Kenyan Startup tappi Raises $1.5 Million Pre-Seed Funding, Expands Digital Commerce Solution for SMEs

In a remarkable development, Kenyan startup tappi has secured $1.5 million in pre-seed funding, just six months after receiving $180K from SOSV’s Orbit Startups. Launched in 2022 by Kenfield Griffith and Louis Majanja, tappi is an end-to-end digital commerce SaaS solution tailored for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).

The co-founders, formerly behind Ajua, recognized the unique challenges faced by smaller enterprises, leading them to shift their focus and establish tappi. The vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems in Kenya and Nigeria, coupled with the potential for digital growth among SMEs, prompted a simultaneous launch in both countries in late 2022.

While Ajua continues to thrive, tappi aims to impact smaller businesses differently by offering a comprehensive suite of tools. The platform facilitates customer connection, leverages reviews for online credibility, automates tasks like gathering client evaluations, and provides advertising resources to streamline SMEs’ interactions with technology.

tappi’s Offerings:

• Connects small businesses with customers, building online credibility through customer reviews.
• Automates tasks like gathering and compiling client evaluations for online testimonials.
• Grants access to advertising resources to streamline SMEs’ interactions with technology.

tappi enables SMEs to pay for online advertisements with mobile airtime, create online business profiles using AI-powered chat experiences, and integrate payments with verified reviews to establish online trust.

In Nigeria, tappi addresses advertising challenges by allowing businesses to use their MTN mobile airtime credit for online advertising, simplifying the process for small enterprises.

Utilizing Pre-Seed Funds: tappi plans to allocate the pre-seed funds strategically:

1. Increase on-the-ground presence by hiring direct sales agents to capitalize on its robust 90% retention rate.
2. Explore new partnerships with banks and fintech companies while strengthening existing relationships with mobile operators.
3. Invest in marketing and branding initiatives to establish itself as a reputable brand in the markets it serves.

Challenges and Growth:

Developing SaaS solutions for SMEs in Kenya and Nigeria posed challenges, but tappi’s user research revealed that 70% of SMEs struggled to acquire customers. By connecting them with customers, tappi experienced positive feedback and high user retention.

Since its inception, tappi has interacted with over 150,000 customers, obtained verified reviews on $3 million transactions, and indexed over 5,000 online pages. Looking ahead, the company plans to expand its geographic reach and service offerings, ensuring that SMEs using tappi gain a competitive advantage in the ever-evolving digital landscape.