Digital, Tech

Founded in 2016, Solarly is a Cameroonian company supplying off-grid solar energy solutions (not connected to the traditional electricity grid): it offers its solutions in rural and urban areas with a focus on energy needs for productive use (health centers, schools, small industries) but also for basic household electrical needs.

Its leading products are :

-The SolarlyBox, a stand-alone off-grid solar system that supplies continuous energy by connecting solar panels, batteries and various equipment (fridge, television, telephone charging cable). The SolarlyBox is a connected object (Internet of Things), enabling :

• Performance monitoring, to anticipate and solve problems
• Data collection on usage
• Remote control and activation based on user payments

-AC Kits, combinations of components, integrated and marketed in a standardized way to meet the most frequent needs, such as :

• Powering the most popular basic appliances: lamps, cell phones, radios and TVs
• Powering a water pump for irrigation and/or a water tower
• Powering a fridge or freezer for food preservation
• Power an incubator for chick rearing

Today, it is estimated that more than 20,000 people are impacted by the Solarly product, either directly (households) or indirectly (hotels, health centers and schools).

The entrepreneur

Julien Riat is 31 years old and originally from Belgium. After graduating in Economics and Business Administration from the Université Catholique de Louvain (2012) and in International Business from EPHEC (2014) in Belgium, he joined an association that assists disabled children. He then joined Travis and Lloyd as a Business Developer. At a very young age, he embarked on the Solarly adventure with two of his friends. The three of them formed the basis of the project, later joined by other partners.

Partnership with I&P

Solarly is supported by I&P through I&P Digital Energy. The aim of the funding is to :

• Support the implementation of the company's new commercial and operational strategy to accelerate growth 
• Roll out the new research and development phase 
• Contribute to the opening and development of new hubs
• Strengthen WCR

Expected impacts

• Access to energy for vulnerable populations
• Improving the provision of health and education services through the electrification of health centers and schools that have benefited from Solarly's solar installations.
• Improving the agricultural and craft production capacities of small rural and informal production units 
• Improving the quality of service for small and medium-sized businesses in urban areas, thanks to a continuous supply of energy.

I-Futur is a Niger-based start-up specialized in the development of web and mobile applications. In addition, it has developed its own solutions/applications, notably the IPAY solution (payment aggregator), which has various applications, such as online payment of the A-levels or payment of school fees.

The entrepreneur

I-Futur was created in 2017 by Mr Sidikou BOUBACAR, an IT and telecom engineer with several experiences in major groups such as Orange Niger.

Partnership with I&P and Sinergi

I-Futur is supported by I&P and Sinergi through I&P Acceleration in  Sahel, whose objectives are :

• deploy Terra Finance, a rural payment and financial inclusion solution
• disseminate its solutions to players (microfinance, groups)
• implement a targeted sales strategy
• strengthen the accounting and management departments

ParCsmart is a Senegalese company that offers its customers physical and technological parking solutions. This SME has built a parking lot with a capacity of 300 spaces in the heart of the city of Dakar. The site is equipped with two smart barriers connected to the entrance. Thanks to the software, an account manager monitors movements and issues receipts. He is assisted by a security guard whose role is to direct motorists. ParCsmart also has a platform that offers a parking management interface for parking professionals and any other institution with dedicated parking spaces. The platform integrates an interface dedicated to the end users, customers of the operators.

The entrepreneurs

ParCsmart was founded in 2018 by Maria Gabriela MARIN and Lamine BA, specialists in digital project management with over 40 years of experience.

Partnership with I&P and Teranga Capital

Innovex is a Ugandan company that has developed a smart meter coupled with an IoT solution that bridges the gap between solar energy providers/distributors and their last mile customers by giving the ability to remotely monitor, manage and turn on/off installed solar systems. This solution can be deployed in a variety of solar energy systems such as home systems, water pumps, cold chain storage and transportation systems, etc.

The entrepreneurs

Gain is a company in Côte d'Ivoire specialized in the development of administrative management software, the sale of access control systems in schools, and the automated control of staff presence and movements on site for companies.

