- Several Kenyan tech start-ups have emerged in recent years buoyed by the high level of internet connectivity in the country
- FlexPay Technologies was one of the tech start-ups that was selected for Google’s Black Founders Fund (BFF)
- M-Shule is an SMS knowledge-building platform that helps organisations deliver learning and valuation in the CBC era
Nairobi has been ranked as the top innovative city in Africa and among the top 100 globally.
Source: UGC
The Africa horizons report for the year 2021/22 noted Nairobi emerged first ahead of Cape Town.
Tilda Mwai, a researcher for Africa at Knight Frank, said investors were willing to take their risk by sinking their money in Nairobi because of its’ high innovation score.
“Innovation coupled with economic growth will drive the next decade of investment in Africa,” Mwai said.
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Several Kenyan tech start-ups have emerged in recent years buoyed by the high level of internet connectivity in the country. Kenyan start-ups raised over KSh 130 billion in 2022.
TUKO.co.ke looks at some of the start-ups to watch in 2023.
1. FlexPay Technologies
FlexPay is a merchant-embedded saving-based purchase experience that offers a flexible payment option.
It allows customers to make purchases and pay for them over time, rather than paying the full amount upfront.
Richard Machomba is the founder and CEO of FlexPay Technologies, one of the tech start-ups that was selected for Google’s Black Founders Fund (BFF).
Machomba said the fund will be significant in the company’s expansion drive across Africa.
“We are thrilled to be one of the Kenyan startups that were selected for Google’s Black Founders Fund (BFF) this year which is key to helping us expand our footprint across Africa,” Machomba told TUKO.co.ke.
2. M-Shule
M-Shule is an SMS knowledge-building platform that helps organisations deliver learning, evaluation, activation, and data tools across East Africa.
The company was founded by Claire Mongeau and with the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) in place, it may come in handy.
According to Start Up Stash, it has raised over US$ 9.2 million (KSh 1.1 billion).
3. MarketForce
MarketForce provides a unified digital commerce marketplace to facilitate trade among Africa’s informal merchants and consumer brands.
It facilitates the payment of goods digitally, rather than using cash. The company founded in 2018 by Tesh Mbaabu and Mesongo Sibuti has inked deals with over 20 investors.
The investors have raised over KSh 5.3 billion.
4. Synnefa
Taita Ngetich is the founder and CEO of Synnefa. The agri-tech company helps farmers in Africa be climate resilient through modern farming tools.
Synnefa was one of the few Kenyan startups that were selected for Google’s Black Founders Fund (BFF) in 2022.
He told TUKO.co.ke there was a need for a centralised farmers database run by the government, which will ensure ease of access by various stakeholders.
“There is a lot of innovation happening around agriculture in Kenya, but every entity operates in a silo. We need a central database of all farmers in Kenya owned and maintained by the government.
“The harmonised digital database will enable agritech companies to build on this database without having to invest in setting up their own,” said Ngetich.
He was voted among the Top 40 Under 40 Men in Kenya.
5. Afriagrimark
Afriagrimark connects farmers directly to a ready market, bridging the gap between the farmer’s and the vendor’s needs.
The company is one of the most promising startups in the agri-tech sector.
It was founded by Bonface Nyalwal who serves as the CEO.
Outstanding Kenyan telecom leaders
Kenya’s telecommunication sector in 2022 saw increased competition between the top telcos.
Safaricom led by Peter Ndegwa bagged the prestigious Global Mobile Award (GLOMO) for the M-PESA Super App at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
After years of losses, Airtel Kenya has finally smelled profit under the guidance of Ashish Malhotra who was appointed CEO in July 2022.
Telkom grew its mobile subscriptions to 4.1 million between July and September 2022 under Mugo Kibati’s leadership.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
