START-UP ECOSYSTEM ACCELERATOR INNOVATION FUND - GSMA
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ECOSYSTEM ACCELERATOR INNOVATION FUND START-UP PORTFOLIO
02 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 03 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
About the GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator The Ecosystem Accelerator programme
is supported by the UK Department for
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile The GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator programme International Development (DFID), the
operators worldwide, uniting more than 750 focuses on bridging the gap between mobile Australian Government, the GSMA and
operators with over 350 companies in the operators and start-ups, enabling strong its members. The views expressed in this
broader mobile ecosystem, including handset partnerships that foster the growth of document are not necessarily those of DFID or
and device makers, software companies, innovative mobile products and services. These the Australian Government.
equipment providers and internet companies, partnerships bring impactful mobile solutions
as well as organisations in adjacent industry to the people and places that need them
sectors. The GSMA also produces the most, generating the greatest socio-economic
industry-leading MWC events held annually impact. In particular, the programme operates
in Barcelona, Los Angeles and Shanghai,
as well as the Mobile 360 Series of regional
an Innovation Fund which supports start-ups
from Africa and Asia-Pacific with direct grant “Bringing impactful
conferences. funding, technical assistance, and connections
For more information, please visit the GSMA
with mobile operators.
mobile solutions to
the people and places
corporate website at www.gsma.com. Learn more at:
www.gsma.com/ecosystemaccelerator
Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA. or contact us at: accelerator@gsma.com
Follow GSMA Mobile for Development on that need them most”
Twitter: @GSMAm4d
04 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 05 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
THE GSMA ECOSYSTEM ACCELERATOR INNOVATION FUND THE OBJECTIVES OF THE FUND ARE TO
The Ecosystem Accelerator
programme is supported by the Establish partnerships Test business Provide lessons and
UK Department for International between operators models with examples for stakeholders
Development (DFID), the
Australian Government, the GSMA
and its members.
1 and start-ups in order
to increase the reach
of innovative mobile
2 the greatest
potential for 3 within the ecosystem,
on the ways in which
mobile is driving positive
growth
services socioeconomic change
It provides selected start-ups in Africa and
Asia Pacific with grant funding, technical
assistance, and the opportunity to partner
with mobile operators in their markets to This catalogue presents the Fund’s portfolio of start-ups across Africa
help scale their products and services into
sustainable businesses. and Asia Pacific, for its first, second, and third rounds.
06 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 07 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
IMPACT TO DATE
34 4.2M £42M 18 13 £8M
start-ups in 23 countries beneficiaries have been in additional funding has start-ups now have of the 17 UN Sustainable of income has been unlocked
have been allocated impacted by the portfolio been raised by the portfolio partnerships with mobile Development Goals are through their services, for
£6.6m of grant funding start-ups. start-ups, mostly from network operators. addressed collectively by low-income populations and
by the programme. commercial investors. the portfolio. local MSMEs.
08 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 09 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
PORTFOLIO START-UPS’ COLLABORATION WITH MOBILE OPERATORS
In Tanzania, Jamii and Vodacom are co-branding and cross-selling In Indonesia, Telkomsel and EdTech start-up Ruangguru have
Jamii’s microhealth insurance service targeted at low-income created a joint offering targeted at students through Telkomsel’s
populations. Jamii is also using Vodacom’s mobile money solution, youth brand, Loop. The package offers users free data to
M-Pesa, to collect premiums and pay out microinsurance claims to exclusively access Ruangguru’s educational content on the web and
hospitals. on mobile.
In Indonesia, Telkomsel and fish farming technology start-up
In Zambia, the logistics service Musanga is integrated with MTN’s
eFishery are co-innovating through the newly launched Telkomsel
mobile money solution. This simplifies Musanga’s payment
Innovation Center. The objective is to develop Narrowband IoT
collection processes and reduces the heavy reliance on cash
(NB-IoT) devices for the fishery sector. This partnership is key
collection. Through this partnership Musanga is also offering its
for eFishery as it seeks to trim its cost base and expand its reach
drivers an access to microloans.
across Indonesia.
In Egypt, the ride-sharing start-up Raye7 is using Orange’s open In Cambodia, Smart Axiata has made an equity investment
SMS APIs to send customised messages and notifications to ride through its corporate venture capital fund, Smart Axiata Digital
sharers when a match is found, with information such as estimated Innovation Fund, in Joonaak, a start-up providing logistics for micro
arrival time, pick-up details and changes to their trip. and small e-commerce businesses.
10 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 11 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
ECOSYSTEM ACCELERATOR Round 1
Round 2
INNOVATION FUND
Round 3
PORTFOLIO
Pakistan
Nepal
Egypt
Bangladesh
Myanmar
Senegal
Ethiopia Cambodia
Benin Nigeria
Ghana
Côte
Sri Lanka
D’ivoire
Cameroon
Uganda
Kenya
Rwanda Indonesia
Papua New
Tanzania Guinea
Samoa
Zambia
Mozambique
East Africa
12 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 13 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
MEET THE PORTFOLIO START-UPS’ 35 CEOS
eSewa Ruangguru eFishery Field Buzz Joonaak Kargo Raye7 SafeMotos Twiga Foods Ensibuuko Farmcrowdy Jamii
Asgar Ali Adamas Belva Gibran Huzaifah Alexis Rawlinson Soliya Kong Alex Wicks Samira Negm Barett Nash Grant Brooke Gerald Otim Onyeka Akumah Lilian Makoi
Syah Devara
Neh Thit Sehat Kahani Greenovator oDoc Pacific Ads Group Qlue LipaMobile Lynk MaTontine Musanga SudPay AgroCenta
Conor Smith Dr Sara Saeed Yin Yin Phyu Heshan Fernando Fredrik Orrenius Raditya Maulana Laban Jemba Adam Grunewald Bernie Akporiaye Njavwa Mutambo Samba Sow Francis Obirikorang
Khurram Rusdi
SkyEye Biscate Kytabu Optimetriks PrepClass Coliba Eneza Education GiftedMom Kea Medicals Taskmoby
Sam Saili Frederico P Paul Mugambi Paul Langlois- Chukwuwezam Genesis Ehimegbe Wambura Kimunyu Alain Nteff Vèna Arielle Ezana Raswork
Silva Meurinne Obanor Ahouansou
14 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 15 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
0186D5
16 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 17 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
ASIA PACIFIC START-UPS ESEWA
Mobile payment service The problem Mobile operator collaboration
In Nepal, only 34 per cent of all adults have “Nepal Telecom believes that eSewa is a pioneer
allowing users to make an account at a financial institution, and this and is playing a key role in digitizing mobile
online payments, pay utility number is even lower for women (31 per cent) recharge and overall utility of the mobile phones
bills, receive money or set and lower income individuals (24 per cent). in Nepal. For Nepal Telecom, eSewa is the
ROUND 1 up merchant accounts Financial inclusion is key to reducing poverty
and boosting prosperity. Without it, many
societies are held back.