The entrepreneur

The company was founded in 2020 by Guy Kouakou Attaboth Etchielou.

Holding a BTS in communication, he has worked as a freelance salesman in a company marketing poultry products and commercial ADELCI-Daloa. In 2006, he was charge of communication at Ivoire Finance microfinance. Then he ended up becoming head of agency within this structure from 2007 to 2008. He decided to set up his own business. With the help of one of his acquaintances, he developed an SMS messaging service between schools and parents, and later an administrative management and access control software for schools.

Partnership with I&P andComoé Capital

Gain is supported by I&P Acceleration in Sahel program, which is implemented in Côte d'Ivoire by Comoé Capital sponsored by I&P. The support will essentially enable the company to increase its production capacity and develop its brand. Gain will also benefit from the support of several consultants who will strengthen the technical capacities (software), boost the growth of the activity and revitalize the accounting and finance functions of the company.

Socium.Job is a Senegalese start-up that connects African companies to job seekers around the world. Based in Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire, the company operates throughout West Africa, and is set to expand into the DRC, Cameroon, Mali and Burkina Faso. The company already has nearly fifteen employees divided between the two offices, as well as prestigious clients such as Orange, EY, the Compagnie Ivoirienne d'Électricité and Philip Morris International.

The entrepreneur

Socium.Job was created in 2021 by Samba Lo, a young Senegalese entrepreneur trained in applied mathematics at the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris. Samba Lo began his professional career in the world of consulting and finance at Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, Rothschild, Axa but also within a FinTech specialized on blockchain issues. Following his experiences, he decided to specialize in the Tech sector - first as head of product of the start-up Skeat, specialized in the digitization of the ordering process for establishments (bars, restaurants, etc.), then by founding SociumJob.

Partnership with I&P and Teranga Capital

Socium.Job is supported by I&P Accélération Technologies, a €2.5 million program that aims to finance and support fifteen digital start-ups in Sub-Saharan Africa, supported by AFD through the Digital Africa initiative. In Senegal, Teranga Capital is in charge of implementing this program.

This partnership will enable Socium.Job to :

• accelerate its deployment in French-speaking Africa
• strengthen its market positioning and the skills of its team

Afrikamart is a Senegalese agritech that facilitates the pick-up, shipping, and trading of fresh fruits and vegetables between small producers and urban retailers via a digital platform.

The entrepreneurs

Afrikamart was founded in 2018 by Mignane and Albert Diouf, a young Senegalese couple, to address agricultural loss issues present throughout the production chain, from producer to retailer.

Partnership with I&P and Teranga Capital

Afrikamart is supported by I&P Acceleration Technologies, a €2.5 million program that aims to finance and support 15 digital start-ups in Sub-Saharan Africa, supported by AFD through the Digital Africa initiative. In Senegal, Teranga Capital is in charge of implementing this program.

This partnership will allow this start-up to : 

• increase the development of Afrikamart's business model
• promote job creation
• Expand its network to more than 5,000 operators throughout Senegal by the end of 2022

Created in 2012, Go Africa Online (GAO) aims to support African professionals in their digitalization, their communication and the development of their clientele, thanks to a range of digital tools allowing a better visibility on the internet. GAO offers an online business book, referencing packages offering increased visibility on the internet through their promotion on the GAO website, as well as a range of digital marketing tools. Go Africa Online operates in Togo, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Benin.  

THE ENTREPRENEURS

David Encel is the founder and CEO of GAO. He was notably Sales Director and Director of Development for the 2H group (publisher of the paper phone book present in 14 African countries). He also has experience in advertising sales in France.  

Michael Bettach is a digital entrepreneur who has founded and/or co-founded 4 digital companies since 2006. He is an expert in search engine optimization. 

