One of the goals of every startup is to make a profit. And to do that, such a business has to procure solution(s) to a general problem.

That is how the majority of businesses out there sustain and rake in profit. The same applies to the transport system. And many are diving into the mobility business.

In that vein, a South African transport company – WhereIsMyTransport – has secured a $14.5 Series A extension round to help it scale across other markets.

The startup, which started operations in 2016, is a significant data medium for sustainable mobility in emerging markets.

The startup does not only run the transport business, but it took a step further to collect data and integrate the information on its open data platform to ensure it delivers a satisfactory service.

The startup has dedicated products that allow cities to monitor services, operators, and the passengers who access the platform through apps and endpoints synchronized with the WhereIsMyTransport platform.

Meanwhile, the company plans to channel the new investment towards its expansion across emerging markets.

Currently, the firm is operating in Mexico. And it has mapped over 34 African countries.

‘’WhereIsMyTransport started in South Africa intending to become a central source of accurate and reliable public transport data for high-growth markets,’’ said Devin de Vries, CEO of WhereIsMyTransport.

‘’We are thrilled to welcome Naspers as our investor in our quest to expand beyond Africa.’’

Lately, foreign investors and investment programmes are starting to develop an interest in the African market.

Many startups sprung up during and after the lockdown phase in Africa. And a lot more are still showing up.

These startups come up with innovative ideas with the potential to improve the welfare of the people and the economy at large.

However, many of them lack adequate funding to execute their mission. And that’s where investors and startup support programmes play a vital role.

To that end, the Federal Development Ministry of Germany has announced a new programme – DeveloPPP Venture – that aims to empower Kenyan startups financially.

The programme is set up to provide baby companies entrepreneurial support with a capital of up to EUR100,000 (~$120,000).

The initiative aims to award startups that have realized proof of concept and are ready to scale with grants through the matching-funds model.

The DeveloPPP Ventures programme targets young entrepreneurs making innovative contributions to improve living conditions and promote a sustainable economy.

The programme is open to startups with their head office in Kenya. And they stand to receive a grant of up to EUR100,000 (~$120,000).

Beneficiaries of this grant will also receive tailored support from technical expert to help them scale.

Further, Germany’s Development Ministry mentioned that the new programme would start in Kenya. And it will gradually expand to cover more African countries.

Mono happens to be one of the many Nigerian startups that sprung up during the lockdown period in Nigeria.

The firm primarily deals in identity and financial data. And it has secured seed funding to launch new products and reinforce its current offerings.

The startup runs a plug-and-play system, which allows customers like Indicina, Flutterwave, and Carbon, a wide range of quality financial data from institutions across Africa via a single API.

The firm, which started operations in August 2020, helps digital business in Africa to identity and financial data of their customers.

Last year, the firm raised $500,000 in pre-seed funding round from a handful of investors, which include Ingressive Capital, Ventures Platform, Rally Cap Ventures, and some angel investors.

Interestingly, Mono got selected to participate in the Y Combinator accelerator earlier this year. The accelerator fetched the firm another $125,000 to improve on its services.

Now, the startup has secured a $2m funding round to help scale and launch new products in the fintech niche.

Mono plans to introduce new services like direct debit, bank-to-bank payments, and many other features that facilitate diverse business transactions.

The firm also looks to extend its reach into Ghana and Kenya to serve a broader customer base.

‘’Mono builds APIs and products that enable developers and businesses to create better experiences for their users, ‘’ said CEO Abdul Hassan.

‘’Our APIs act as a conduit to enable these businesses to safely access data and financial data for better understanding of its users and to make more customer-focused decisions.’’

‘’This new funding will facilitate the swift design of the best APIs and powerful infrastructure. And it will also provide us with the opportunity to expand the reach of our services to other markets,’’ Hassan concluded.

A Kenyan firm – Alatpres – that happens to be a public safety and data analytics startup has come up with a medium to improve safety, especially during emergencies.