ideal partner that has been fulfilling our needs
by deploying efficient and productive sales
force, creating new network and opportunities,
responding to the market instantly and using the
The start-up modern digital technology and digital channel to
The eSewa mobile payment solution can be serve our customers in better ways.”
accessed either through a mobile app or over the — Dilli Ram Adhikari,
ROUND 2 counter through one of 25,000 agents across the
country. Users can buy mobile airtime (from Nepal
MD Office Manager, Nepal Telecom
Telecom and Ncell Axiata), pay bills, deposit funds Impact to date
in their bank account or perform cash-in/cash-outs As of October 2018, eSewa serves over 796,000
from their eSewa account. The mobile app can active customers across Nepal and its Android
also be used to buy bus tickets, pay for school fees mobile app has been downloaded over 1.3 million
ROUND 3 0186D5
Founders
or book trips abroad.
The project
times.
Asgar Ali (CEO) eSewa received a grant from the GSMA Ecosystem
Biswas Dhakal Accelerator Innovation Fund in April 2017 to
improve the usability of its agent mobile app and
expand its services and operations in eastern
Country Nepal.
Nepal
18 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 19 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
RUANGGURU EFISHERY
Digital marketplace for The problem Mobile operator collaboration IoT-based smart fish feeding The problem The project
With over 50 million students and four million “Ruangguru has over 10 million registered users Aquaculture is expected to provide close to eFishery received a grant from the GSMA
private tutors offering teachers, Indonesia has the fourth largest and Loop — Telkomsel’s youth brand — sees this
machines for commercial two-thirds of global food fish consumption by Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
educational classes educational system in the world, but also one as an opportunity to bundle Ruangguru’s product aquaculture 2030, according to the FAO. With an annual February 2018 to extend its value proposition
of the lowest performing. It has been claimed on our platform. Users gain access to 2GB of free aquaculture production of more than five million to fish farmers by adding more features to the
that over 50 per cent of Indonesia’s teachers are data when surfing Ruangguru’s bundled content. tonnes, Indonesia is the third largest producer service and conducting a pilot project on Narrow
insufficiently qualified. Ruangguru has a similar target market to ours in the world behind China and India. However, Band IoT (NB-IoT) with a mobile operator partner.
(junior high and senior high students) thus we inefficiencies and lack of skills and data are
The start-up can leverage the start-up’s brand awareness and forcing Indonesia’s 3.34 million fish and shrimp Mobile operator collaboration
Ruangguru is a freemium learning management customer reach.” farmers to cope with very high feeding costs “eFishery Smart Feeder brings a new business
system that helps students prepare for exams — Nastiti Yuniansari, Segmented Community (60 to 90 per cent of total production costs). model and opportunity for Telkomsel. The
using content tailored to the national curriculum, Product Marketing, Loop, Telkomsel solution will have a positive impact on Indonesia’s
and helps teachers to crowdsource educational The start-up aquaculture industry and inspire other developers
content and distribute it to students. It improves Impact to date eFishery offers an IoT-based smart fish feeding and start-ups to work on IoT solutions to solve
the learning experiences of students while also As of October 2018, Ruangguru has reached over machine for commercial aquaculture. The feeder Indonesia’s challenges.”
improving access to resources for teachers. Access 10 million students registered on its platform. uses sensors to deduce the relative hunger of the — Amelia Kemalasari, General Manager Business
to the service is now also being offered through a fish and then feeds them the optimal amount. Development, Telkomsel
joint package with the mobile operator Telkomsel’s The sensor collects and sends data (such as feed
youth brand, Loop. volumes, feed consumed and transactional data) Impact to date
to the cloud where the data is aggregated, stored As of October 2018, eFishery has worked with
Founders The project Founders and analysed. The proprietary software also allows more than 3,000 fish and shrimp ponds across
Adamas Belva Syah Devara (CEO) Ruangguru received a grant from the GSMA Gibran Huzaifah (CEO) fish farmers to manage feeding in real time from Indonesia. On average, fish farmers using the
Muhamad Iman Usman Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in April Chrisna Aditya their phones and control the system remotely, if eFishery solution have increased profits by over 20
2017 to launch an online marketplace where necessary. per cent.
