Nabilah Safira
TechInAfrica – The startup ecosystem in Africa looks as promising as ever with the 50 percent growth of tech hubs across the continent.
Let’s look at the 5 Rising African Startups ready to shake the ground this year.
Gozem
Based in Singapore, Gozem is a startup delivering ride-hailing service with vehicle options starting from air-conditioned taxi, motorcycle-taxis, and auto-rickshaws.
The startup was founded in Togo by co-founder Emeka Ajene and Raphael Dana, who has been managing Reengine Ventures since 2016. An expansion to 10 countries in West and Central Africa for the next two years is part of the startup goals, which include the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Senegal, Burkina Faso
With 800 registered drivers and operation in Benin and Togo, the startup is aiming for 300,000 drivers in four years. Ajene discloses to Ventureburn about its move on closing a $3m for the series A round. The company is launching a digital wallet product and delivery service this year.
RapidDeploy
Hailing from South Africa, RapidDeploy is a startup focusing on situational awareness and emergency response time improvement.
Aimed at public safety officials, its cloud-based software has received funding over a $12m deal in a Series A round from GreatPoint Ventures and Samsung Next back in February. It also wins the Innovator of the Year Award by YTexas in October last year.
Founded by Steven Raucher and Brett Meyerowitz, the startup is deemed as protector of public safety and ransomware attacks by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella ate Ignite conference in Orlando, Florida.
Chonona Aquaculture Limited
Chochona Limited is a startup founded in Malawi by Tione Kaonga and Abudala Napuru. It’s focused on the production and marketing of farmed fish through an eco-inclusive based business.
The startup aims for sustainable use of natural resources such as water, land, fruit plantation, and waste recycling with its integrated aquaculture agriculture.
According to its official website, four full-time employees are actively working with two directors and shareholders in the startup, and that it’s on the mission to create wealth and improving food security through partnerships and well-designed research, innovation, and capacity building.
Fuzu
Founded by Jussi Hinkkanen and Jussi Impiö in 2013, Fuzu is an online job board for the East African market. Aside from posting job opportunities, the startup also offers career guidance and free online courses in its e-learning platform for both fresh graduates and experienced job seekers.
It recently closed Series A funding this year along with its new market expansions.
Gulivery
Coming from Somalia is Gulivery, a door-to-door third party delivery service that presents restaurants, groceries, shops, and e-commerce a platform to drop customers’ orders into their front house.
The man behind the platform and his wife, Deeq Hassan and Sado Baroot, who started building the startup after their move from London. They noticed the lack of delivery service in the country, and from there they developed the idea of an app that could cater to both households and businesses alike.
Throughout the initiative, customers and businesses can trade the goods delivered by drivers with requests on-demand or scheduled delivery.
