When employees of African startups venture out to launch their own companies, much is at stake. From the stringent obligations around intellectual property embedded in their employment agreements to the work culture they are leaving behind, the post-exit period can offer valuable insights into what it’s like to work in an African startup. Yet, year after year, more former employees across Africa transition into founders, signaling a more liberal and progressive employment ecosystem.
Some of these ventures may arise unexpectedly, such as the case of Uber Egypt, where Erik Gordon and Sherine Kabesh started their own businesses after Uber exited the Egyptian market in 2020, or Safeboda’s Kaoru Kaganoi and Zachary John-Pillow Petroni, who co-founded Peach Cars following Safeboda’s collapse in Kenya in 2020. Others may be the result of more deliberate planning.
Understanding which African startups are fostering this upward mobility is crucial, as it not only hints at where the next generation of African founders will emerge but also reveals which companies might not enforce non-compete clauses or other restrictive legal terms. Below, we’ve highlighted the African startups that have become breeding grounds for future founders, a trend likely to persist for years to come:
Jumia
Founded: 2012
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
What They Do: Jumia is a leading e-commerce platform in Africa, offering a marketplace for a wide range of products, including electronics, fashion, and household items. They also provide logistics services through Jumia Logistics and digital payment solutions via JumiaPay.
Jumia has produced several notable founders who have gone on to create their own successful startups:
- Diana Owusu-Kyereko (MAKA):
- Founded: 2020
- Location: Accra, Ghana
- What They Do: MAKA is a fashion and lifestyle brand that focuses on African-inspired designs.
- Roger-Xavier Macia (Lengo AI):
- Founded: 2019
- Location: Dakar, Senegal
- What They Do: Lengo AI specializes in artificial intelligence solutions for businesses.
- Anu Adasolum (Sabi):
- Founded: 2020
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: Sabi provides a platform for informal trade, helping small businesses in Africa to grow and thrive.
- Tunde Kehinde (Lidya):
- Founded: 2016
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: Lidya offers financial services, including loans and credit facilities, to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in emerging markets.
- Ercin Eksin (Lidya):
- Founded: 2016
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: Co-founder of Lidya, focusing on providing financial solutions to SMEs.
- Guy Futi (Orda):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: Orda is a technology company that provides software solutions for restaurants and food businesses.
- Iban Olçomendy (Fleeti):
- Founded: 2020
- Location: Dakar, Senegal
- What They Do: Fleeti offers fleet management solutions to optimize the operations of vehicle fleets.
- Benoit De Vigne (Terraa):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Casablanca, Morocco
- What They Do: Terraa is an agritech startup that focuses on sustainable farming practices and technology.
- Kayode Adeyinka (Gigmile):
- Founded: 2020
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: Gigmile provides financial services and support to gig economy workers.
- Pelumi Aboluwarin (Nomba):
- Founded: 2019
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: Nomba is a fintech company that offers payment solutions and financial services to businesses.
Paystack
Founded: 2015
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
What They Do: Paystack is a financial technology company that provides payment processing services to businesses. They enable businesses in Africa to accept payments via credit card, debit card, money transfer, and mobile money on their websites or mobile apps.
Paystack has produced several notable founders who have gone on to create their own successful startups:
- Cossi Achille Arouko (Bujeti):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: Bujeti is a financial management platform that helps individuals and businesses manage their budgets and expenses.
- Idorenyin Obong (Grey Finance):
- Founded: 2020
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: Grey Finance provides a platform for seamless cross-border payments and currency exchange for freelancers and remote workers.
- Abdulhamid Hassan (Mono):
- Founded: 2020
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: Mono offers financial data APIs that enable businesses to access and manage financial data from various sources.
- Mayowa Okegbenle (PressOne):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: PressOne provides a virtual phone system for small businesses, allowing them to manage calls and communications efficiently.
- Femi Aluko and Olumide Ojo (Chowdeck):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: Chowdeck is a food delivery platform that connects customers with local restaurants and food vendors.
- Emmanuel Okeke (Brass):
- Founded: 2020
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: Brass offers banking services tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including business accounts and financial management tools.
- Kuassi Jimmy Kumako (Moneco):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: Moneco provides financial services and products aimed at improving financial inclusion for underserved populations.
- Ikechukwu Obi (Alvative):
- Founded: 2022
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: Alvative is a technology company that offers innovative solutions for businesses, including software development and IT consulting.
Uber
Founded: 2009
Location: San Francisco, California, USA
What They Do: Uber is a multinational transportation company that provides ride-hailing services, food delivery, package delivery, and freight transport. It operates in over 70 countries and 10,500 cities worldwide.
Uber has produced several notable founders who have gone on to create their own successful startups:
- Sherine Kabesh (Flash):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Cairo, Egypt
- What They Do: Flash is a fintech startup that provides cashless payment solutions for consumers and businesses through a scan-and-pay service.
- Ridwan Olalere (LemFi):
- Founded: 2020
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: LemFi is a fintech platform that offers financial services for immigrants, including multi-currency accounts and international transfers.
- Erik Gordon (Flash):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Cairo, Egypt
- What They Do: Flash focuses on providing cashless payment solutions through QR code technology.
