🚗 On the Moove 🚗

In partnership with

⟹ 🚀 STARTUPS WATCH 🚀 ⟸

Here are the 5 top startups in the African eco-system we think you need to know:

GoZem, founded in 2018, is a transport technology platform revolutionizing mobility across Africa. With a total funding of $5M and a dedicated team of 51-200 employees, GoZem aims to enhance lives by addressing efficiency and security challenges in the transportation sector, particularly in West and Central Africa.

As Africa's Super App, GoZem offers on-demand transportation, delivery, and cashless payment solutions, serving hundreds of thousands of users across Francophone countries. Committed to safety and reliability, every driver undergoes training and certification, ensuring each trip is tracked in real-time and insured. By leveraging data and technology, GoZem is transforming the transport landscape, making travel and delivery seamless and secure.

Duma Works, based in Nairobi, Kenya, is transforming the hiring process with its innovative recruiting platform. Founded in 2011, Duma Works combines traditional human-centered recruiting with digital solutions, simplifying talent acquisition for businesses across Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania.

To date, the platform has connected over 4,000 job candidates with opportunities at more than 400 companies. Co-founded by Christine Blauvelt and Arielle Sandor, Duma Works is dedicated to enhancing recruitment efficiency and supporting business growth in the region.

BasiGo is a Kenyan early-stage e-mobility start-up, established in 2021, focused on transforming public transportation with clean electric solutions. Based in Nairobi, BasiGo aims to provide matatu owners with a cost-effective alternative to diesel buses, leveraging a seasoned team with extensive experience in electric vehicle technology and renewable energy financing.

With funding of over $5M, BasiGo offers electric buses that operate all day on a single charge and come with a comprehensive solution, including strategically located charging depots and innovative Pay-As-You-Go financing to make adoption affordable. The start-up is on a mission to lead Africa's sustainable mobility revolution, addressing the continent's urgent need for cleaner transportation while significantly reducing CO2 emissions.

⟹ 💼 💰️ VENTURE CAPITAL WATCH 💼 💰️ ⟸

It was a slow week even in the VC space compared to the previous few weeks but even then, we have a few notable events to report.

NBA Africa has launched the 'Africa Startup Accelerator' to support early-stage startups in sports and creative sectors with mentorship and funding. Managed by ALX Ventures, the program will culminate in a Demo Day in New York City, where winners will receive support and opportunities to collaborate with NBA Africa and the Basketball Africa League, emphasizing NBA Africa's commitment to fostering entrepreneurship in Africa’s sports and creative industries.

Talk360, an international calling app connecting the African diaspora, has raised $1.4 million in a Pre-Series A funding round led by Havaic. This funding aims to help the company reach seven million users by 2025 while enhancing its path to profitability. With its unique ability to facilitate affordable international calls, Talk360 has grown its user base to four million and plans to expand language support and forge partnerships with remittance companies and retailers. The funding also supports the development of a payment aggregator to improve payment conversions, highlighting Talk360's commitment to addressing the communication needs of underserved communities across Africa.

👀 This week’s featured investor is Kepple Africa Ventures. 👀

Kepple Africa Ventures, established in 2019, is a venture capital firm headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, that focuses on financing early-stage startups across Africa. With a strong commitment to sectors such as information technology, fintech, and B2C, Kepple Africa Ventures aims to foster innovation and growth in the African startup ecosystem.

The firm believes in creating new industries from Africa by investing when others might not. They prioritize learning from execution and are dedicated to connecting entrepreneurs with larger investors and strategic partners globally.

In collaboration with Verod Capital Management, they launched Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures (VKAV) in February 2022, further expanding their investment capabilities. Since their inception, Kepple Africa Ventures has invested in over 100 startups across 11 markets, primarily operating from Nigeria and Kenya.

Their mission goes beyond traditional VC roles; they are committed to catalyzing mergers, acquisitions, and cross-border expansions, driving impactful change within the continent's entrepreneurial landscape.

⟹ 📺️ MEDIA WATCH 📺️  ⟸

Here are the 5 key things in the news this week that you need to know:

1. Unifying African and Chinese Markets: Pyvio and Kora Launch Innovative B2B Payment Platform - Tech In Africa

2. Talk360 Raises Funds to Bridge Communication Gaps for African Diaspora - Tech In Africa

3. Uber-backed Moove takes its search for profitability to America - Techcabal

4. Elon Musk Takes Starlink Talks to African Leadership to Explore Investments - Tech News Africa

5. NBA Africa Introduces Accelerator for Early-Stage African Startups - Startup Africa News

And that’s your weekly dosage of the African startup ecosystem! If you have any comments or feedback, just respond to this email. We are always looking to hear from our community.

Thanks for reading. See you next week.

Gitonga, the Stoic Founder at StartupHub.Africa 🚀

^{_{Be a friend, tell a friend something nice, it might change their life.}}