Developed as a digital directory of local artists, the solution was launched, by Gabonese entrepreneur Franck Stéphane Dibault, to promote the works of those artists.
Dengui, a digital platform developed by a Gabonese startup, allows the general public to connect with local artists across all provinces of the country. The startup, launched in 2024 by Franck Stéphane Dibault, aims to simplify the process of finding Gabonese cultural contributors based on user needs and geographical location.
“Dengui, which means "to find" in the Gabonese language Simba, is a platform that facilitates the discovery of Gabonese cultural actors based on the needs of the user and their location. For example, if you are looking for a cameraman in Mouila, the site will display all the cameramen listed in that city, whether they are originally from there or simply residing there,” explains Dibault.
The platform, accessible via a web browser, does not require users to create an account to access an artist’s contact details. It caters to a variety of artists, including musicians, sculptors, painters, photographers, fashion designers, and architects.
To register, artists are required to provide details such as their email address, province of origin or residence, artist name, first and last name, contact numbers, and a profile description. This information facilitates user contact with registered artists, making Dengui a digital directory for arts professionals and enthusiasts.
Users can access an artist’s profile based on their search criteria, providing all the necessary information to contact the artist outside the platform, from social media to email addresses and business telephone numbers.
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The solution was developed by a tech entrepreneur from Senegal, who has studied in France and boasts international experience with firms such as Goldman Sachs, Rothschild & Co, and Deloitte.
Socium, a digital solution developed by a Senegalese startup, facilitates job searches for users and talent discovery for companies. The Dakar-based startup, founded in 2021 by Samba Lo, raised €1 million in 2022 to enhance its technology and spur growth across the continent. It has established hubs in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and Douala, Cameroon, where it relocated in November 2023 to better serve the Central African region.
"Socium comes from personal experience. When I was still living in Paris, I wanted to come back to Africa, and very quickly. The experience was very painful because it was very difficult to find job offers online. I realized that there was a problem around access to employment, even for someone who might have a fairly interesting background," Samba Lo told We Are Tech Africa.
The platform, which does not have a mobile application, allows users to browse various job offers on its website without needing a pre-existing account. Users interested in a job offer can click on the post and submit their email address and CV.
Socium also provides users with video content about the hiring company, including its industry, culture, values, and benefits, before they proceed with their application.
The start-up is positioning itself in the digitalization of human resources processes for companies, aiming to enhance operational efficiency in managing payslips, vacation requests, performance, and more.
To streamline these processes, Socium employs generative artificial intelligence to automate tasks. “Today, when I post a job description on Socium, it's done automatically. When I have candidates apply to my company, I have scoring algorithms that tell me who are the best-fit candidates, etc,” Lo stated.
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To enhance the livelihoods of farmers, technology entrepreneurs have introduced a comprehensive solution designed to optimize production and streamline marketing processes.
Ghanaian start-up Complete Farmer has developed CF Grower, an agritech solution that allows farmers to enhance their productivity, gain access to global markets, and improve their livelihoods through data-driven agricultural tools and techniques. The Accra-based company, founded in 2017 by Charles Ofosuhene, Desmond Koney, and Zoussi Ley, has raised over $20 million since its inception to develop its technology and facilitate growth.
The platform, which does not have a mobile application, requires users to create an account using their email address and password. Once registered, users can access various services and establish a farm within days. CF Grower provides farmland for rent, hires qualified farm managers, and offers agricultural inputs and services for purchase to optimize farm production.
Users who already own farmland can add it to the platform, along with all the necessary information for an agricultural expert to support the project. If a user chooses to engage an expert from the start-up, the expert will provide online and on-site support throughout the agricultural season. The agritech solution leverages collected data and provides information to help achieve consistently high yields and profits across various crop families.
After harvest, users can sell their produce via the Complete Farmer network. The start-up facilitates connections between farmers and local and international buyers. Additionally, CF Buyer provides buyers with access to its network of growers and allows them to track the progress of their orders with complete transparency.
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Over the years, mobile money has emerged as a crucial payment method across Africa. Concurrently, e-commerce platforms, experiencing swift growth in the region, are incorporating mobile payment solutions to streamline transactions on their sites.
TillPaid, a fintech solution developed by a Beninese startup, allows owners of e-commerce platforms running on Woocommerce and WordPress to integrate mobile money payments on their sites. The startup, based in Cotonou, was launched in 2022 by Bilal Enangnon.
