Future Africa

At Smile ID they believe anyone should be able to prove their identity easily, anywhere in the world. Their team is made up of American and African engineers and financial services professionals with experience across global markets in highly regulated environments. They have built encryption, authentication and security solutions. They have developed image processing technology from the chip level up. They have been part of security investigations and have pursued fraudsters. Having worked with, or for, telecoms, lenders, banks and startups, they know the challenges of building world class technology and they understand the needs of the African consumer and enterprise customer. They are backed by leading Silicon Valley & African investors and they have pan-African reach, with representation in the United States, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Rwanda.

Uncover is a beauty company that provides skincare products for consumers. The company's mission is to inspire, support, educate, and empower women to take control of health and well-being and become the most trusted skin-care brand. Uncover was founded in 2020 and is based in Kenya.

Nexford University is an online higher education institution founded in 2017 and based in Washington, D.C. It offers degree programs and courses designed to meet the demands of various industries, including technology, business, and healthcare. The university focuses on providing quality, affordable education that aligns with the needs of global employers, utilizing a curriculum informed by the skills most sought after in the job market. Nexford caters to students in multiple countries, such as the United States, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Egypt, and emphasizes flexible learning options to accommodate diverse learners. By leveraging artificial intelligence, the institution enhances its educational offerings to prepare students for success in a global workplace.

Hohm Energy is an online marketplace that connects customers with accredited solar providers, product suppliers, and financiers. It provides clients with an evolving solar purchasing experience by utilizing scalable technology that manages their entire solar transition journey from scoping for the solution, installation, ongoing operations, and maintenance. The company was founded in 2021 and is headquartered in Gauteng, South Africa.

Jumba is a construction technology platform based in Nairobi, Kenya, established in 2022. The company focuses on streamlining B2B construction material purchases and financing, facilitating transactions between manufacturers and retailers. Jumba's platform enables businesses to order a variety of construction materials, including cement, steel, paint, tiles, plumbing supplies, electrical components, glass, and kitchen and bathroom finishes, with the option to pay later. By connecting small hardware stores with medium-sized retailers in their vicinity, Jumba helps enhance inventory management and negotiates pricing to simplify the supply chain for construction materials across Africa.

MIA Group is a consumer internet company in Francophone Africa. We are on a mission to make commerce easy through a digital ecosystem fulfilling the everyday needs of consumers online and offline. Our businesses include Miaplenou.com: The largest online retail platform operating in Togo, Benin, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. Launched 2012. Kiosk: online reselling App that enables anyone to start a business without investment. Launched 2021. MiaPay: QR code payment and lifestyle services

Big Cabal Media (BCM) is a digital media company focused on serving African audiences through high-quality media brands and original content with both local and global relevance. It operates two prominent publications: TechCabal, which provides in-depth coverage of the technology sector's impact on Africa, and Zikoko, which captures and amplifies the narratives of Nigeria's youth culture. TechCabal offers valuable insights into startups, innovation, and technology, catering to entrepreneurs, investors, and decision-makers. Its data and intelligence unit, TechCabal Insights, assists development finance institutions, NGOs, and startups in navigating challenges within the digital economy. Meanwhile, Zikoko engages younger audiences through diverse content formats, including written articles, videos, and memes, reflecting the vibrant elements of youth culture. BCM aims to leverage Africa's digital economy as a path to prosperity for the continent.

Finclusion is a FinTech accelerating company that provides financial services and credit products using AI-powered and data-driven lending for fraud prevention and credit granting. The company also offers buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) services, salary advance schemes, loan services, and transactional banking to individuals and SMEs across 5 countries—South Africa, Eswatini, Namibia, Kenya, and Tanzania.

Stitch is a payments infrastructure company that helps businesses seamlessly connect to the financial system, so they can deliver a better user experience and optimize operations. Headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, Stitch launched in February 2021 and has global staff. Stitch offers all popular online payment methods and operates as a Payments Service Provider. Its platform supports a variety of pay-in methods and solutions; financial and payment management solutions; and Payouts. Learn more at stitch.money.

Kwara GmbH is a Berlin-based company that specializes in providing a digital banking platform specifically designed for savings and credit co-operative societies (SACCOs). Founded in 2018, Kwara's cloud-based platform facilitates loan application servicing and approval for members, along with offering integration services, customer support, real-time financial tracking, and compliance services. The company also features Kwara Pronto, a tool for loans management. With a presence in Nairobi, Kenya, Kwara has successfully transformed over 200 SACCOs into modern digital financial institutions across Kenya, South Africa, and the Philippines, enhancing their operational efficiency and financial inclusion through its advanced core banking system and mobile banking experience.

Eden Life, Inc. is a technology-enabled service provider based in Lagos, Nigeria, that specializes in housekeeping and related services for busy individuals. The company simplifies household management by offering a variety of services, including laundry, meal preparation, cleaning, equipment maintenance, and beauty services. Eden Life operates through an online platform and a mobile application, allowing users to conveniently book and access these services. Additionally, the company creates a diverse marketplace by partnering with various vendors, ensuring that customers can meet their household needs efficiently in both Nigeria and Kenya.

