QINASH’s Post

Senegalese Startup Kwely Inc. Secures Investment from Fuzé, Accelerating Globalization of Made-in-Africa Products In a significant stride towards amplifying the presence of Made-in-Africa products worldwide, Kwely Inc., a pioneering startup hailing from Senegal, has secured a substantial investment from Fuzé. This milestone marks a pivotal moment in the journey of Kwely Inc. and signifies a critical step forward in reshaping global perceptions of African merchandise. Founded in the early months of 2020, Kwely Inc. operates as a B2B wholesale distribution platform dedicated to promoting Made-in-Africa goods. Collaborating closely with indigenous suppliers, the enterprise endeavors to enhance existing African brands and cultivate new ones, with a vision of elevating them to export-ready status. Through this approach, Kwely Inc. aims to showcase the diversity and quality of African products on an international scale. Birame Sock, the Founder and CEO of Kwely Inc., expressed her excitement and gratitude for the partnership with Fuzé, emphasizing their shared vision of promoting Made-in-Africa products globally. "Finding a true ally in Fuzé reaffirms our commitment to our mission," Sock remarked. "With their support, we are empowered to advance closer towards our objectives of amplifying the reach and impact of African brands on the global stage." #digitalnewsafrica #digitalnews #startup #technews

It's January and we're counting days into the second month; we're back, big and better. Founders Lounge Uganda; commonly known as FLUG, has grown to become the most vibrant startup community of founders in Uganda since last year. If you're not sure, just ask your friend who's running a startup, not your typical chapati business (sorry guys, I'm not against you, actually I love the Rolex sooo much) I know it's hard to define a startup but let me just say that a; STARTUP = HIGH GROWTH money making machine. It's run and built by resilient founders who're happy to stare into the abyss and chew glass as Elon Musk likes to describe this character just to change the status quo and push the human race forward. Now this Friday, 26th of January, we'll be hosting an ecosystem Sifu, Ron Kazooba Kawamara; The father of e-commerce in Uganda. He will be talking about his transition from "Executive to Investor," and sharunf "the Art of Spotting Opportunities." For over 10 years, Ron served as CEO of Jumia Uganda and then as Senior Vice President for Africa of Jumia Group ; He recently left Jumia to start something even more remarkable with...(You need to come and listen to his story) Why he Left? Why Now? And what he's up to? Is what you'll be expecting to find out when you show up on Friday.... And of course other cool stuff 😉 We have only a few seats left, so secure your spot today via 👉 bit.ly/flugJan26 Don't miss this chance to unlock your entrepreneurial potential and propel your startup to new heights! Spread the word and share this invitation with your fellow Founders! See you on Liberation Day, a better day to build our ecosystem and make that single story that we'll be proud of. Maybe one day, we'll be called... Tusii 🦋🐝🕸

“Thailand as a market is the second largest economy in Southeast Asia, just GDP-wise. It's a very sizable market. Population-wise, 70 million people, so I think that would make it fourth behind Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Apart from how big the economy is, consumers in the market are online and digitally engaged. 90% of households in Thailand have some kind of internet access. 80% are using some form of e-commerce or have used some form of e-commerce service. And the average time spent online on the internet is about 9 hours a day. I think the first thing to realize is that it’s not a developing market, connectivity-wise. It's already developed. People are already online, but the winners have been either the large international companies or the large regional places. There haven't been that many local Thai-born companies that have emerged.” - Wing Vasiksiri, General Partner of WV Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://lnkd.in/grmjFPhD #Thailand #Startups #ASEAN #DigitalConsumers #StartupFunding #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #BRAVEpodcast

50 of the top Pakistani startups and nearly all Pakistani VCs are in Riyadh this week for the Paklaunch (PL) unconference, meeting 50 international VCs and angel investors. Super excited for these conversations! If you're in Riyadh & interested in Pakistani startups, reach out to your favorite Pakistani startup/VC and chances are you can meet them this week. Several Indus Valley Capital startups will be there too (details below). Let me know if you'd like an intro to anyone. Bazaar Technologies: The operating system for businesses across Pakistan, offering commerce and financial services to help businesses across different verticals digitise and grow. BridgeLinx Technologies: Pakistan’s premier digital freight marketplace. COLABS: Pakistan’s fastest growing flexible workspace thoughtfully designed to enable people and businesses to grow Farmdar: An agritech using data and artificial intelligence to build a food secure world. Maqsad: Pakistan’s leading education and exam prep platform, on a mission Paismo HR: Modern HR & Payroll: Easy, affordable, and customizable. Voyage: Digitizing global shipping from Pakistan to make it simpler, faster and more transparent Zyp Technologies: Building electric bikes and swappable battery infrastructure in Pakistan to make electric mobility safe, reliable and affordable for all Kudos and gratitude to Aly Fahd and Paklaunch (PL) team for organizing this.