teachers and tutors generate content and students
Country access content for free or request personal Country
Indonesia assistance for a fee. Indonesia20 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 21 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
FIELD BUZZ JOONAAK
Mobile software to manage The problem The project Delivery service providing The problem Mobile operator collaboration
According to a BCG study, in Bangladesh Field Buzz received a grant from the GSMA Despite a real opportunity for small “As Cambodia’s leading mobile operator, our goal
last-mile distribution and traditional retail outlets, or mudir dokan, Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
logistics for micro and small entrepreneurs in Cambodia to embrace of providing our subscribers with more innovative
operations efficiently are ubiquitous, with over 90 per cent of the February 2018 to develop a more standardised e-commerce businesses e-commerce, the country ranked only 119 out products and lifestyle solutions makes partnering
middle class buying groceries from them version of their last-mile distribution solution for of 137 in the 2016 UNCTAD B2C E-commerce with a ‘last mile’ delivery service provider like
regularly. These networks of shops employ SMEs with dispersed sales and delivery agents in Index. Logistics is one of the key barriers to Joonaak a natural fit. Joonaak offers an important
millions of workers, but are often operated in rural areas of Bangladesh. the development of the sector, as lack of skills, service to the country’s growing e-commerce
an informal, inefficient and non-transparent equipment, time and capacity make it difficult sector that is unmatched by any other player.”
manner. This creates many systemic issues Impact to date for small online merchants to get their product — Thomas Hundt, CEO of Smart Axiata
with cash collection, deliveries and inventory As of October 2018, the Field Buzz platform has to their customers.
management, and makes it impossible for these processed close to 800,000 transactions per Impact to date
microentrepreneurs to grow their businesses month for producers, distributors and other users The start-up As of October 2018, Joonaak has supported over
efficiently. operating in the last mile. Joonaak provides last-mile delivery services and 200 active small merchants on its platform and
warehousing facilities to small businesses wanting delivered more than 5,500 packages per month.
The start-up to grow their online sales. The service also includes
Field Buzz’s smartphone- and web-based SaaS a technology platform for small e-commerce
ERP/CRM software helps organisations manage businesses to track their sales and generate
dispersed activities and transactions in the ‘last reports through a proprietary dashboard.
mile’ in emerging markets, such as tracking
distribution to small shops, interactions with The project
Founders smallholder farmers, delivery of services to Founders Joonaak received a grant from the GSMA
Alexis Rawlinson (CEO) low-income households and rural infrastructure Soliya Kong (CEO) Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
Habib Ullah Bahar monitoring and maintenance. Leakhena Long February 2018 to expand its operations and
customer base through the design and launch of
a mobile version of its web app that offers simple
Country Country monitoring and tracking for both clients and end
Bangladesh Cambodia consumers.22 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 23 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
KARGO NEH THIT
Online platform allowing The problem The project Low-income jobs platform The problem The project
Despite more than 4,100 small companies Kargo received a grant from the GSMA Ecosystem While over 70 per cent of the adult population in Neh Thit received a grant from the GSMA
businesses or individuals to operating in the transportation and storage Accelerator Innovation Fund in February 2018
providing job matching, Myanmar owns a smartphone, a lack of quality Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
request a truck for pick-up sector in Myanmar, small logistics companies to expand its operations locally by automating skills training and employer job boards or platforms means the country’s February 2018 to develop and expand its current
and delivery services and independent truck owners are losing money most of its key processes. This automation phase transparency 25 million low-income workers do not have platform by improving the system through which
every day from underutilised trucks and an includes the launch of a mobile app for SME efficient or dependable ways to find a job. customer relationships are managed for both job
inefficient marketplace. Meanwhile, as scooters customers to place truck orders. Although reliable statistics are lacking, youth seekers and employers.
and motorbikes are prohibited in Yangon, small unemployment in the country is considered
businesses and individuals have no reliable, Impact to date high. Impact to date
cost-efficient or trackable way to manage As of October 2018, Kargo has built a network of As of October 2018, Neh Thit has helped over
logistics and facilitate deliveries. over 1,200 truck drivers who have completed over The start-up 100 job seekers to find employment while
4,660 successful trips through the platform. Neh Thit is a job-matching platform for low-skilled several thousands of users have taken its online
The start-up workers in Myanmar. Taking advantage of the high professional skills course.
Kargo is an online marketplace that connects smartphone penetration and popularity of social
truck owners with businesses and individuals media in the country, Neh Thit is using a Facebook
for efficient and reliable logistics and delivery Messenger chatbot to help match job seekers with
solutions. Drivers can sign up to the platform suitable employers. The platform also allows users
and fulfil logistics for small retail and wholesale to take online professional skills courses.
businesses on an ad hoc basis.
Founder Founder
Alex Wicks (CEO) Conor Smith (CEO)
Country Country
Myanmar Myanmar24 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 25 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
SEHAT KAHANI GREENOVATOR
m-Health services provided The problem The project Digital marketplace for The problem The start-up
World Bank data shows that only 0.9 per cent Sehat Kahani received a grant from the GSMA Agriculture represents 38 per cent of Myanmar’s Greenovator’s platform provides information
by women doctors to of Pakistan’s GDP is spent on healthcare — eight Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
agricultural inputs and GDP, employs 60 per cent of the active for farmers, such as advice for producing better
marginalised populations times less than what is recommended by the February 2018 to deploy the health technology outputs population and uses close to 20 per cent of the yields, local weather, demand projection and daily
through telehealth World Health Organization. Meanwhile, more in six clinics that support 120 community health country’s land. However, Myanmar’s agriculture prices. The solution also allows traders to identify
than 60 per cent of Pakistan’s medical students workers. Each of the six clinics acts as a referral sector is not as efficient as it could be due to a where to source produce at the right time and
are women, but due to socio-cultural taboos point for patients who need further consultation lack of agricultural information that is limiting provides a way for vendors to project demand for
only 23 per cent of doctors are women, and this and treatment. crop yields, creating a disconnect between agricultural inputs.
number is even lower in rural areas. buyers and sellers, and generating additional
Mobile operator collaboration waste due to poor demand projection for
The project
The start-up “At Jazz, we are always trying to revolutionise agricultural inputs. This lack of information
Greenovator received a grant from the GSMA
Sehat Kahani provides affordable healthcare to our products and provide better services to the also keeps smallholder farmers in poverty.
Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
populations in rural areas and urban slums across people of Pakistan. We’re excited to partner with As a comparison, a farmer in Myanmar earns
November 2018 to develop a marketplace service
Pakistan. The platform connects users to qualified Sehat Kahani as it gives us a chance to provide about $1.80–$2.50 per day in monsoon season
that provides farmers with information on
women doctors through virtual and mobile- our customers with better healthcare through compared to $10.00–$16.50 per day in Thailand
agricultural inputs and outputs. The service is in
enabled consultations. Patients can access the the touch of a button. This partnership is a step and $7.80 per day in the Philippines.
turn expected to help reduce costs and increase
service at community health clinics that Sehat towards a better, healthier Pakistan where each incomes for farmers in Myanmar.
Kahani has equipped with tablets and turned into person, no matter what background he or she
e-health centres. With the Sehat Kahani mobile is from, can get access to health education and
app, users can also access general preventive and consultations from doctors, anywhere.”
Founders mental health information. — Aamer Ejaz, Chief Digital Officer of Jazz Founders
Dr. Sara Saeed Khurram (CEO) Yin Yin Phyu (CEO)
Dr. Iffat Zafar Impact to date Thein Soe Min
As of October 2018, Sehat Kahani has facilitated
over 75,000 patient consultations through 21
Country e-health centres managed by microentrepreneurs Country
Pakistan across the country. Myanmar26 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 27 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
ODOC PACIFIC ADS GROUP
Mobile-based telemedicine The problem The project Online marketplace and The problem The project
According to the World Health Organization, oDoc received a grant from the GSMA Ecosystem 85 per cent of the population in Papua New Pacific Ads Group received a grant from the
services for low-income there are fewer than 0.9 physicians per 1,000 Accelerator Innovation Fund in November 2018
service job-matching Guinea work in the informal economy. Small GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
earners people in Sri Lanka on average, making access to scale up their service in Sri Lanka to offer low- platforms businesses are primarily informal operations November 2018 to develop a matching platform
to doctors and healthcare a serious issue. This income earners access to quality and affordable with marketing channels limited to word for local service providers and potential local
ratio hides an even deeper disparity between health services. oDoc will use mobile technology of mouth (short reach), directory services customers, and to expand the service to five
urban and rural areas. to provide health services to low-income earners (untrusted) and door-to-door (high cost). cities across Papua New Guinea. The platform
in factories, construction sites and the transport Security issues also make it difficult to reach is expected to allow service providers to better
The start-up industry, while also providing convenient and new customers. market themselves as trusted businesses, and
oDoc is a service connecting doctors with patients affordable access for all other users. later to gain access to financial services, such as
virtually using mobile technology (smartphone The start-up credit to expand their business and increase their
app, SMS, voice and video) and mobile data to Pacific Ads Group offers several online classifieds income.
provide high-quality primary healthcare at an across the Pacific, mainly for properties and cars.
affordable price. Although the solution serves all Users of such platforms often report difficulties
segments of the population, it was specifically finding local professionals to help with home
designed for low-income workers. projects or maintenance. Pacific Ads Group is
launching a new digital service to match local
professionals with potential local customers.
Founders Founders
Heshan Fernando (CEO) Fredrik Orrenius (CEO)
Sohan Dharmarajah Nancy Lai
Inshard Naizer Axel Peyriere
Janaka Wickramasinghe Andrew Runawary
Country Country
Sri Lanka Papua New Guinea28 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 29 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
QLUE 0186D5
SKYEYE
Civic engagement app for The problem The project Localisation and mapping The problem The project
According to the World Bank, over half of Qlue received a grant from the GSMA Ecosystem Samoa, like most other small Pacific Islands, SkyEye received a grant from the GSMA
users to report or share Indonesia’s population lives in cities, and by Accelerator Innovation Fund in November 2018 to
solution for transportation has challenging logistical infrastructure due to Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
their neighbourhood 2025 this will rise to two-thirds. However, expand its existing civic engagement platform to services the lack of a national addressing system. This November 2018 to develop a platform for taxis
conditions with city officials resources for city services are often insufficient three new cities across Indonesia, which includes makes it difficult for small businesses to market and delivery drivers to receive orders in real time.
or misdirected due to a lack of accurate data on training for government staff and support with themselves and to use e-commerce to grow In the absence of an effective address system,
or businesses
the performance of city departments and the citizen engagement. The platform will allow users their business. the platform leverages SkyEye’s GIS expertise to
needs of residents. to actively report or share their neighbourhood locate pick-up and drop-off points. The platform
conditions with city officials or businesses and The start-up is expected to create opportunities for small
The start-up receive an efficient response. SkyEye develops services that harness mobile businesses and e-commerce players to deliver
Qlue’s mobile-enabled platform offers two- and geospatial technologies solutions to solve their goods and to unlock new income for drivers.
way communication for city residents and logistical challenges in Pacific Island countries.
governments. Residents can request government
services and city governments can respond and
provide updates on the status of those requests.
The data is compiled into actionable reports
for city leaders to better manage and allocate
resources. The reports are also available to the
public and media, improving transparency.
Founders Founders
Raditya Maulana Rusdi (CEO) Sam Saili (CEO)
Andre Hutagalung Nome Saili
Country Country
Indonesia Samoa30 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 31 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
AFRICA START-UPS BISCATE
Platform using inclusive The problem Mobile operator collaboration
Data from the International Labour Organization “We as an operator provide one link of the chain.
mobile technologies to shows that nine in 10 people in Mozambique The Biscate team has the right expertise; they
connect skilled workers work in the informal economy, one of the know how to brand the service and reach the
from the informal sector highest ratios in the world. It is estimated community of users. With Biscate, Vodacom
ROUND 1 with customers that 80 per cent of those under 35 lack stable
employment, with many struggling to meet day-
to-day living costs.
wants to support a local success story.”
