In a landmark Series A funding round, Cordia Directions Inc. — the Tokyo-based startup behind Kenya’s digital used car platform Peach Cars — has raised $11 million (approximately ¥1.5 billion) to deepen its presence in East Africa and lay the groundwork for what it calls “a new infrastructure of trust” in African mobility.
The round, the largest Series A raise in Africa’s mobility sector to date, is led by Suzuki Global Ventures (SGV) — the venture arm of Japanese auto giant Suzuki Motor Corporation — alongside strategic investments from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and Gogin Capital, with a significant follow-on from The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners (UTEC).
At its core, Peach Cars is attempting something deceptively simple: restore trust to Africa’s highly fragmented, informal, and often predatory used car market. But its methods are anything but basic. Peach combines advanced vehicle inspection systems, real-time appraisals, transparent pricing, embedded financing, and secure after-sales services to create a seamless end-to-end transaction experience. Through its Kenyan subsidiary Peach Tech, the company has already enabled thousands of consumers to buy and sell vehicles online — no middlemen, no guesswork, no bribes.
“For many people in Africa, buying a car is one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives,” said Kaoru Kaganoi, Founder and CEO of Peach Cars. “This is about more than cars — it’s about trust, transparency, and building foundational infrastructure for commerce.”
A New Kind of Marketplace — With Japan’s Backing
Founded in 2020 by Kaganoi and co-founder Zachary Petroni (former Safeboda Kenya operators), Peach emerged from years of lived experience in sub-Saharan Africa. Both founders worked in the region’s mobility space before launching the startup, gaining firsthand insight into the inefficiencies and risks of used car trading in Kenya: opaque pricing, nonexistent quality checks, insecure payment channels, and a general lack of consumer protections.
The company’s solution? A full-stack, tech-enabled platform modeled in part after Japanese automotive quality control systems — complete with a 225-point inspection engine benchmarked against Japan’s standards (an appropriate choice, given that 80% of Kenya’s used cars are Japanese imports).
This rigorous process, combined with embedded credit scoring and financing tools, allows Peach to pre-approve loans, reduce inventory turnover, and deliver reliable used cars to the African consumer with unmatched transparency.
That approach has won it attention not only from local customers but from global investors eager to be part of Africa’s next digital transformation story.
“We’re extremely impressed with Peach’s ‘customer-first’ ethos and their ability to operate with integrity in one of the most complex automotive markets in the world,” said Mike Sarchet, Senior Director at SGV. “This investment reflects Suzuki’s broader strategy: Africa is our next India. And Peach Cars is building the infrastructure we want to be part of.”
For Suzuki, which holds around 40% of India’s passenger car market, Peach Cars represents a gateway to the continent’s fast-growing automotive economy — one that is projected to more than double by 2030.
JBIC’s participation is equally significant. The Japanese policy bank has made Peach its first-ever African startup investment, part of a broader strategy to link Japan’s startup ecosystem to emerging markets.
“Africa’s market growth potential is undeniable,” a JBIC spokesperson said. “Peach’s work shows how local operational knowledge and global standards can intersect to build scalable, trusted systems.”
Not Just a Marketplace, But a Mobility Infrastructure
While comparisons have been made between Peach and platforms like Autochek or Jiji, Peach sets itself apart as more than a listing or asset-financing service. Its ambition is to become a foundational player in Africa’s entire vehicle lifecycle — from purchase to maintenance.
Revenue comes from transaction commissions, inspection fees, ownership transfers, secure handovers, and an expanding list of ancillary services including spare parts logistics, digital paperwork, and embedded auto loans.
“We’re not just selling cars,” said COO Zachary Petroni. “We’re building a platform for lifelong car ownership — one based on trust, data, and care. This round enables us to scale that vision.”
With the new capital, Peach plans to:
- Expand operations across Kenya, especially in cities beyond Nairobi;
- Launch regional offices and inspection hubs in East and Sub-Saharan Africa;
- Grow its engineering and product teams, accelerating platform R&D;
- Introduce logistics and parts procurement services;
- And continue investing in tools that build consumer confidence and reduce systemic friction in car transactions.
UTEC Principal Kiran Mysore, who led Peach’s seed round in 2022, calls it a defining model for the future of African tech. “Peach exemplifies a rare combination: deep operational excellence, long-term vision, and product-market fit. This isn’t just growth for growth’s sake. It’s scale with substance.”
In a market where rapid expansion often comes at the cost of sustainability or customer trust, Peach Cars is betting that disciplined growth, localized innovation, and operational integrity will win out.
“African consumers are not asking for less — they’re asking for better,” said Kaganoi. “The idea that tech adoption here must be cheap, fast, or broken is outdated. What people want is a service that respects their money and gives them confidence. That’s what we’re building.”
As it moves into its next chapter, Peach Cars hopes to prove that infrastructure doesn’t always come from governments or roads — it can also come from startups that solve deep, everyday problems with precision and purpose.
With $11 million in fresh funding, and a cross-continental alliance of automotive and policy investors behind it, Peach may be steering toward something bigger than just a marketplace: a new blueprint for African digital infrastructure.