Seedstars

Agel is focused on transforming financial services for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by introducing a digital, cashless, and Sharia-compliant B2B payment platform. This platform offers alternative financing options that enable merchants within Agel's network to access industry-agnostic merchandise credit limits. By streamlining transactions between wholesale and retail merchants, Agel aims to empower MSME growth, accelerate financial inclusion, and eradicate the informal economy. The company's initiatives align with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and Egypt's 2030 plan, promoting financial literacy and sustainability in the region. Through these efforts, Agel seeks to redefine the customer experience in financial services and support the economic development of MSMEs.

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.

Zuri Health is a telemedicine company based in Nairobi, Kenya, established in 2020. It offers affordable and accessible healthcare solutions through a mobile app, website, and SMS services, catering to patients without smartphones and those in rural areas. Users can schedule lab and diagnostic tests, consult with doctors, purchase medications from pharmacies, and arrange home visits with qualified medical professionals. The platform also features an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot to enhance user experience and provide first-level medical consultations. Zuri Health aims to create a universally accessible healthcare experience for all individuals, regardless of their location or resources.

Kiri EV is a manufacturer of electric vehicles and charging systems focused on the Kenyan and East African markets. The company produces a variety of electric transportation options, including scooters, motorcycles, auto rickshaws, and carriers. Their vehicles incorporate advanced features such as direct current motor technology, antilock braking systems, customizable components, removable batteries, and silent motors. Kiri EV aims to demonstrate the viability and importance of electric vehicles in transforming transportation across the African continent, challenging the traditional motor industry in the process. By offering affordable and innovative solutions, Kiri EV seeks to promote the adoption of electric mobility in the region.

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.

ZUMI, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, operates as an online magazine and a retail platform focused on fashion, beauty, food, and living. The company connects wholesalers and retailers within a transparent marketplace, empowering women retailers through technology, logistics, and financial services that facilitate business growth. Customers can place orders via SMS, phone calls, or through ZUMI Agents. ZUMI collects orders from suppliers early each morning, ensuring fast delivery to customers, typically within 18 hours. Payment is made conveniently through mobile money, allowing for a seamless shopping experience.

Mangwee is a mobile money transfer platform that aims to enhance financial inclusion, particularly in rural areas of Zambia and Africa, by facilitating a shift towards a cash-light economy. The platform provides a secure, easy-to-use, and affordable payment solution, featuring a range of applications designed to improve the lives of various demographics, including women, farmers, youth, and the economically disadvantaged. In addition to its primary mobile money transfer services, Mangwee offers an electronic wallet aimed at university students, which helps to reduce the costs associated with mobile money transactions and enables users to transfer funds conveniently via their mobile phones at any time and from any location.

Dryve is Egypt's first and leading marketplace that connects car owners with individuals and businesses seeking vehicle rentals or driving services. Launched in 2018, Dryve allows users to earn additional income by lending their cars or providing driving services through a user-friendly mobile application. The platform offers a diverse range of options, including the ability to rent new cars for weekend trips and access to a limo-hailing service called Ryde, which provides safe and customizable chauffeured transportation. Dryve has an extensive database of over 3,500 rental cars, significantly surpassing traditional car rental companies in Egypt. Through a partnership with Allianz, Dryve introduced innovative insurance solutions, including a Pay As You Drive policy and a digital claims process, enhancing the experience for both car owners and renters.

Pezesha is a digital financial marketplace based in Nairobi, Kenya, that connects small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to various financing options, including working capital, float financing, and LPO financing. Founded in 2016, Pezesha aims to enhance access to affordable credit for micro-businesses by leveraging credit and data analytics to link lenders with low-income borrowers. The platform facilitates a shared economy by converging lending and other financial services, thereby enabling underserved SMBs to participate in the formal financial system. Through its innovative approach, Pezesha seeks to empower businesses and improve their growth potential by providing essential financial resources.

Shezlong is an online mental health platform based in Cairo, Egypt, and is recognized as the first and largest online psychotherapy service in the Arab world. Founded in 2016, Shezlong connects users with over 350 licensed therapists, facilitating private and convenient access to professional counseling in Arabic. The platform serves a diverse clientele, reaching over 100,000 users across 85 countries, primarily targeting Arabic-speaking individuals in the MENA region. Users can access a range of services, including informative blogs, psychometric tests to assess their mental state, and personalized therapist recommendations. Shezlong allows clients to book sessions and communicate with therapists through video, ensuring confidentiality and privacy. By empowering therapists and providing comprehensive mental wellness resources, Shezlong aims to be an integral part of its users' daily routines, promoting better mental health and well-being.

Taskty.com is an online marketplace based in Egypt that connects users with individuals and service agencies to fulfill various short-term tasks for both home and business. Founded in 2012, the platform offers a diverse range of services, including translation, copywriting, graphic design, event photography, house maintenance, and private nursing. Additionally, Taskty provides access to a variety of household services, such as housekeeping, pest control, plumbing, carpentry, and electrical work, allowing customers to select providers based on their specific needs and budget.

7keema is a provider of on-demand nursing services based in Nasr City, Egypt, established in 2017. The company offers a diverse range of home-based care solutions, including basic care, post-intensive care unit support, hospice care, elderly care, ostomy care, and post-pregnancy assistance. Additionally, 7keema provides specialized services such as catheter and Ryle's tube care, wound care, child care, and vaccinations for children. With a focus on delivering quick, safe, and efficient nursing services, 7keema employs highly-trained nurses to ensure that patients receive professional care tailored to their needs, particularly during emergencies. The company also develops a home nursing application to enhance service accessibility for clients.

BeneFactors Ltd. is a Kigali-based factoring company that specializes in providing working capital solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises in Rwanda. Founded in 2017, BeneFactors offers tailored financial services that enable businesses to sell future payments from their buyers for immediate cash. This service allows companies to manage pending invoices or purchase orders, thus ensuring they can continue operations even if buyers delay payments. By facilitating access to cash, BeneFactors supports business growth and stability for its clients, allowing them to take on more clients and expand their operations without financial strain.

ZUMI, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, operates as an online magazine and a retail platform focused on fashion, beauty, food, and living. The company connects wholesalers and retailers within a transparent marketplace, empowering women retailers through technology, logistics, and financial services that facilitate business growth. Customers can place orders via SMS, phone calls, or through ZUMI Agents. ZUMI collects orders from suppliers early each morning, ensuring fast delivery to customers, typically within 18 hours. Payment is made conveniently through mobile money, allowing for a seamless shopping experience.

iNuka Pap Limited is a Kenyan company founded in 2014 that operates a mobile platform designed to offer instant loans to members of savings and credit co-operatives (SACCOs) and microfinance institutions (MFIs) across Africa. The platform provides users with immediate access to short-term cash advances, which can help address urgent financial needs. In addition to loan services, iNuka Pap also facilitates other consumer services such as prepaid electricity, airtime, and insurance. By enabling members to manage their small cash emergencies conveniently and efficiently, the company aims to enhance financial accessibility for its users.