As promised, I'm excited to share more updates about LocQar and highlight the innovative solutions we're developing. In my upcoming posts, I'll dive into the challenges our startup addresses and explain why we believe LocQar is the most significant innovation in Africa since the introduction of Mobile Money. Let's start with the e-commerce market in Africa. Here’s an estimated breakdown of the key challenges, rated by percentage: Infrastructure: 20% Payment Systems: 20% Logistics: 15% Trust Issues: 15% Digital Literacy: 10% Economic Factors: 10% Regulatory Environment: 5% Cultural Preferences: 5% These percentages are approximate and can vary by region. Each factor is interconnected and collectively shapes the e-commerce landscape across the continent. (References can be provided upon request) Our startup's solution addresses over 85% of these challenges. This is why we believe our solution is a game changer and has the potential to create a new market for e-commerce giants and even allow local business to increase their addressable market size. The African market remains largely untapped, offering significant opportunities for growth. Stay tuned for upcoming posts where I share success stories, user impact, and a sneak peek at our cutting-edge features. I also include visuals to better illustrate the impact of our solutions. I will love to hear from you! What challenges do you think are most critical for the e-commerce market in Africa? Share your thoughts in the comments or ask any questions you may have. Don't forget to share and come back for more #LocQar #Innovation #Ecommerce #Africa #Startup #Technology #LastMileDelivery #DigitalTransformation #Business #Entrepreneurship #TechForGood #DataDriven #ProblemSolving #Growth #CommunityEngagement

“Thailand as a market is the second largest economy in Southeast Asia, just GDP-wise. It's a very sizable market. Population-wise, 70 million people, so I think that would make it fourth behind Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Apart from how big the economy is, consumers in the market are online and digitally engaged. 90% of households in Thailand have some kind of internet access. 80% are using some form of e-commerce or have used some form of e-commerce service. The average time spent online on the internet is about 9 hours a day. I think the first thing to realize is that it’s not a developing market, connectivity-wise. It's already developed. People are already online, but the winners have been either the large international companies or the large regional places. There haven't been that many local Thai-born companies that have emerged.” - Wing Vasiksiri, General Partner of WV Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://lnkd.in/grb6cs4B #Thailand #Startups #ASEAN #DigitalConsumers #StartupFunding #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #BRAVEpodcast

Noki Noki Services, a logistics and last-mile delivery startup from Congo, was founded by Jonathan Yanghat. Recently, the company secured $3 million in funding from Uma Ventures, a step ahead towards pan-African expansion. Established three years ago, Noki Noki has proven its business model's strength, handling nearly 1 billion CFA francs (about $1.67 million) in transactions in 2023. The funding aims to enhance their distribution network, service innovation, and market presence. Since its inception, Noki Noki has expanded its services beyond Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire to cities like Dakar, Abidjan, and Libreville. The company offers various services, including Noki Food, Noki Drive, Noki Express, and Noki Pay. Jonathan Yanghat, CEO and Founder of Noki Noki, emphasized his commitment to African innovation and thanked partners like Cabinet Gomes, OBAC CAPITAL, and YA CONSULTING for their support. Vinay Vaswani of Uma Ventures praised Noki Noki's innovative approach and market leadership. The startup, which created 180 jobs, won the Best Startup award at the 2022 Osiane Fair. In May 2024, Noki Noki joined the TotalEnergies incubator in Pointe-Noire, aiming to accelerate its development and contribute to the region's economic revitalization.  #Africa #Innovation #ECommerce #Funding

Duke's Prominent Men: Tunde Kehinde (Nigeria) - Co-founder of Africa Courier Express and Jumia. Tunde Kehinde is a dynamic entrepreneur and business leader from Nigeria, known for his innovative ventures in the logistics and e-commerce sectors. He co-founded Africa Courier Express (ACE) and played a crucial role in establishing Jumia, one of Africa's largest e-commerce platforms, before venturing into fintech with his startup. Kehinde's journey into entrepreneurship began with a vision to address the logistical challenges faced by businesses and individuals in Nigeria. In 2013, he co-founded Africa Courier Express (ACE), a logistics company focused on providing reliable and efficient delivery services across Africa. ACE quickly became a key player in the logistics industry, serving e-commerce businesses, retailers, and consumers alike. In 2012, prior to ACE, Kehinde co-founded Jumia, an e-commerce platform that has become synonymous with online shopping in Africa. Jumia started as an online retail platform and later expanded its services to include a marketplace, food delivery, and more, catering to the diverse needs of African consumers. After his success with ACE and Jumia, Kehinde ventured into the fintech sector with his startup, leveraging technology to provide innovative financial solutions to businesses and consumers in Nigeria and beyond. Throughout his entrepreneurial journey, Kehinde has been recognized for his strategic vision, leadership, and commitment to driving positive change in Africa's business landscape. He has been instrumental in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across the continent. #africanmen #blackexcellence #exceptional #exceptionalman #celebratingmen #showcasingmen #blackmen #successstory #jumia #embracerisk #growthmindset #innovation #progress #transformation #bebold #bebrave #taketheleap #comfortzone #rewards #motivation #inspiration #riskandreward #growthoverfear #successmindset