- Omar Hagrass (Trella):
- Founded: 2018
- Location: Cairo, Egypt
- What They Do: Trella is a digital freight marketplace that connects shippers with carriers, optimizing the logistics and transportation industry.
- Kagure Wamunyu (Jumba):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Nairobi, Kenya
- What They Do: Jumba is a construction tech startup that provides a platform for sourcing and delivering building materials.
MaxAB
Founded: 2018
Location: Cairo, Egypt
What They Do: MaxAB is a B2B e-commerce platform that connects food and grocery retailers to suppliers in underserved geographies. They aim to re-engineer the informal grocery and food market using technology and innovative supply chains to meet the needs of retailers.
MaxAB has produced several notable founders who have gone on to create their own successful startups:
- Mohamed Maged (Mtor):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Cairo, Egypt
- What They Do: Mtor is an online marketplace revolutionizing the automotive aftermarket industry. Mtor provides sophisticated tech solutions to streamline a currently fragmented supply chain, creating a unified platform for local car workshops to access a broad range of automotive spare parts on-demand at competitive prices.
- Mohamed G. Altaf (Mtor):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Cairo, Egypt
- What They Do: Mtor works on developing advanced logistics solutions for better supply chain management in the automotive industry.
- Moaz El-Megharbel (Mtor):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Cairo, Egypt
- What They Do: Mtor works on developing advanced logistics solutions for better supply chain management in the automotive industry.
- Mohamed Rezk (Auto Cure):
- Founded: 2020
- Location: Cairo, Egypt
- What They Do: Auto Cure is an automotive service platform that offers maintenance and repair services through a network of certified mechanics and service centers.
Bosta
Founded: 2017
Location: Cairo, Egypt
What They Do: Bosta is a leading logistics-tech company that provides on-demand courier services. They offer a platform that connects users to couriers, enabling seamless delivery of parcels and packages. Bosta focuses on empowering the logistics industry in the region with innovative technology solutions.
Bosta has produced several notable founders who have gone on to create their own successful startups:
- Ahmed Gaber (TradeHub):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Cairo, Egypt
- What They Do: TradeHub is a B2B marketplace that connects suppliers with retailers, streamlining the procurement process and enhancing supply chain efficiency.
- Khaled Kandil (Mtor):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Cairo, Egypt
- What They Do: Mtor is a logistics and supply chain management company that provides technology-driven solutions to optimize delivery and distribution processes.
OPay
Founded: 2018
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
What They Do: OPay is a financial technology company that provides a wide range of services, including mobile payments, transfers, savings, loans, and other essential financial services. Their platform aims to make financial services more inclusive and accessible through technology.
OPay has produced several notable founders who have gone on to create their own successful startups:
- Ridwan Olalere (LemFi):
- Founded: 2020
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: LemFi is a fintech platform that offers financial services for immigrants, including multi-currency accounts and international transfers.
- Rian Cochran (LemFi):
- Founded: 2020
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: LemFi focuses on providing financial solutions for immigrants.
- Seun Alley (FezDelivery):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Lagos, Nigeria
- What They Do: FezDelivery is a logistics and delivery service that offers efficient and reliable delivery solutions for businesses and individuals.
- Bassem Mahmoud (Banknbox):
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Cairo, Egypt
- What They Do: Banknbox is a fintech startup that provides innovative banking solutions, including digital banking services and financial management tools.
SWVL
Founded: 2017
Location: Originally founded in Cairo, Egypt; now headquartered in Dubai, UAE
What They Do: SWVL is a tech-enabled mass transit solutions provider. They offer intercity, intracity, B2B, and B2G transportation services. Their platform provides a semi-private alternative to public transportation, making it more accessible and affordable for individuals
- Ahmed Sabbah (Telda)
- Founded: 2021
- Location: Cairo, Egypt
- What They Do: Telda is a fintech startup that provides digital banking services. It aims to simplify personal finance management by offering features like instant money transfers, spending insights, and a digital wallet.
- Mahmoud Nouh (Capiter)
- Founded: 2020
- Location: Cairo, Egypt
- What They Do: Capiter is a B2B e-commerce platform that connects manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. It helps businesses manage their supply chains more efficiently by providing a marketplace for bulk purchasing and logistics solutions.
- Mohamed Khaled (Hot Desk)
- Founded: 2020
- Location: Dubai, UAE
- What They Do: Hot Desk is a platform that offers flexible workspace solutions. It allows users to book desks, private offices, and meeting rooms on-demand, catering to the needs of freelancers, startups, and remote workers.
The Bottom Line:
The African startup landscape is evolving beyond just creating innovative products and services. It’s now a breeding ground for future founders. As employees gain experience and inspiration from their current startups, they’re increasingly venturing out to launch their own ventures. This trend signals a positive shift towards a more open and supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem in Africa. By identifying the startups that foster this upward mobility, we not only get a glimpse into the future of African leadership but also understand which companies are championing a culture of innovation and growth, even if it means seeing their talent branch out and create new ventures. This dynamic environment promises a bright future for Africa’s startup scene, where the success of one company can lead to the birth of many more.
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