Grace Ashiru
Jendaya, an e-commerce startup that has been operational for a year, has raised £1 million ($1.2 million) in pre-seed capital and began with the goal of consolidating cross-border commerce between African and worldwide luxury companies.
The platform connects luxury brands from Africa and the African diaspora with high-end consumers worldwide. It also connects African shoppers with global brands to support slow fashion, artisan crafts, crafts to-order luxury goods, and new talent.
The startup has gotten the most attention in the U.K., Nigeria, Ghana, and the U.S. Since its launch, it has processed about 300 orders, with an average order value per shopping cart of $350.
Jendaya has a list of brands, like the minimalist accessories brand Marty Moto from Brooklyn and the Kenyan brand Adele Dejak. It ships designer items from Africa, Asia, the U.K., the U.S., and Europe to customers worldwide.
The CEO, Ayotunde Rufai, wants to double the number of brands on the platform and promote more African luxury designers worldwide this year. He also wants to expand Jendaya’s B2B services, which have already brought in about $100,000.