“The development of e-commerce in Africa cannot be achieved without mobile money payment. This vision is at the core of TillPaid, a young start-up that aims to provide e-merchants with simple and easy-to-configure payment modules for their online stores. [...] The service aims to support small and medium-sized businesses by providing them with mobile money payment methods on their e-commerce websites,” Enangnon said in 2023.
The fintech has several programming interfaces that enable e-commerce platforms to accept mobile money payments from various telecom operators. While it does not charge commissions on sales from the online stores where its solutions are installed, it should be noted that these solutions are not free. They are offered in packs of two or three solutions.
TillPaid integrates various solutions, including Orange Money via its OrangePaid solution, and Celtiis with its CashPaid solution, among others. The solution supports several telecom networks operating in most French-speaking African countries including Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon, Congo, and Togo.
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The social network focused on content sharing and online learning was founded by Abdoulaye Mbengue, a tech entrepreneur with decades of project management experience. The platform allows users to connect based on shared interests and access user-generated courses.
TooShare, a social networking platform developed by a Senegalese startup, allows users to share a variety of content, including photos, videos, and documents, and to create or access online courses. The platform, launched in 2021 by Abdoulaye Mbengue, is available as an Android mobile application.
After downloading the app and creating an account, users provide information about their interests. This allows them to access a personalized news feed featuring content from users with similar interests. They can share text, photos, videos, or documents, and access Eduspace, an area dedicated to online classes.
Eduspace offers courses in various subjects, including coding, marketing, mathematics, and graphic design. In 2023, TooShare helped Senegalese students prepare for end-of-year exams amid school disruptions caused by political demonstrations.
Users can create quizzes, share lessons, form discussion groups, or start online classes by clicking the “Create” button. They can add content to enhance their online classrooms, potentially attracting other users interested in learning. Since its launch, TooShare’s Android app has been downloaded more than 10,000 times, according to Play Store statistics.
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The edtech solution was launched by Osita Oparaugo, a tech entrepreneur, to support the growth of the African digital economy, to reach 10 million users within the next decade.
Nigerian firm Wings of Justice Limited has launched GetBundi, an edtech platform that provides users with access to educational content in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and digital skills. The platform, which was introduced in June 2022 by founder Osita Oparaugo, is designed to supplement traditional teaching methods and serve as a study guide for both schooled and homeschooled students.
“GetBundi is not designed to be a replacement for the traditional method of teaching. Rather [...] it supplements the teaching and learning process whether as a teacher’s aid, study companion, revision guide,” Osita Oparaugo explained at the launch of GetBundi.
In addition to its web platform, GetBundi also offers a mobile app available on iOS and Android. Users can create an account to access a variety of content, including courses in artificial intelligence, coding, digital marketing, and cybersecurity. Some courses are offered free of charge.
In its 2032 strategy, GetBundi aims to reach ten million Africans over the next decade. Currently, the platform boasts 107 instructors and 2,733 students, offering 21 live courses and 117 video courses across its web and mobile platforms. Since its launch, the Android version of the app has been downloaded over a thousand times, according to Play Store data.
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After his studies in France, a tech entrepreneur returned home to launch a startup focused on improving service accessibility. The company seeks to participate in the continent's ongoing technological development.
Moroccan startup Jobbers.ma has developed a digital solution that provides users with access to professionals and freelancers in various sectors through its web and mobile platforms. The Fez-based company was founded in 2020 by Driss Bennis.
The solution features a mobile app accessible on iOS, Android, and Huawei devices. After downloading the application, users create an account and enter their details. When registering, they indicate whether they want to sell services as a professional or are looking for professionals in specific fields. Jobbers.ma covers several categories, including artists, animal trainers, teachers, web developers, and more.
To search for professionals on the platform, the startup has set up a search bar where users can enter their location and the category of professionals sought. If the request is complex, users can post a text explaining all the subtleties of their request with all their requirements. Professionals with the necessary qualifications can apply for the job directly on the web or mobile platform. The customer can then contact them to close the deal with the most suitable professional.
With the main aim of improving people's daily lives by making services accessible through usage and price, Jobbers.ma is present in many Moroccan cities. Since its launch, the Android version of the application has been downloaded over a thousand times.
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The startup enables access to professional coaches for various activities.
Artybe, a digital solution developed by a Togolese start-up, allows users to book sports, urban, and cultural activities with a specialized coach. The solution was officially launched in 2022 by co-founders Laura Nouhova Kpegli and Yawovi David Senyo.
