platform facilitates the registration and scheduling of maintenance services, connecting customers with a network of certified mechanics and automobile technicians. By offering seamless access to vehicle maintenance, inspection, and repair services, Mecho aims to enhance the automotive service experience for its users.

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.

Wowzi is an influencer marketing platform that aims to streamline and automate marketing workflows for brands. It connects everyday social media users, particularly nano and micro creators, with large brands, allowing them to earn money by sharing brand messages on their social networks. The platform enables users to outline detailed marketing campaigns, specifying factors such as timing, channel, budget, and demographic criteria to select suitable influencers. This approach allows small and medium enterprises, multinational corporations, creative agencies, research companies, and NGOs to effectively push brand messages while also gathering valuable consumer insights, ultimately driving commerce in Africa.

Stitch operates a financial API platform that facilitates secure connections between bank accounts and various applications. By providing full API access to financial accounts, Stitch enables users to share their transaction history, confirm their identities, and initiate payments efficiently. The platform integrates directly with existing bank infrastructures, ensuring compliance and enhancing user experience through a lightweight single sign-on process. This approach allows clients to conduct fraud-free bank payments and access financial data with ease.

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 is a technology-driven service provider that simplifies daily living by offering subscription-based marketplace solutions for essential household tasks such as laundry, cleaning, meal delivery, and more. Operating primarily in Nigeria and Kenya, the company aims to enhance users' quality of life through convenient access to these services.

Edves is a digital infrastructure provider for K-12 schools in Africa that designs AI-powered school and learning management software to automate processes from enrollment to graduation. Its platform supports enrollment, fees payment, online learning, e-books, video tutorials and virtual classrooms, with analytics on student and school performance. The solution is used by more than 1,700 schools across 11 countries, enabling educators, school owners, and government agencies to track performance, identify fee defaulters, generate annual reports, and streamline administrative and learning operations to improve learning outcomes.

Founded in Nigeria in 2017, Releaf operates as an online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of various agricultural products such as cassava, palm oil, ginger, cashew nuts, fish, maize, cocoa, kola nuts, yam, and sesame seeds. It also provides extension services to smallholders, acts as a buyer for their products, and converts raw materials into factory-grade inputs.

Founded in 2018, MarketForce is a technology company based in the US, Kenya, and Nigeria. It operates an asset-light business model, providing a comprehensive B2B commerce and fintech platform, 'RejaReja', empowering African merchants to digitize their inventory sourcing, ordering, payments, and access financing. The platform also enables merchants to resell digital financial services like airtime and bill payments. MarketForce is operational in five Sub-Saharan African markets, serving over 200,000 merchants and 50 consumer brands.

Smile Identity Inc. is a technology company based in San Francisco, California, that focuses on identity verification solutions. Founded in 2016, the company has developed an application called SmartSelfie, which allows users to create a universal biometric for authentication on Android devices. The team comprises engineers and financial services professionals from both the United States and Africa, bringing expertise in global markets with a focus on highly regulated environments. Smile Identity has developed advanced encryption, authentication, and security solutions, as well as image processing technology. The company has experience working with telecoms, lenders, banks, and startups, enabling them to understand the unique challenges faced by consumers and enterprises in Africa. With support from prominent investors in Silicon Valley and Africa, Smile Identity has established a pan-African presence, operating in countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda.

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, based in Washington, D.C. It aims to provide accessible and affordable education tailored to the demands of the global workforce. Serving markets such as the United States, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Egypt, Nexford offers degree programs and courses across various industries, including technology, business, and healthcare. The university's curriculum is designed to align with employer needs, leveraging artificial intelligence to identify and focus on in-demand skills. This approach ensures that learners, particularly from middle-income societies, receive a relevant and dynamic education that prepares them for success in a competitive global job market.

Termii is a Lagos-based company founded in 2014 that provides a cross-channel messaging and customer engagement platform tailored for African businesses. The platform facilitates communication with customers through SMS, email, voice, and instant messaging, enabling teams to secure repeat customers via personalized outreach. In addition to messaging services, Termii offers a suite of business applications that address various needs such as digital branding, sales, marketing, customer relationship management, eCommerce, accounting, inventory, and project management. This comprehensive approach allows clients to enhance their business operations and improve customer engagement across multiple channels.

Sote, Inc. is a technology company based in San Francisco, California, with an additional office in Nairobi, Kenya. Incorporated in 2017, Sote develops a digital customs clearing and freight forwarding platform tailored for the logistics industry. Its software provides a comprehensive workflow tool that allows industrial cargo owners to manage freight clearing and forwarding processes efficiently. The platform features a dashboard that enables users to track shipment status, payment history, and estimated arrival times for containers, facilitating better coordination among all parties involved in logistics. Additionally, Sote is committed to empowering African businesses by leveraging proprietary trade data to address the trade finance gap in the region. By offering reliable credit, risk management, underwriting, and business intelligence, Sote aims to transform the landscape of trade finance and logistics in Africa.

Evolve Credit is a Nigerian fintech company founded in 2020, headquartered in Lagos. It operates an online platform that empowers consumers to explore, compare, and apply for various loan products tailored to different needs, including personal loans, SME loans, and options for salary earners and the unemployed. The platform provides expert reviews, ratings, and comparisons based on price, interest rates, and other terms. Additionally, Evolve Credit offers a Software as a Service (SaaS) core banking platform that enables financial institutions to streamline, digitize, and manage deposit, lending, and recovery services efficiently. This platform includes no-code tools designed to offer personalized customer banking experiences both online and offline.

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.

Founded in Nigeria in 2017, Releaf operates as an online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of various agricultural products such as cassava, palm oil, ginger, cashew nuts, fish, maize, cocoa, kola nuts, yam, and sesame seeds. It also provides extension services to smallholders, acts as a buyer for their products, and converts raw materials into factory-grade inputs.

Kobo360 is a digital logistics platform that connects cargo owners, truck owners/drivers, and recipients. It uses data analytics and technology to streamline supply chains, reduce waste, and enable efficient delivery of goods across Africa.