Africa Mobility Initiative (AMI) through its accelerator program, Africa Transformative Mobility Accelerator (ATMA) has selected 9 startups for the 2020/2021 cohort.
AMI’s vision is to create a vast network of continental and global transformative mobility enthusiasts, who work together to create sustainable and scalable solutions to mobility challenges in Africa.
All the 9 startups (4 from Kenya and 5 from Uganda) are in the mobility space and are offering transformative, practical, well researched, and tested solutions addressing urban mobility challenges in African Cities.
The startups were selected through a competitive process, after evaluating 112 applications from the East African countries.
The admitted startups will now go through a six-month acceleration program set to begin after the launch on 12th October 2020 and run all the way to 30th April 2021 when AMI will host the Africa Mobility Summit.
AMI is implemented by the University of Nairobi’s C4DLab with support from the Shell Foundation, the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI), the German Organization for International Cooperation GmbH (GIZ), World Resources Institute (WRI) and UN-HABITAT.
AMI is the immediate iteration of the TUMI Startup Accelerator that was run in the 2018/2019 calendar year to provide technical support to 8 startups, that are working towards the provision of transformative solutions to urban mobility challenges.
During the six-month acceleration period, the startups will benefit in several ways, including but not limited to:
- Participate in two startup immersion trips in Kenya and Uganda
- Receive coaching and mentorship from local and international mobility and enterprise development experts
- Network with mobility stakeholders, practitioners, and enthusiasts in separate sessions that will be organized in Nairobi and Kampala
- Attend a series of customized and curated seminars that will be facilitated by subject matter experts in
- relevant topics such as mobility; value proposition design & problem-solution fit; business modeling &
- product/service market fit; customer acquisition; financial modeling and investor relations
- Pitch their solutions to a selected and curated pool of investors at the Africa Transformative Mobility Summit in 2021
- Compete for a prize award of $25,000 and $ 10,000 for the runner up.
The 9 selected startups for the Africa Transformative Mobility Accelerator are:
Amitruck (Kenya)
Amitruck is bringing trust and transparency to transport. The company connects every cargo owner with interested transporters in a transparent, efficient and secure manner then lets them agree on their own terms.
Ecobodaa (Kenya)
Ecobodaa plans to work on a rent-to-own model in Kenya so that the informal motorcycle riders (boda-bodas) on their platform can eventually own the electric-powered motorcycles. Ecobodaa assembles electric motorbikes locally with a charging system. The motorbikes are given to bodaboda persons on a lease-to-own model.
Kiri EV Ltd (Kenya)
Kiri Ev manufactures affordable, stylish electric vehicles for the Kenyan and East African markets. Their motorcycles and scooters are designed to out-compete the incumbent 125cc and 150cc petrol motorcycles on power, durability, and performance.
Smatbeba (Kenya)
Smatbeba is revolutionizing the transportation and logistics industry by making the delivery of goods faster, reliable and efficient. Clients place orders on Smatbeba App or website and get quotations, they are able to track the progress of deliveries as well as have their goods insured while on transit
SafariShare (Uganda)
SafariShare is tailored for traveling individuals, keen on navigating through the demands of life safely and affordably. All that is required of a registered car owner/driver is, availing one’s travel me and routes to subscribers so that those who wish to travel to that destination can travel with a driver at a reasonable cost.
Easy Matatu (Uganda)
Easy Matatu works with matatu drivers to provide a network of safe, clean, and reliable prevetted minibusses accessible to any commuter through the Easy Matatu app.
Quick Tap (Uganda)
QuickTap employs Near Field Communication (NFC) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies to deliver secure, easy, fast and efficient payments and access control services for bus companies. These technologies are an emerging solution to making cashless payments for goods and services in a secure and convenient way.
Zembo Motorcycle
(Uganda) Zembo offers electric motorcycles to boda-boda drivers and recharges batteries in its solar stations. The drivers can acquire motorcycles on rent to own basis and be able to get cheaper energy from their solar recharge station.
Ugabus (Uganda)
UgaBus avails e-tickeng for buses operating across East Africa, enables travellers to buy bus tickets online through secure mobile money and card payment options. UgaBus also provides a smart ticketing gadget used at the ticketing stations.