"Artybe brings together worlds that haven't met much until now, but which are looking for each other: creative and precarious sportspeople and users with "a leisure budget", diasporans and local populations, young people and senior citizens," Laura Nouhova Kpegli explains to We Are Tech Africa.
While the mobile app for the solution is not yet available, Kpegli explains that Android and iOS versions would be accessible on the Play Store and App Store respectively from March 2024. Currently, users can access Artybe’s services via its web platform, where they can create a profile, browse various activities, and book and pay for them using mobile money.
"Our solution is flying off the shelves because it solves a problem people were desperate to fix. Before, finding the right help for your sports or hobbies was a nightmare. We've changed that. Talented coaches are out there, just waiting to share their skills. People with a passion for growth are ready to invest in themselves. Our digital solution brings them together," explains Laura Nouhova Kpegli.
Artybe plans to extend its reach from the capital cities of French-speaking West Africa to the rest of the continent. To achieve this, it needs funds to develop data systems, finance market research in other parts of the continent, and recruit staff to strengthen its team.
The startup has already received several accolades. In 2022, it was selected as one of the 10 flagship projects of the PAPRICAI incubator (Tech & ICC), voted one of the 5 “Best Media/Tools” at the Togo Digital Awards 2022, and was among the top 10 artificial intelligence start-ups on the continent at the World Africa Startup Summit in 2021.
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eQub is an Amharic term for a rotating savings and credit association (ROSCA). Members of an eQub pool their savings, which are then distributed to each member in a predetermined sequence.
eQub, an Ethiopian fintech startup, has developed a solution that allows users to collectivize savings via its mobile application. The startup, headquartered in Addis Ababa, was established in 2020 by Alexander Hizikias. This week, eQub claimed victory at the Fintech Pitch-off competition at 4YFN 2024, held during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
“Equb is an alternative means to achieve saving and improve access to credit by rotation of savings. Individuals agree to pool their savings for a defined period to jointly save by creating an eQub,” it explains.
Currently available only on Android (with an iOS version under development), it enables users to register by providing personal details, and verifying if they have a bank account and a mobile phone to access the platform. After that step, users then join an existing savings group or one established by the startup.
Users also have the option to create their group but this requires the provision of additional information such as address and biometric national card. The user can set the conditions for joining their group and launch the eQub at a suitable time. The number of rounds in the tontine is dependent on the number of participants.
eQub awards points to participants, which can be used to qualify for deferred payment services and other financial services it plans to introduce soon. According to Nahom Michael, eQub’s business development manager, the solution has attracted over 25,000 users and has formed over 200 savings groups since its inception. The fintech startup generates revenue when tontine winners withdraw funds from the platform.
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Agricultural producers frequently face challenges in marketing their products. A new digital solution addresses this issue by directly linking them with potential buyers, streamlining the sales process.
Senegalese agritech startup, mLouma, has developed a digital marketplace that provides agricultural producers and suppliers with direct access to their customers via a web and mobile platform. The company, founded in 2012 by Aboubacar Sidy Sonko, is based in Dakar.
The application, available exclusively on Android, allows users to create either a producer or customer account. To do so, users need to provide the necessary information and complete the registration process. Customers can make purchases directly on the application or web platform, which features a variety of online boutiques selling local products.
To streamline payments, mLouma has integrated several mobile money payment systems. Also, for delivery, it has partnered with Senegalese startup Yobante Express. mLouma also features a USSD code service, designed to enable those without internet access to learn about products and prices, and to list products for sale on the mLouma platform. “This service was developed to enable people without internet access to inquire about products and prices, and to submit products for sale on the mLouma platform. This data will be recorded and displayed on the web platform after validation,” mLouma explains.
Since its launch, the mobile application has been downloaded more than a hundred times, according to Play Store data. In 2013, mLouma won the m-Agri Challenge organized by the World Bank.
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At just 15 years old, a serious accident left Nathan Nwachuku sidelined from school for six long months. During his recovery, he discovered the potential of online classes and decided to fully devote to it, by setting up Klas.
Nigerian start-up Klas, co-founded by Nathan Nwachuku and Lekan Adejumo in 2022, has developed an edtech solution that allows users to establish their online schools on its web platform. Since its inception, the start-up has raised $1.3 million to enhance its technology and foster growth.