PARTNERSHIP WITH I&P

I&P has committed to work with Go Africa Online to: 

• Develop and improve existing technological tools and create a new digital platform to strengthen interactions between companies  
• Support the company in its geographical expansion 
• Strengthen the Finance function, the structuring and the governance of the group 

EXPECTED IMPACTS

I&P and Go Africa Online have a common vision on the development of entrepreneurship in Africa. This will include :   

⇒ Raising awareness among African companies and professionals on the challenges of digitalization 
⇒ Supporting African companies in their digitalization process with the appropriate tools   
⇒ Create qualified jobs in the digital sector 

Since its creation in 2016, the online platform Afrikrea has been promoting African-inspired fashion and crafts (clothing, accessories, decoration, etc.)  

Afrikrea offers customers the chance to buy African creations online under the best conditions. However the originality and added value of its approach lies above all in the support and the provision of sales management tools to designers.    

Since 2020, this service offer is accessible on a second platform, ANKA, and works on a subscription basis. ANKA is an all-in-one solution that allows any African seller (and not only fashion designers) to sell and ship their products worldwide and get paid quickly through international and local payment systems. 

Currently, Afrikrea federates a community of 7,400 sellers present in 47 African countries and offers a wide range of products with more than 120,000 available references to more than 200,000 users and 60,000 buyers in over 150 countries. 

The entrepreneurs

Afrikrea is led by a team of 4 promoters: Moulaye Tabouré (CEO), Kadry Diallo (CMO), Luc Perussault Diallo (CTO) and Guillaume Darnaudet (CFO), all with complementary profiles in auditing, IT, project management and finance.  

Having grown up in Bamako (Mali) before moving to France for their studies, co-founders Moulaye Tabouré and Kadry Diallo realized that African handmade products were as rare as highly prized and valuable.  

As for Luc Perussault Diallo, the company's CTO, he has over 20 years of experience in marketplaces and e-commerce. Guillaume Darnaudet joined the Afrikrea adventure in 2018 as CFO and shareholder, after a position as financial manager in a construction company in Ivory Coast. 

Partnership with I&P

I&P is committed to working with Afrikrea to support the company in: 

• Strengthening its technological and marketing team in order to ensure a better offer of tools and services and to offer the best possible support to sellers  

• Expanding its geographical scope

Expected Impacts

• Creation of economic opportunities for African creators by reducing barriers to accessing large markets 

• Job creation: over 50% job growth during the investment period 

• Strong impact on gender equality: 80% of the marketplace's sellers are women 

Zeepay is the fastest growing Ghanaian-owned fin-tech, promoting financial inclusion in Ghana. Zeepay focuses on digital rails to connect digital assets such as mobile money wallets, cards, ATMs, Bank Accounts and Digital tokens to International Money Transfer Operators, Payments, Subscriptions, International Airtime and Refugee payments.

Zeepay has experienced exponential growth since its launch in 2016 and currently terminates over 130,000 transactions on a monthly basis

In March 2020, Zeepay became the first Ghanaian-owned company to be issued an Electronic Money Issuer (EMI) licence by the Bank of Ghana. This license enables Zeepay to offer the full spectrum of mobile financial services in Ghana.

The entrepreneur

Andrew Takyi-Appiah is the Managing Director of Zeepay. Andrew is an expert in banking and mobile payments, having accumulated over 15 years of experience in banking and business development, from working in 3 continents: Europe, North America and Africa. His African experience spans across Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana, Burundi, Zambia, Malawi and South Africa. Prior to founding Zeepay, Andrew previously worked at PwC (UK), PwC (Ghana), Barclays UK, UT Bank, Ecobank, GT Bank, Nestle and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Partnership with I&P 

The partnership between Zeepay and I&P (through its fund I&P Afrique Entrepreneurs 2) aims to:

⇒ Help Zeepay meet regulatory capital requirements of the license

⇒ Support the company on talent acquisition, technology development and customer acquisition

Expected Impacts

⇒ Deepen financial inclusion, especially to underserved sections of the population

⇒ Catalyze economic development by promoting access to faster, safer and cheaper ways to access international remittances

⇒ Create decent jobs across the continent in the technology sector