New digital marketplace for African architecture launched

Yakha, meaning “build” in Zulu, allows architecture and construction firms and designers to upload details, photos and videos of their projects to its B2B marketplace where they can display and sell their products.

Mondli Cele, CEO and founder of Yakha

“Yakha provides an automated solution to discover and source local construction materials and products,” says founder and CEO Mondli Cele. “Our platform allows manufacturers to connect with architects and other stakeholders responsible for sourcing. The Yakha ecosystem is still in its early stages, but our hope is that it will provide those working in the sector to unlock the vast power of digital, which offers a more personal, dynamic and measurable solution to the challenges faced by architects and construction firms.”

While similar ecosystems do exist internationally, Yakha specifically focuses on local manufacturers and is built with the nuances and economic challenges unique to the African landscape in mind, says Cele: “As one of the first startups of this kind in the African built environment sector, we’ve benchmarked ourselves against global competitors in terms of what we can offer and how we can scale.

“However, our mandate remains focused on African manufacturers and suppliers as well as providing credible information on the products displayed on the platform.”