The startup has launched a mobile solution that provides swift and reliable emergency notification and management for citizens, businesses, and public safety agencies.

Alatpres, which started operations in 2020, develops technologies to enhance public safety by empowering the public in ways that reduce casualties during emergencies.

‘’We aim to foster more collaboration between communities and safety providers as well as promoting a data-driven and pro-active approach to public safety in Kenya and Africa,’’ said founder and CEO of Alatpres, Benedict Njue.

The Alatpres app consolidates the provision of a crowd-sourced response and intelligence system through increasing community and institutional engagement in fast reporting.

The CEO mentioned that the community policing concept is the inspiration behind the Alatpres app. The initiative will propagate fast reporting and responses to security concerns, safety issues, and other events of public interest.

The app allows users to create response groups within their environment like their homes, workplaces, places of worship, and learning institutions.

‘’Alatpres enables faster sharing of alerts, intelligence and situational information to a pre-configured response group. And this method enables faster response,’’ said Njue.

‘’We believe having a pre-configured and swift response system can make all the difference in any distress situation. The goal is to limit the number of losses to the minimum.’’ Njue concluded.

Many times, finding the space that suits your needs and specifications can be difficult and time-consuming.

The stress involved in looking for a place suitable for you is one of the cons of searching for space.

Today, the advent of technology is tackling the problem of stress in every aspect of life.

In that vein, a South African startup – SpaceMatch – has employed technological tools to provide a solution for people searching for space.

The startup has launched an online platform that allows landlords to list their available spaces online.

SpaceMatch helps prospective tenants to view and secure any space they desire. This initiative reduces stress and also simplifies the rental process for both parties.

Further, the startup also allows retail, popup, and exhibition spaces owners to list their properties on the platform for free.

To secure a space, a prospective tenant must register on the SpaceMatch platform to view and apply for rent spaces that they desire.

Meanwhile, the space owners dictate how and when their spaces can be used.

The beauty of it all is that the entire transaction – including legal contracts and FICA verifications – can be completed online and concluded in a matter of days.

‘’Think about it as a matchmaking for landlords and tenants that offers the convenience of Airbnb,’’ said CEO of SpaceMatch, Kevin Singer.

‘’Retail is an industry in flux, and SpaceMatch is entering the market to provide a new platform for landlords and tenants in search of space.’’

Kevin mentioned that the website is user-friendly, easy to navigate, and contains information on industry trends.

Currently, SpaceMatch has over 120 properties listed on its platform; and the firm aims to increase the count to 1,000 by the middle of the year.

Zambia’s WidEnergy and Rwanda’s Munyax Eco have secured funding from a female-focused funds platform – Opes-LCEF.

Opes-LCEF is an impact investor that helps new startups in emerging markets to scale and grow. The platform achieves this by providing early-stage social enterprises with catalytic capital.

Presently, Opes-LCEF has a portfolio of 17 investments across 11 countries. Seven of its portfolios operates in East Africa.

Now, the platform has established the Restart East Africa Initiate – a programme aimed at addressing female underrepresentation in the renewable energy sector.

Restart East Africa Initiative is supported by other programmes like the DOEN Foundation and Good Energies Foundation.

The Initiative has now invested in two companies. And the funding is in the form of a zero per cent interest loan.

The two companies include Munyax Eco and Zambia’s WidEnergy.

Munyax Eco installs solar water heaters and has a portfolio of over 1,200 B2B and B2C clients. The firm also deals in solar street lights and photovoltaic off-grid systems.

Munyax Eco mentioned that the capital would help the company expand its product line, finance inventories, and work through the COVID-19 crisis in general.

On the other hand, WidEnergy utilizes a PAYG model to provide last-mile clean energy solutions.

The firm’s innovation allows off-grid households to access solar power.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WidEnergy recorded a drop in sales last year. And the capital from Restart East Africa Initiate is aimed towards extending the firm’s distribution network.