Edves Limited is a company based in Lagos, Nigeria, that specializes in designing and developing school management software aimed at automating various administrative and educational processes. Founded in 2016, Edves's platform serves over 1,700 K-12 schools across 11 African countries, streamlining enrollment, school fees payment, result processing, and online learning. The software offers features such as e-books, video tutorials, and virtual classrooms, facilitating a comprehensive digital learning environment. Additionally, it provides tools for school owners to manage fee defaulters and set reminders, while educators can generate annual reports to track student performance. By enhancing digital infrastructure for educational institutions, Edves aims to improve learning outcomes and optimize school operations.

Releaf is a Nigerian company founded in 2017 that operates as an online marketplace connecting agribusiness buyers and sellers. It focuses on sourcing ingredients for African food factories, including cassava, palm oil, ginger, and maize, among others. Releaf aims to create climate-adaptive supply chains in response to the continent's growing population. The firm provides extension services to smallholder farmers, acting as a buyer and streamlining the conversion of raw materials into factory-grade inputs for vegetable oil production. By leveraging digital technologies such as USSD and open banking, along with proprietary machinery, Releaf collaborates with over 2,000 smallholder farmers, facilitating the supply of high-quality palm kernel nuts to food factories. This approach not only enhances operational efficiency for food manufacturers but also supports the economic development of small agricultural startups.

At Smile ID they believe anyone should be able to prove their identity easily, anywhere in the world. Their team is made up of American and African engineers and financial services professionals with experience across global markets in highly regulated environments. They have built encryption, authentication and security solutions. They have developed image processing technology from the chip level up. They have been part of security investigations and have pursued fraudsters. Having worked with, or for, telecoms, lenders, banks and startups, they know the challenges of building world class technology and they understand the needs of the African consumer and enterprise customer. They are backed by leading Silicon Valley & African investors and they have pan-African reach, with representation in the United States, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Rwanda.

Rivy is making it easier to finance small and medium sized businesses in Africa. There is a need for financing of $158 bn for SMEs in Nigeria alone. To start, Rivy o helps SMEs access and spend lender capital effectively. During their first full operational year in 2020, the Rivy o co--founders leveraged their domain expertise and founding experience to beat their 2020 goal by 50%.

Nexford University is an online higher education institution founded in 2017 and based in Washington, D.C. It offers degree programs and courses designed to meet the demands of various industries, including technology, business, and healthcare. The university focuses on providing quality, affordable education that aligns with the needs of global employers, utilizing a curriculum informed by the skills most sought after in the job market. Nexford caters to students in multiple countries, such as the United States, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Egypt, and emphasizes flexible learning options to accommodate diverse learners. By leveraging artificial intelligence, the institution enhances its educational offerings to prepare students for success in a global workplace.

Sote, Inc. is a technology company specializing in the logistics sector, focusing on digital customs clearing and freight forwarding solutions. Established in 2017 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, with an additional office in Nairobi, Kenya, Sote provides a platform that allows industrial cargo owners to efficiently manage freight clearing and forwarding processes. The platform includes a comprehensive dashboard that tracks shipment status, payment history, and estimated container arrival times, streamlining communication among all parties involved in logistics. Additionally, Sote is dedicated to enhancing trade finance in Africa by leveraging proprietary trade data to enable banks and financial institutions to lend to corporations and SMEs without traditional collateral requirements. By bridging the trade finance gap and offering reliable credit and risk management solutions, Sote aims to empower African businesses and facilitate growth in the continent's trade landscape.

Evolve Credit Limited operates a platform designed to enhance financial accessibility and transparency for consumers in Africa. Established in 2020 and based in Lagos, Nigeria, the company enables users to compare a variety of loan products, including personal loans and business loans, based on price, interest rates, and terms. Its platform also features expert reviews and personalized recommendations, helping users select the most suitable financial options for their needs. In addition to serving individuals, Evolve Credit provides solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises, addressing a broad spectrum of lending requirements. The company's goal is to streamline the loan application process while promoting inclusivity in financial services.

Kobo360 is a tech-enabled digital logistics platform that aggregates end-to-end haulage operations to help cargo owners, truck owners, and drivers, and cargo recipients to achieve an efficient supply chain framework. Through an all-in-one robust logistics ecosystem, Kobo uses big data and technology to reduce logistics frictions, empowering rural farmers to earn more by reducing farm wastages and helping manufacturers of all sizes to find new markets. Kobo enables unprecedented efficiency and cost reduction in the supply chain, providing 360-visibility while delivering products of all sizes safely, on time and in full. The Kobo mission is to build the Global Logistics Operating System that will power trade and commerce across Africa and Emerging Markets. The company is also preparing to enter the agro-trading space by creating a marketplace that links farmers with buyers all over the world. The marketplace will effectively eliminate the high cost of middlemen for smallholder farmers and significantly improve profits. Ife Oyedele ll and Obi Ozor founded it in 2017 and is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.