— Director, Vodacom Mozambique
Impact to date
The start-up As of October 2018, over 21,750 workers and close
Biscate, or ‘odd job’ in Portuguese, is a service co- to 51,000 end users were registered on Biscate’s
branded with Vodacom Mozambique that allows platform. Over 1,400 tasks and jobs are facilitated
ROUND 2 informal and often uncertified skilled workers
throughout the country to register and advertise
by the platform each month.
their services with any basic mobile phone
using USSD technology. Biscate offers potential
customers access to a register of workers sorted
by trade, location and experience level. Once a job
ROUND 3 Founders
has been completed, customers can rate workers.
The project
Frederico P Silva (CEO) Biscate received a grant from the GSMA
Tiago Borges Coelho Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in April
2017 to expand its service in Mozambique and
develop a feature to link workers to relevant
Country training centres for skill building and certifications.
Mozambique32 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 33 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
KYTABU OPTIMETRIKS
EdTech platform that leases The problem The project Crowdsourced mobile- The problem The project
In Kenya, the cost of school supplies and Kytabu received a grant from the GSMA Research by AT Kearney shows that in Kenya, Optimetriks received a grant from the GSMA
out textbooks through apps learning materials are inflated due to Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in April
based and real-time data about 70 per cent of the population do their Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in April
supply chain inefficiencies and trade issues. 2017 to make its existing mobile app available collection service for daily shopping in open markets and through 2017 to improve the user-scoring mechanism,
Textbooks can cost up to a third of a middle- on multiple platforms, create additional digital African retail companies other informal channels. The absence of reliable design customised training materials and deploy
class household’s income, but these costs content and upgrade the capacity of the service. socio-economic data in emerging markets is a the service in Kenya and Uganda.
disproportionately affect the poorest families big obstacle to making good policy decisions.
who can spend over half their income on Impact to date This is also a problem for the private sector, Mobile operator collaboration
education. As of October 2018, Kytabu has over 7,810 users on where a lack of basic market data and customer “Optimetriks is a relevant technological solution
its platform. feedback creates a barrier to investment for 55 that gives us real-time insights from our mobile
The start-up per cent of brands in Africa. money agents across Ghana, which we then use
Kytabu is a leasing app for textbooks, which to influence the performance of Tigo Cash. Their
are downloadable from an online library on any The start-up end-to-end solution is easy to deploy, agile and
internet-enabled device or pre-installed on a Optimetriks’ solution for retail companies and reliable.”
Kytabu tablet. By breaking textbooks down into mobile operators leverages a community of users — Carl Eli Pomeyie, Head of Mobile Financial
leasable lessons, the aim is to make educational paid per visit to perform retail census and audits, Services, Tigo Ghana
content more accessible and affordable to collect data on the ground and take pictures at
low- and middle-income families and improve outlets using Optimetriks’ native Android app and Impact to date
educational access across Kenya. a Facebook Messenger chatbot. The aggregated As of October 2018, Optimetriks has conducted
crowdsourced data is then screened and over one million visits to outlets and collected
Founders Founders cleaned, photos are analysed through an artificial over 50 million data points for clients in 15 African
Paul Mugambi (CEO) Paul Langlois-Meurinne (CEO) intelligence solution and the results are displayed countries.
Tonee Ndungu Augustin de Choulot to clients through live web business intelligence
Marc de Courcel dashboards.
Country Country
Kenya East Africa34 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 35 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
PREPCLASS RAYE7
Digital tutoring marketplace The problem The project Culturally sensitive digital The problem Mobile operator collaboration
At over 80 million, Nigeria has the world’s third PrepClass received a grant from the GSMA In Cairo, traffic is a serious health, economic “We believe that the integration of SMS API is just
that connects learners and largest population of under 15s, comparable to Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in April
carpooling solution for daily and security issue. Vehicles are responsible for a start of many initiatives between Orange Egypt
teachers the entire population of the European Union. 2017 to increase the number of tuition sessions commuting 26 per cent of air pollution, and Cairo traffic and Raye7 to deliver a unique service to both
Yet, in terms of quality and enrolment rates, its completed through the platform by connecting alone costs Egypt four per cent of its GDP every Orange Egypt’s and Raye7’s customers and to
school system from primary to higher education more learners and tutors via a web and mobile year. Unfortunately, public transportation is not work coherently to solve, at least part of, Egypt’s
is ranked very low at 120 out of 135 countries. app. currently a reliable alternative, especially for traffic problems.”
the 86 per cent of women who report feeling — Peter Kaldas Marketing Sr. Supervisor,
The start-up Impact to date insecure. Orange Egypt
PrepClass is a tutoring marketplace that connects Between its launch in 2013 and September 2018,
students and tutors through an online platform. PrepClass has matched close to 49,000 learners The start-up Impact to date
A pool of curated teachers who have been and teachers for in-person tutoring. Raye7 is a mobile-based carpooling service As of October 2018, Raye7 has built a community
interviewed and thoroughly vetted offer their for daily commuting that relies on the trust of of over 31,100 registered ride sharers (both drivers
services to learners, providing a source of income community networks. Users receive cost-effective and riders), 10,362 of whom are active and over 20
for tutors while supporting the education of transportation while drivers generate additional per cent are women. Over 193,000 trips have been
Nigeria’s students. PrepClass also launched a daily income to offset the cost of their car, completed through the platform since the service
mobile app called PrepTest, which provides tutors insurance and fuel. The service offers women the launched in late 2015.
with a platform to upload learning content and for option to choose to only ride with other women
learners to watch detailed video solutions. from their community.
