Grace Ashiru
Enakl, a Moroccan-French mobility startup specializing in bus-sharing services, has successfully secured $1.4 million in a pre-seed funding round. The startup plans to utilize the funds to enhance its technology and expand its operations into additional cities across North Africa and the broader African continent.
The funding round was spearheaded by Catalyst Fund and included contributions from Renew Capital, Digital Africa, Station F, and 15 angel investors.
“This funding allows us to deepen our impact in Casablanca, expand our reach, and accelerate the development of our technology,” stated Samir Bennani, Enakl’s co-founder and CEO.
Established in 2023 by Samir Bennani and Charles Pommarede, Enakl provides a pre-planned commuting solution that enables users to book shared rides on mini-buses operating on fixed routes. The service is tailored to Morocco’s urban centers, addressing the challenges of overcrowded buses and irregular schedules faced by daily commuters.
Enakl’s bus-sharing business model aims to reduce the dependency of daily commuters on Morocco’s public Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, ultimately leading to fewer vehicles on the road. By addressing the need for sustainable and efficient public transportation in Morocco’s rapidly expanding urban areas, the company is positioning itself as a transformative force in the mobility sector.
Casablanca, one of the busiest cities in the country, experiences significant commuter challenges, with the BRT system averaging wait times of 15 minutes during peak hours. For commuters seeking faster and more reliable transportation, this poses a problem. Enakl’s pre-planning feature offers a solution by ensuring timely pickups, helping commuters navigate the city more efficiently.
“We invested in Enakl because they’re revolutionizing urban transit in Africa with a scalable, environmentally-friendly solution,” said Maxime Bayen, Operating Partner at Catalyst Fund. “By reducing emissions and congestion through tech-driven, shared transport, Enakl is addressing the challenges posed by urbanization.”
In a market where Morocco’s ride-sharing industry is still relatively small—valued at $4.15 million in 2024—Enakl has a significant opportunity for growth. After just 14 months of operations, the startup reports managing over 15,000 ride bookings monthly, with this figure increasing by 20% each month.
Despite its innovative approach, Enakl faces competition, not only from the public transport sector but also from ride-hailing companies like Careem and Heetch that are active in Morocco. However, while ride-hailing services cater to users seeking private trips, Enakl offers a cost-effective alternative, combining the affordability of public transit with the comfort of a private trip.
“We see the challenges Enakl is addressing in many of the cities we work in across Africa and strongly believe that their collective transportation solutions are crucial to overcoming these obstacles,” commented Adam Abate, CEO of Renew Capital.
