By Jasper P Miller
African startups are booming, with a continued rise in investment across the continent. Quartz Africa states that in 2018, “In total, African startups raised a record $725.6 million across 458 deals…” From fintech to agricultural and solar-powered energy solutions, Africa is experiencing unprecedented business growth as more of the continent comes online, transforming Africa, for the better. In this article, we will explore the top three startups making an impact in the African startup landscape.
Flutterwave
Founded in 2016 by ex-finance professionals, Flutterwave is an African platform that allows individuals and businesses to effectively process payments. With offices in Nairobi, Accra, Johannesburg, Lagos, and San Francisco, Flutterwave is making a global impact in the fintech space. In 2019, Flutterwave signed a deal with Visa to create an additional payment product called Barter and continues to grow and expand its technology and products. Flutterwave states, “We’ve made it easier for Africans to build global businesses that can make and accept any payment, anywhere from across Africa and around the world. The world’s digital economy is progressing around us, and we want to include African businesses in the journey.”
Learn more about Flutterwave.
Sun Exchange
Sun Exchange is a unique business, combining the power of the sun, the crowd, and blockchain technology to create a new and innovative platform set to revolutionize Africa. The Sun Exchange is like the Uber of solar, allowing the individual to lease their solar cells to businesses and organizations, helping to create a more sustainable world. According to Sun Exchange member Khalid Grant, “Sun Exchange is the next step in the progression of solar investing by enabling global participation through combining distributed power generation and blockchain technology.”
Learn more about Sun Exchange.
Farmerline
Farmerline states, “Farmerline was established in 2013 as a social enterprise. It uses technology to increase information access for smallholder farmers, reaching over 200,000 farmers in 11 African countries, including Ghana.” Based in Ghana, Farmerline’s mission is to support the African agricultural industry. The Farmerline platform supports farmers by giving them greater access to resources and key agricultural-information, from weather patterns to sustainable practices to enhance farming techniques. By bringing together farmers, food brands, government organizations, and key financial institutions to create a more sustainable framework, Farmerline is an innovative application uniting the African agricultural industry.
Learn more about Farmerline.
Future Software Resources Limited, Nigerian entrepreneur, Nkemdilim Begho states, “Be prepared to sacrifice and work harder than you’ve ever thought possible. Be prepared to work around the clock, to be laughed at, called a dreamer, and to be told several times that your ideas will not work.” African entrepreneurs are working harder than ever to realize their dreams and put Africa on startup map, making a global impact with advanced technologies and applications alike. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Africa and how it’s continued development will improve all business sectors from logistics and power to farming and transport. Whatever the outcome, Africa’s future looks bright.