Founders Founders The project
Chukwuwezam Obanor (CEO) Samira Negm (CEO) Raye7 received a grant from the GSMA Ecosystem
Olumide Ogunlana Ahmed Negm Accelerator Innovation Fund in April 2017 to scale
up their B2C business with large homogeneous
communities (e.g. universities, business parks)
Country Country who have long daily commutes from residential
Nigeria Egypt areas.36 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 37 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
SAFEMOTOS TWIGA FOODS
Localised and safety- The problem The project Mobile-based supply The problem The project
Although low- and middle-income countries SafeMotos received a grant from the GSMA Agriculture accounts for over a quarter of Twiga Foods received a grant from the GSMA
focused ride-hailing have only half the world’s vehicles, they have 90 Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in April
platform for small- and Kenya’s GDP (or around half if other related Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in April
platform for motorcycles per cent of the world’s road traffic deaths. Africa 2017 to develop its existing product to provide medium-sized fruit and sectors are included), and over 75 per cent 2017 to build a mobile solution that enables
has the highest rates of traffic fatalities, making drivers with more digital services, improve the vegetable vendors of the country’s population makes some part vendors to place orders via feature phones and
its roads the most unsafe in the world. customer experience with ordering and paying for of their living from agriculture. However, the smartphones, and to launch a blockchain-enabled
the service, and increase the number of trips per Kenyan agricultural sector can be inefficient financial services platform.
The start-up month. and complex, and food waste is high due to
SafeMotos is a safety-focused ride-hailing service inefficient handling practices. At the same time, Mobile operator collaboration
for motorcycle taxis in Africa. The mobile-based Impact to date small- and medium-sized fruit and vegetable Twiga Foods uses M-Pesa, Safaricom’s mobile
platform improves road safety and enables more As of October 2018, SafeMotos has built a vendors often lack access to a reliable supply of money service, to manage and streamline their
transparent interactions between motorcycle taxi network of over 150 active drivers in Rwanda and affordable and quality products. payment processes for vendors and farmers.
drivers and customers. Drivers can differentiate completed over 350,000 trips since it launched in Through M-Pesa, Twiga Foods makes about 1,000
themselves from the competition and get more 2015. The start-up payments to farmers per week.
trips as customers know they are monitored Twiga Foods runs a mobile-based B2B platform
via smartphone sensors for their driving habits. that supplies fresh fruits and vegetables sourced Impact to date
In return, customers have access to safer from farmers in rural Kenya to small- and medium- As of October 2018, Twiga Foods’ platform has
transportation options. sized roadside vendors. The mobile-based cashless moved around 20 tonnes of produce (mainly
platform allows Twiga Foods to offer higher prices bananas) each day throughout the supply chain,
and a guaranteed market to farmers, and lower allowing the 3,000+ farmers registered on the
Founders Founders prices and a reliable supply to vendors. It also platform to boost their income by over $50 per
Barett Nash (CEO) Grant Brooke (CEO) helps to reduce post-harvest losses and waste as month.
Peter Kariuki Peter Njonjo it matches demand with supply. Consumers also
benefit as they are able to buy fresher products
at lower prices thanks to a more efficient supply
Country Country chain.
Rwanda Kenya38 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 39 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
ENSIBUUKO FARMCROWDY
Cloud-based core banking The problem The project Online platform for The problem The project
According to the World Bank, over three million Ensibuuko received a grant from the GSMA Agriculture represents 23 per cent of Nigeria’s Farmcrowdy received a grant from the GSMA
software customised people across Uganda are using the country’s Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
individuals and businesses GDP, and while smallholder farmers produce 90 Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
for Savings and Credit 6,000 Savings and Credit Cooperatives February 2018 to design, build and integrate to invest in farming projects per cent of the country’s agricultural output, February 2018 to develop a mobile solution aimed
Cooperatives (SACCOs) (SACCOs) to access financial services. Most a mobile banking platform into their existing they have little access to credit to sustain and at allowing farmers and sponsors to interact while
SACCOs still rely heavily on rudimentary group banking software platform to improve the grow their businesses. Between 2009 and 2013, also delivering other services to farmers, such as
manual management of financial information. quality and range of financial services available to less than three per cent of all annual credit information, electronic payments and training.
Inefficiency, human error and fraud have SACCOS in Uganda. issued by deposit money banks in the country
become typical of these institutions and are went to smallholder farmers. Impact to date
undermining their ability to deliver financial Mobile operator collaboration As of October 2018, Farmcrowdy has helped over
services to the underbanked. “We value Ensibuuko’s business and we are The start-up 7,000 farmers across 10 states in Nigeria to receive
confident and hopeful that Ensibuuko will Farmcrowdy’s digital platform connects investors over $5.8 million in sponsorship for the purchase
The start-up continue to touch and support the community to farmers through sponsorship packages that of agricultural inputs.
Ensibuuko uses mobile money and the cloud, in through the provision of quality and dependable fund higher yields for a share of the returns. The
collaboration with Airtel and MTN, to help SACCOs services.” service allows the sponsors to browse and select
in Uganda mobilise and manage savings to offer — Jeremiah Kasirye, Head of Network screened agricultural opportunities by produce
credit efficiently. Its customised software, Mobis, Infrastructure, Airtel Uganda type, funding amount, contract duration and
enables SACCOs to gain better insights from their expected returns.