For Nwachuku, Klas is similar to the e-commerce platform Shopify but for online courses. “What they are doing for online stores where anyone can set up their stores and sell anything online is what Klas is trying to do for its users by helping them set up online schools and run classes,” he told TechCrunch.
To use Klas, users must visit its website and create an account by providing their first name, last name, phone number, and email address. After setting up a password, users can proceed to create their online school in a field of their choice, with options ranging from coding and finance to art and foreign language learning. Klas provides a variety of course formats, including live courses, pre-recorded video content, and ebooks.
Unlike other edtech companies that integrate tools like Google Meet or Zoom for classroom experiences, Klas has developed its tool, KlasLife. Nwachuku explains that KlasLife, built from scratch with a unique video architecture, does not use a video programming interface. He emphasizes Klas’s focus on a closed ecosystem, contrasting it with other large companies that are essentially integration toolkits with fully integrated platforms.
Klas offers a free package that includes services such as recorded courses and ebooks, along with two paid packages priced at $29/month and $99/month (yet to be launched). The company also plans to introduce additional services for businesses, such as employee development, to increase revenues. As of February 2024, Klas boasts over 5,000 online schools and more than 300,000 students, intending to reach 100,000 online schools by 2027.
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Meaning ‘Not Far’ in Wolof, Soreetul was launched to provide easy access to local products.
Soretuul is an e-commerce platform founded by Senegalese entrepreneurs Awa Caba, Idrissa Diatta, Ndèye Awa Guèye, and Bineta Coudy De, in 2013. It offers consumers access to locally sourced products, including fresh produce, cosmetics, and more. The platform aims to connect consumers with products that might otherwise be difficult to find while supporting female producers in remote areas.
"The idea for the Soreetuul project came from the fact that we had noticed that consumers had difficulty finding local products in supermarkets or stores. Women who work in the product processing sector don't have access to the market either, as they are in remote areas of the capital," said founder Awa Caba.
The web-based platform (no mobile app) allows users to find, order, and arrange delivery or pickup of items. It features dedicated sections for Tabaski shopping and gift purchases, offering convenience and curated product selections. In 2016, the startup was awarded a €15,000 grant after winning the Pitch AgriHack competition.
Sexual and reproductive health is still a taboo subject in African societies. To help women a little, a doctoral student in medicine decided, with her team, to set up a bespoke solution for women.
"Elles" is a digital solution developed by a group of young Beninese led by Viviane Oké (photo), a Beninese doctor completing her training at the Faculty of Health Sciences in Cotonou. It enables access to sexual and reproductive health information and services via a mobile application.
First launched in November 2022 –the official launch is slated for March 30, 2024– the Android app currently boasts over 2,000 users across 20+ African countries, primarily in the Central and West African regions. An iOS version is in development.
"We strive to reduce gender disparities in health, promote women's autonomy and fulfillment, engage men as allies in women's health, and bolster research on women's health and well-being," Viviane Oké told We Are Tech Africa.
Currently, the app can be downloaded for free on PlayStore (the iOS version is under development). Once downloaded, users can register on the platform by clicking "I don't have an account" and following the instructions. After registration, they have access to various services such as menstrual cycle tracking, information on contraceptive methods, family planning, sexually transmitted diseases and infections, and notification alerts for breast self-examination to prevent breast cancer.
According to Viviane, paid services will soon be added to the free services. She mentioned among other things the possibility for users to chat with healthcare professionals.
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Technology entrepreneurs are developing artificial intelligence (AI)- powered tools designed to help businesses manage and reduce their legal spending, offering a potential alternative to traditional law firms.
Founded in 2020 and backed by $2.6 million in funding, Hence Technologies, a Rwanda-UK startup, offers a web-based platform to assist businesses in finding suitable legal counsel.
Currently lacking a mobile app, Hence connects users with lawyers through its website. After booking an initial consultation, users have the opportunity to discuss their specific needs and ask questions about the platform.
The company aims to differentiate itself by using data and algorithms to match businesses with the most appropriate lawyers based on the nature of their legal issues, their location, and cost considerations. This differs from "marketplace solutions" that prioritize facilitating transactions, according to co-founder Steve Heitkamp.
We "built a product that is helping people find the right lawyers; a starting place for their needs," Heitkamp stated in 2022.
With operations spanning three continents and headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda, Hence plans to leverage local tech talent to expand its services and target larger companies globally.
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