By Sam Ancer
Startups and tech organisations are an amazing way to disrupt and leapfrog the barriers that prevent Africa from catching up to the rest of the world.
Innovation throughout every sphere of life allows the people in Africa to live full lives and overcome the hurdles that they face daily.
We have decided to profile 4 tech startups that currently and will continue to have a huge impact on the African continent.
Sebenza Taxi
The Minibus taxi industry is a major way for how many South Africans get around. Over 15 million South Africans use taxis everyday to get to work or school.
The digital divide is also a huge barrier for some of the most economically vulnerable people in South Africa.
The poorest South Africans pay around 80 times more for internet and data than those of the upper and middle classes.
Sebenza Taxi is an African tech startup that is looking to use the prevalence of taxis to tackle the digital divide.
How it Works:
- Sebenza offers taxi drivers and companies partnerships where they offer free WiFi services to passengers through their platform.
- Passengers can “spin to win” for free Sebenza Bucks which gives them access to listed platform services.
- Sebenza makes its money by partnering with specific websites and services which pays them a premium for hosting advertisements on their platform that users can watch to get access to free WiFi.
Triggerise
Triggerise is an not-for-profit organisation that makes mobile apps to help women get access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services (SRHS) across the continent.
Triggerise also creates apps that help businesses get access to essential resources and products to sell to their communities.
The group has already helped over 2 million women in Africa make healthy life decisions, with offices in 14 countries .
How it Works:
- Triggerise’s Tiko app connects women to pharmacies that will give them access to free SRHS
- Tiko is partnered with NGO’s and other organisations to fund these services to provide young women and teens with access to birth control and other sexual health products.
- Triggerise uses data from their users to improve their processes in an iterative process while making sure their processes are clear and accessible to all people who have a stake in the organisation.
Africa Wildlife Tracking
Africa Wildlife Tracking has dedicated itself to tracking wildlife, not only in the African continent, but around the world.
Illegal poaching is a business worth between $5 billion to $23 billion.
Knowledge is power and Africa Wildlife Tracking empowers organisations and government programs by creating tags, receivers, software, and accessories to combat poachers.
Africa Wildlife Tracking partners with farmers, conservation organisations, and researchers to provide data on wildlife around the world.
How it Works:
- Africa Wildlife Tracking creates all of the hardware and software they use, from collars to ear tags, and the software used to report and monitor the movements of the wildlife they are tracking.
- Tagged animals are connected to their relevant receiver, which is then connected to the Africa Wildlife Tracking cloud server, which is then connected to the relevant device for the partner or customer using their services.
- This knowledge and information is used to protect wildlife, allowing relevant people to know when and where the animals are to protect them from poachers and dangerous environments.
aYo Holdings
Financial barriers are a huge issue on the African continent. aYo Holdings wants to empower people in Africa with access to insurance.
This service is desperately needed, as only around 3% of people in the African continent currently have access to insurance. Of this low percentage, the vast majority of insured people come from Kenya, South Africa, Morocco and Namibia.
aYo Holdings is using tech to bridge the gap, allowing people to gain access to insurance through their mobile phones.
How it Works:
- aYo Holdings has partnered with mobile providers like MTN to give consumers free hospital cover with data purchases.
- Users can also pay their monthly fees for illness, hospitalisations, and life cover through their MTN Mobile Money accounts.
- Each country aYo Holdings operates in receives different benefits and offers based on the needs of the general population of the country.
4 Tech Startups that Will Change Africa
Africa has a number of barriers in the way of it catching up to the rest of the world. Threats to its economy, environment, and people are ever present.
But tech startups in Africa are going to tackle the challenges Africa faces with their unique disruptive technologies that will leap these hurdles and bring the continent to the forefront of the globe.
If you’re a tech startup with an exciting idea on how to change Africa, reach out to us, we’d love to know more about tech startups that will change Africa.