data, manage transactions and credit efficiently, Impact to date
and make data-driven decisions. As of October 2018, over 258,000 end users have
Founders benefitted from Ensibuuko’s service through their Founders
Gerald Otim (CEO) respective SACCOs. Onyeka Akumah (CEO)
Akindele Phillips
Tope Omotolani
Jimoh Maiyegun
Country
Country
Uganda
Nigeria40 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 41 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
JAMII LIPAMOBILE
Mobile microhealth The problem Mobile operator collaboration Xuldime is a school fee The problem The project
Less than 30 per cent of people in Tanzania “The partnership with Jamii is rather exemplary Households in Uganda typically pay 100 per cent LipaMobile received a grant from the GSMA
insurance product for Africa currently have access to health insurance. and we are positive we will replicate the same in
management and payment of the costs for pre-primary education, 76 per Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
The remaining 35 million, who often work in other countries where Vodacom is present in a system for parents cent for secondary and 70 per cent for tertiary. February 2018 to consolidate and expand the
the informal economy, must pay for health bid to serve the underserved through a cashless However, according to the World Bank, just 16 Xuldime service in Uganda, with a key focus
services every time they need them. Due to high and paperless microhealth insurance product.” per cent of adults keep their savings at formal on rural Uganda where most parents have low
administration costs, large insurance companies — Vincent Ndekana Polycarp, Head of deposit-taking institutions (banks, microfinance incomes.
rarely serve small enterprises or Tanzanians m-Commerce Product Development and institutions or savings and credit institutions),
making less than $100 a month. Marketing, Vodacom Tanzania which means managing and paying for school Impact to date
fees and school-related expenses is a major As of October 2018, two secondary schools
The start-up Impact to date challenge for most households. have been enrolled on the school fees payment
Jamii is a mobile management platform for health As of October 2018, over 8,000 people have been component of the Xuldime service, and 1,382
insurance policies that perform the administrative covered by health insurance offered through Jamii. The start-up students have been enrolled to pay fees via this
functions of an insurer while providing access to LipaMobile’s Xuldime service is an integrated module.
low-cost microhealth insurance policies for MSMEs. cashless platform for parents, school
The policies are ordered and paid for on mobile administrators, and school canteen vendors and
phones via USSD and mobile money in partnership suppliers to pay for school fees, supplies and
with Vodacom Tanzania. services. The product is aimed at parents with no
fixed earnings for whom lump sum payments of
The project school fees can be difficult. It also offers a savings
Founder Jamii received a grant from the GSMA Ecosystem Founder platform where parents can periodically load
Lilian Makoi (CEO) Accelerator Innovation Fund in February 2018 to Laban Jemba (CEO) money and set payment dates for direct deposits
increase the adoption of microhealth insurance into the school’s bank account.
service by MSMEs in Tanzania by facilitating
mobile-only onboarding of users.
Country Country
Tanzania Uganda42 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 43 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
LYNK MATONTINE
A digital platform that The problem The project Solution to digitise The problem The project
According to a World Bank report, the informal Lynk received a grant from the GSMA Ecosystem UNCDF data shows that only 25 per cent of MaTontine received a grant from the GSMA
connects households and sector accounts for close to 83 per cent of Accelerator Innovation Fund in February 2018 to
traditional savings circles adults in Senegal have access to a bank account Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
businesses with informal Kenya’s employment, which for millions of develop a worker-facing mobile app to enhance (tontines) and facilitate of any kind, and this rate drops below 10 per February 2018 to scale the digital platform and
workers, artisans and workers means uncertainty, low pay and few worker engagement with its job matching and access to credit and cent in rural areas. As most of the population incorporate a credit scoring functionality to
opportunities for career advancement. Good e-commerce platform. This in turn aims to enhance are unable to access any form of credit, they facilitate small loans and other financial services
tradespeople financial services
work does not necessarily mean more work or the scalability and efficiency of the platform by instead rely on traditional, informal rotating like microinsurance from third-party providers.
higher pay, and positive feedback and a strong reducing Lynk’s manual operating processes. It savings circles called tontines, usually managed
track record of work do not generally translate also empowers workers to manage their own by women. As these saving circles are operated Impact to date
into borrowing power or the ability to start a profiles as small businesses, manage multiple jobs, manually, the risk of fraud and disputes is high As of October 2018, MaTontine has built a
formal business. widen their offerings and boost their incomes. and limits their potential. community of over 1,050 active members — over
80 per cent of whom are women — across five
The start-up Mobile operator collaboration The start-up regions of Senegal.
Lynk’s core offering is to connect informal workers In May 2017, Safaricom made an equity investment MaTontine offers a mobile-based automated
to suitable jobs. Users submit their service request in Lynk through its corporate venture capital fund platform for tontines using SMS, USSD and mobile
on the platform, which is then forwarded to arm, Spark Venture Fund. money technologies. By allowing users to build
available service providers via SMS. Interested their credit scores over time, MaTontine makes it
service providers can bid for the job by replying to Impact to date possible for them to access financial services, such
the job message. Once users select their preferred As of October 2018, more than 21,000 jobs have as small loans and insurance. The community-
worker, the job is delivered onsite. Customers pay been booked and completed through Lynk’s focused platform is deployed and run by tontine
Founders via mobile money or card, and are prompted to platform. Founders managers who generate some revenue through
Adam Grunewald (CEO) provide a service rating. Bernie Akporiaye (CEO) this activity.
Johannes Degn Tosan Oruwariye
Country Country
Kenya Senegal44 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 45 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
MUSANGA LOGISTICS SUDPAY
Mobile platform to send The problem The project Mobile solution for small The problem The project
While youth make up almost two-thirds of Musanga received a grant from the GSMA In Senegal, up to 70 per cent of local taxes SudPay received a grant from the GSMA
parcels through a network Zambia’s working-age population, almost 25 Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
merchants to pay taxes go uncollected due to fraud and lack of Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
of independent cyclists, per cent are unemployed. Meanwhile, local small February 2018 to expand their operations and to municipal authorities transparency at different stages of the collection February 2018 to set up and roll out TownPay in
riders and drivers businesses and shops face simple infrastructure platform in three cities across Zambia. The end transparently process. This missed income in turn prevents several municipalities of Dakar to assist with tax
challenges, such as timely delivery of packages goal is to empower microentrepreneurs (drivers, municipalities from improving public services collection and increase the budget available for
and inventory. riders) who will in turn support local small (mainly healthcare, schools and roads), which local public services.
businesses and shops. has a direct impact on the local population.
