FindMe, a promising technology startup based in Cameroon, is rapidly expanding its footprint across Francophone Africa, securing multi-million CFA contracts to modernize postal systems with its innovative addressing solutions. Recently, the Cameroon Postal Services (La Campost), the state-run postal operator, signed a strategic partnership with FindMe to improve the national postal addressing system in Cameroon.

This collaboration, which follows a successful deployment in Senegal, is part of a broader effort to modernize postal infrastructure in West and Central Africa, particularly in response to the rapid growth of e-commerce and digital services that rely heavily on precise location data. According to Pierre Kaldadak, Director-General of La Campost, the partnership marks a significant milestone for the country’s postal services, improving operational efficiency and aligning with global standards for postal addressing.

The shift towards digital solutions is critical for countries like Cameroon, where many people still lack formal postal addresses. This absence not only complicates the delivery of goods, especially in the expanding e-commerce market, but also hinders access to essential services that require an official address, such as banking and healthcare.

In the context of Cameroon’s goal to gain a seat at the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) Quality of Service Improvement Fund, this collaboration could have long-lasting implications for the country’s standing in global postal services.

Brandon Wanguep, CEO of FindMe, explained that the partnership with La Campost will go beyond the mere creation of postal addresses. It aims to create a unified national address registry that can be leveraged by public and private sectors alike. “With the rise of e-commerce, it’s essential to have a system that guarantees efficient last-mile delivery. Our solution ensures accurate identification, while helping the country meet Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements for banking services,” Wanguep said.

FindMe’s mobile application, which launched in 2021, allows users to generate a valid, GPS-compatible address in less than two minutes. The system is designed to be simple and accessible, using a smartphone camera to capture the location and an integrated mapping tool to pinpoint precise coordinates. The generated addresses are then linked to popular GPS services like Google Maps and Waze, facilitating both local and international deliveries.

Since July 2024, Cameroon’s adoption of FindMe’s system has aligned with a national effort to introduce postal codes across the entire territory, ensuring that every region is covered. The initiative supports the ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, which has been working to standardize postal addresses throughout the country.

Brandon Wanguep founded FindMe in 2021. Image credit: FindMe

A Growth Story: From Senegal to Cameroon, and Beyond

What started as a pilot project in Senegal has now evolved into a broader regional venture. FindMe’s address-generation system has already gained traction in Senegal, where over 6,500 addresses have been created to date. The company’s expansion to Cameroon is seen as a significant step towards addressing the broader challenge of location-based services in Africa, a continent where over 4 billion people lack a formal address, according to UN estimates.

The solution’s appeal has extended beyond government contracts. In addition to partnerships with postal services, FindMe is actively engaging with private businesses, particularly those in e-commerce and transportation, which rely on accurate and reliable addressing systems. Several African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali, Togo, Guinea, Congo-Brazzaville, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, have expressed interest in adopting the solution.

For FindMe, the mission is clear: to provide every household in Africa with a reliable address, thereby enabling easier access to goods, services, and opportunities.

FindMe’s rise to prominence is not only a testament to the potential of innovation in solving basic infrastructural issues, but also to the growing role of tech entrepreneurship in the African continent. The company’s business model revolves around offering free address creation through its app, with paid services such as certified address plans (used for KYC purposes) available at a nominal fee of 2,000 CFA.

The simplicity and accessibility of the platform have been key factors in its success. Users can easily share generated addresses with friends and family, streamlining communication for deliveries or emergencies. In addition to postal services, FindMe is exploring new revenue models, including partnerships with banks, telecommunications firms, and e-commerce platforms, which require reliable address data to offer enhanced services to their customers.

The company’s ability to scale quickly has been bolstered by strong backing from angel investors. In its early stages, FindMe secured pre-seed and seed funding, including a 30,000-euro loan from an incubator and 300,000 euros from private investors. With its technology now proven and its market demand growing, the company is preparing for a Series A funding round, which is expected to fuel its expansion across Africa and potentially into other emerging markets globally.

“FindMe is not just an app for addresses. It’s a disruptive force in the postal industry. Our long-term goal is to transform how people access services across the continent and contribute to economic development,” Wanguep stated.

However, the road ahead is not without challenges. Despite the clear market potential, FindMe faces stiff competition from both traditional postal services and other tech startups, such as What3Words and OkHi, MPost, which are also aiming to solve Africa’s addressing challenges. Nevertheless, the company’s unique combination of simplicity, scalability, and user-centric design has placed it in a favorable position for continued growth.

As FindMe continues to grow, the potential impact of its technology on the African continent cannot be overstated. The digitization of postal addressing systems is crucial for unlocking further economic potential, particularly in urban and underserved rural areas. By providing businesses, governments, and individuals with the tools to better navigate complex geographical landscapes, FindMe is playing a key role in the transformation of Africa’s digital infrastructure.

With countries across the continent facing the same challenge of modernizing their postal systems, FindMe’s solution represents both an opportunity and a model for how technology can drive positive change on a large scale. For Wanguep and his team, the journey is just beginning. As they look to extend their reach beyond the borders of Senegal and Cameroon, the ultimate goal is to provide every African with the ability to easily and confidently claim an official address — an essential tool for participating in the digital economy of the future.

The partnership between La Campost and FindMe is set to be a defining moment in this broader vision, and its success will likely set the stage for similar collaborations throughout Francophone Africa and beyond.