Africa's top 10 tech startups of the moment

Joel Syder

Here are 10 tech startups (in no particular order) that are already making waves in Africa and beyond.

Flutterwave

Flutterwave is a payments platform that lays claim to being the Stripe of the African continent, and with a potential 1.2 billion users, that’s a huge opportunity right there. Flutterwave’s innovation API allows users to make customised payment solutions and goes beyond into expenses management systems.

The premise of Flutterwave is to connect Africa to the global payments economy, thus supporting the development of businesses across the continent too. “Not only is Flutterwave already an exciting startup in its own right, it promises to facilitate the growth of startup business across the African continent,” adds Peter Ntini, a software developer at WritemyX and BritStudent.

Printivo

Nigerian startup, Printivo is a print design and product provider, delivering everything from business cards to printed clothing and brochures. Although not a unique market space, Printivo’s professional and speedy service has already catapulted the company ahead of customers, and the business looks set to cement its reputation in the huge economy of Nigerian, but then the rest of West Africa and beyond.

Twiga

Kenyan company, Twiga has been around since 2014 and is already transforming the lives of farmers and food producers in the East African country - with the potential to develop its service into the rest of the continent. The aim is to provide the infrastructure which sees farming produce find its way into a safe and secure marketplace, protecting both the farmers and growers themselves, but the end customers who can be guaranteed the quality for the produce they are buying. With agricultural supporting the lives of so many people in Africa, this truly has the potential to develop the economic outlook for an entire continent.

flare

Another Nairobi-based business, flare provides a software solution for emergency response and transfer units such as the police and ambulance services. Not only does it offer real-time tracking options, but also provides a detailed and innovative reporting system which is also beneficial for private sector companies.

Halan

Transportation is a major issue on the Africa continent for a variety of reasons. Egyptian company Halan is helping solve the transportation issue in Egypt and Sudan by offering motorcycle and tuk-tuk hailing services, filling the on-demand niche that was previously missing. The business has already received funding which promises to accelerate its growth, and with huge potential, this could be a model that is developed soon over the continent.

• FinChatBot

  South Africa’s FinChatBot is an AI-powered tool which seeks to communicate with and acquire customers for financial services providers. The company has been focusing on its home market. To date, the startup has succeeded in securing funding from venture capital firms to secure its future growth, potentially into other markets across the African continent.

  Appy Saude

  This Angolan business is truly providing a service lacking from the lives of the majority of Africans – information about access to local healthcare providers.

  Not only does Appy Saude provide information regarding what is available and where, but it also details specialisations and even what types of insurance covers are accepted, allowing Angolans to make quick healthcare choices in their time of need. “With healthcare a major concern across Africa, this app is set to revolutionise the lives of everyday Africans, and is a perfect example of how tech and creativity can be combined to make normal people’s lives better,” says Joshua Charles, a startup consultant at 1day2write and NextCoursework.

  Vizibiliti Insight

  Vizibiliti Insight is another South African AI-powered tool which is able to screen future tenants to properties and predict their possibility of defaulting on payments. The company’s innovative and user-friendly approach has already seen it pick up a number of awards, and its model promises to be an attractive proposition across Africa. .

  CowTribe

  CowTribe, a Nigerian startup is one of many helping the huge marketplace of African farmers – this time to access affordable vaccinations from regulated providers. The agritech sector is one of the fastest developing sectors in Africa with many Africans making their living this way. This is yet another example of how farmer experiences are being improved tech.

  Map Action

  This Malian business and the app it has developed is promising to change lives through the mapping and identification of problems with water supplies, including hygiene risks and sanitation issues in real time with its urban mapping tool.
  

  #AfricaMonth: Mapping out crucial data at a disaster scene

  Evan-Lee Courie  20 May 2019

  Shortlisted for the #Africa4Future Accelerator Programme, this is another business seeking success through the transformation of living conditions for everyday Africans.

Takeaway

This truly is the tip of the iceberg, with so many African startups deserving of a place on this list. This is an exciting time for African business, and as can be seen, it already starting to change lives for the better through the smart application of tech.