The start-up Impact to date
Musanga is a delivery service for packages in Mobile operator collaboration The start-up As of October 2018, seven municipalities have
Lusaka. Packages are delivered within one to “This is an exciting opportunity for us to add TownPay is a solution developed by SudPay to signed up for the service. More than 9,600
three hours and instant proof of delivery is value and help our people. I am a firm believer in allow municipalities to automate, and later digitise, merchants have been enrolled since April 2018 and
provided. It enables small businesses and shops Africa’s potential in the platform economy. Well the collection of local taxes from MSMEs to reduce more than half have already paid their taxes using
to lower their logistical costs and enables informal done to the team at Musanga. We are on your fraud and improve collection rates. The solution the solution since tax collection started in late
microentrepreneurs with underutilised assets like side.” initially equips municipal tax collectors with June 2018.
motorbikes, bicycles or trucks, to fulfil last-mile — Charles Molapisi, CEO, MTN Zambia proprietary mobile terminals and municipalities
deliveries through Musanga’s mobile platform and with digital dashboards to track tax collection.
earn extra income. Through a collaboration with Impact to date
MTN, Musanga is also aiming to offer its customers Between April and October 2018, over 48,000
and drivers access to a set of mobile financial kilometres have been driven by Musanga’s
Founders services. network of drivers and bicycle riders (whose Founders
Njavwa Mutambo (CEO) average age is under 28) to complete deliveries Samba Sow (CEO)
Emmanuel Kwenda through the platform. Ngom Pathé Faye
Country Country
Zambia Senegal46 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 47 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
AGROCENTA COLIBA
Mobile financial services for The problem The project Mobile-supported plastic The problem The project
Sub-Saharan Africa’s food market is currently AgroCenta received a grant from the GSMA As of 2018, more than five million tonnes of Coliba received a grant from the GSMA Ecosystem
smallholder farmers valued at $300 billion and expected to reach Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
recycling solution waste are generated each year in Côte d’Ivoire, Accelerator Innovation Fund in November 2018
nearly $1 trillion by 2030. Although up to 80 November 2018 to further develop and scale its and this is expected to double by 2030. Less to deploy a large-scale, mobile-supported plastic
per cent of the region’s farmland is managed financial solution, AgroPay, to enable smallholder than half of the current waste is being collected recycling value chain in 10 districts in Abidjan
by smallholder farmers, they remain excluded farmers in rural Ghana to receive digital payments and only about three per cent is being recycled, (about three million people) to collect, recycle
from the formal financial system. According to and build their financial identity to complete with the rest primarily ending up in open and resell plastic waste from households and
the IFC, only an estimated one per cent of bank deliveries through the platform. landfills or in the streets. businesses.
lending in Africa is allocated to the agriculture
sector even though it represents around 18 per The start-up
cent of the region’s GDP. Coliba is a web, mobile and SMS platform that
connects households and businesses with Coliba-
The start-up affiliated, trained and equipped plastic waste
AgroCenta is an online platform that connects pickers. In exchange for plastic waste, users
smallholder farmers in the staple food (rice, receive points that can be converted into airtime.
maize, millet and soybean) value chain to a wider Plastic waste is converted into pellets in Coliba’s
online market, access truck delivery services and local factory and then sold to local plastic-based
get real-time market information on their mobile industries.
phones via SMS and voice services. Building on
this platform, AgroCenta aims to allow farmers to
Founders receive digital payments, build their credit score Founders
Francis Obirikorang (CEO) and access financial services through the AgroPay Genesis Ehimegbe (CEO)
Michael Ocansey service. Yaya Kone
Country Country
Ghana Côte d’Ivoire48 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio 49 GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund: Start-up Portfolio
ENEZA EDUCATION GIFTEDMOM
SMS-based educational The problem The project Digital maternal health The problem The project
Only 63 per cent of children in Côte d’Ivoire After launching its service in September 2018, According to the World Health Organization, GiftedMom received a grant from the GSMA
content for primary and complete primary school, compared with Eneza Education received a grant from the
support via mobile every day more than 400 women in Sub- Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund in
secondary school students 72.6 per cent in Africa overall. Those who do GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund Saharan Africa die from preventable causes November 2018 to provide personalised maternal
complete primary school have lower literacy and in November 2018 to expand the solution in Côte related to pregnancy and childbirth. In healthcare support remotely via an app, rewarding
math skills than students in other Francophone d’Ivoire through improvements to platform quality, Cameroon, less than 60 per cent of women pregnant women and nursing mothers with tokens
African countries with, for example, a math raising awareness through a rewards system, as receive the recommended amount of care they can use to pay for healthcare.
score of 476 compared to 594 in Burundi. These well as content creation and an IVR channel. during pregnancy.
gaps widen in secondary school, especially
among girls, children in rural areas and poor The start-up
families. GiftedMom aims to increase access to maternal
healthcare in Africa by providing pregnant women
The start-up and mothers with mobile health information,
Eneza Education offers a subscription service for connecting them to specialists and reminding
educational content to children in primary and them of their hospital appointments. GiftedMom
secondary schools in Kenya, Ghana and Côte delivers its services across multiple platforms,
d’Ivoire. Developed in-house and aligned with the including USSD, SMS, chatbots and an assistant
national curriculum, students can access lessons app.
and assessments on any mobile phone via SMS or
USSD with a daily, weekly or monthly subscription.
Founders Founders
Toni Maraviglia Alain Nteff (CEO)
Kago Kagichiri Agbor Ashu
Country Country
Côte d’Ivoire CameroonYou can also read
