After working for several years in financial institutions, she shifted her focus to entrepreneurship. Her goal is to make it easier for Kenyans to finance their projects.

Janet Kuteli, a Kenyan entrepreneur in the financial sector, is the founder and CEO of Fortune Credit, a Nairobi-based microfinance institution.

Founded in 2014, Fortune Credit aims to support marginalized populations and small business owners who are excluded from traditional banking. This includes those in the informal sector, such as motorcycle taxi drivers. The company offers credit and insurance services to promote economic empowerment for rural Kenyans.

Fortune Credit leverages data from mobile payment platforms, such as M-Pesa, to assess borrowers' credit profiles and offer loans tailored to the needs of self-employed workers. This mechanism has enabled many moto-taxi drivers to secure financing to purchase their own vehicles, turning their work tools into a sustainable asset.

The institution also provides agricultural loans to smallholder farmers, entrepreneurs, and cooperatives. These financial solutions help with the purchase of inputs, equipment, and agricultural business development.

Fortune Credit was selected as one of the ten finalists for the 2025 Africa's Business Heroes competition. The company serves over 23,000 active clients, has disbursed more than 40,000 loans since its inception, and collaborates with over twenty international partners.

Kuteli earned a bachelor's degree in accounting in 2001 and a master's degree in business administration in 2012 from Kenyatta University. She began her career in 2007 at the Co-operative Bank of Kenya, where she served as Deputy Head of the Microcredit Department and later as Branch Manager for the Embakasi and Kawangware branches. From 2013 to 2014, she managed the Kenyatta branch of the National Bank of Kenya.

Melchior Koba