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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.