Launch Africa Ventures

Octavia Carbon is the Global South's pioneering Direct Air Capture (DAC) company, focused on developing innovative technology to filter carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. By utilizing Kenya's abundant geothermal energy and geological resources, Octavia Carbon aims to significantly reduce the costs associated with DAC technology. The captured CO2 can be transformed into stable rock formations underground or repurposed as an industrial gas, providing a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels. This approach not only addresses climate change but also supports industrial power users in East Africa, contributing to the fight against energy poverty in the region.

The Daily Sale Shop is an online marketplace based in Zimbabwe that provides customers with access to a diverse selection of products. The company is committed to enhancing the shopping experience by offering free nationwide delivery, reliable customer support, and a seamless checkout process. This allows customers to shop conveniently from their homes and receive their orders with ease.

Zuri Health is a telemedicine company based in Nairobi, Kenya, established in 2020. It aims to provide affordable and accessible healthcare solutions through its app, website, and SMS services. The platform allows patients to schedule lab and diagnostic tests, consult with doctors via chat, purchase medications from pharmacies, and arrange home visits with qualified medical professionals. Zuri Health also employs an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot to enhance user experience. By catering to individuals without smartphones and those in rural or underserved areas, the company strives to ensure that healthcare is universally accessible, thereby addressing gaps in the traditional healthcare system.

Elevate Pay is a financial technology company that specializes in providing digital banking services and products. The company has developed a digital banking application that allows users to open bank accounts online and access fee-free accounts in both local currency and US dollars. Additionally, Elevate Pay offers free remittance services, enabling users to receive international transfers from various countries without incurring fees. The company also issues a free USD Mastercard, facilitating seamless transactions. Through these offerings, Elevate Pay aims to deliver regulated banking services that are innovative, fair, and accessible, ultimately enhancing the financial well-being of its consumers.

Amitruck Limited is a logistics platform that connects cargo owners with trucking logistics professionals, streamlining the delivery process. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the company offers a mobile and web-based application that allows customers to easily book deliveries for their loads. Amitruck also provides a driver application, enabling transporters to access clients and communicate effectively. The platform enhances user experience by allowing clients to track their deliveries in real-time, receive timely updates, and obtain instant quotes while ensuring access to the nearest available trucks. Through its intuitive interface, Amitruck aims to improve the efficiency and transparency of the logistics process.

Numida Technologies is a digital financial institution based in Kampala, Uganda, founded in 2015. The company specializes in serving micro- and small businesses in East Africa by offering application software that helps these enterprises maintain up-to-date digital financial records. Numida's proprietary credit scoring system enables it to provide unsecured growth and working capital loans to businesses, which not only results in high portfolio yields but also significantly impacts the livelihoods of borrowers. The platform aims to lower risks and costs for lending institutions, leading to improved lending terms for borrowers and fostering a thriving small business sector that creates employment, increases tax revenues, and enhances living standards for entrepreneurs and their staff.

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.

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.

Pawame Limited is a company focused on providing off-grid solar home systems to households in sub-Saharan Africa. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, Pawame develops solar kits that include essential components such as solar panels, LED lights, wall switches, flashlights, radios, and phone chargers. The company employs a pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) model, allowing customers to access electricity through an affordable monthly subscription. This innovative approach not only facilitates energy access but also enables the provision of additional products and services, including electrical appliances, micro-insurance, education loans, and remote health services. By leveraging customer relationships and data, Pawame aims to enhance the quality of life for off-grid communities and contribute to poverty alleviation in the region.

Alpha Direct is a Botswana-based insurtech company focused on revolutionizing the insurance landscape in Africa through innovative use of cloud technology, big data, and artificial intelligence. With an emphasis on affordability and accessibility, Alpha Direct aims to make insurance products available to the broader population, particularly targeting low-income groups who have historically found insurance to be unattainable. In less than five years, the company has emerged as the fifth largest short-term insurance underwriter in Botswana and is actively pursuing regional expansion across Africa. Alpha Direct offers a variety of insurance products, including car, business, bus, workers, and travel insurance, and has gained recognition for its "insurance in a box" product, which is sold through retail outlets and features a cloud-based activation and policy management platform. The company plans to diversify its offerings to include long-term insurance products and seeks to license its technology across ten additional African countries, aiming to enhance its presence in key markets such as South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, and Nigeria.

Ramani is a software development company based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, founded in 2020. It specializes in creating applications that assist salespeople in tracking inventory, registering customers, and recording sales transactions. The platform facilitates real-time management of sales operations, enabling organizations to capture supply chain data and enhance sales visibility. Additionally, Ramani supports resellers in accessing financial services, ultimately helping clients to boost their revenue and expand their market share.