Five Kenyan start-ups are among the 20 selected from the continent to take part in XL Africa’s first cohort for its scale-up accelerator programme.
The selected start ups are specialised in digital products and solutions encompassing the fields of fin-tech, transportation, healthcare, education, human resources, and B2B.
All the companies provide a technology-intensive or technology-based product or service currently available in one or more African markets and show great potential to scale across the region and globally!
Over the next four months, these selected start-ups will be mentored through a bespoke curriculum to be delivered by global and local experts before attending a two-week Residency in Cape Town, South Africa. At the Residency, start-ups will have the opportunity to interact with and learn from their mentors, peers, and partners before concluding with the XL Africa Venture Showcase.
Here, in association with the African Angel Investor Summit, entrepreneurs will present their business models to a select audience of corporations and investors, with the aim of raising Ksh26 million (US$250) to Ksh155 million (US $1.5 million) in series A capital!
XL Africa, which was launched in April, is backed by the World Bank as well as the Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian governments.
Apart from Kenya, the other firms are from Senegal, Tanzania, South Africa and Nigeria.
Here is the list of the selected 20 start ups:
Lynk (Kenya): Job site catering for the informal sector
Ongair (Kenya): Customer relationship management platform for conversational and social commerce through instant messaging
Pesabazaar (Kenya): Comparison platform for financial products and services
Sokowatch (Kenya): Last-mile ordering and distribution platform for small retail shops in emerging markets
Sendy (Kenya): On-demand delivery platform founded in 2014
Aerobotics (SA): On demand satellite and drone analytics startup launched in 2014
Snapplify (SA): Digital content distribution platform specialising in educational content and ebooks
Timbuktu (SA): Interactive travel platform that enables tourists to design and customise trips to Africa
Asoko Insight (Nigeria): Corporate data and analytics platform
Electronic Settlement Limited (Nigeria): Payment solutions and mobile financial services startup which owns CashEnvoy and Paypad
PrepClass (Nigeria): An elearning platform offering test and exam preparation launched in 2014
Printivo(Nigeria): Online printing company founded in 2013
Max (Nigeria): Mobility platform applying machine learning on on-demand transportation and delivery
Ogavenue (Nigeria): Events booking platform founded in 2015
Rensource (Nigeria): Distributed energy company employing a Power-as-a-Service model where it rents out and maintains solar systems
Talentbase (Nigeria): Human resources platform for small businesses
Tizeti (Nigeria): Wireless network provider using a network of Wi-Fi solar base stations
CoinAfrique (Senegal): Peer-to-peer mobile marketplace launched in 2015
Jamii (Tanzania): Insurtech startup focusing on mobile micro-health insurance, it aims to cut down administration costs and sells health insurance at $1 per month
Rasello (Tanzania): Enteprise software company founded in 2011
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