Africa's Talking is a technology company.
Africa's Talking provides communication APIs that simplify access to telco infrastructure, enabling developers to build scalable businesses across Africa.
Africa's Talking has raised $9.0M across 1 funding round.
Africa's Talking has raised $9.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Africa's Talking has raised $9.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Africa's Talking's investors include Canaan Partners, jLabs, Rocketship.vc, Social Capital, Tribe Capital, Bill Campbell, Sundeep Madra.
Africa's Talking is a Pan-African technology company founded in 2010 that provides a unified API platform for communication and payment services, enabling developers to integrate SMS, USSD, Voice, Airtime, and Mobile Data into mobile and web applications.[1][2][5] It primarily serves software developers, startups, SMEs, and large businesses across Africa, solving the challenge of accessing telecom infrastructure by offering "telecom in a box"—plug-and-play APIs that simplify mobile engagement without complex contracts or hardware.[1][2][3] With over 150,000 developers in its community, integration with 80+ telecom providers, and handling 4 billion+ messages annually, the company has raised $14.62M and maintains strong growth momentum through expansions into new markets like Egypt, Ghana, and South Africa.[1][3]
Africa's Talking was co-founded in 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya, by Julius Gikandi and David Kimani, who identified barriers in telecom access hindering African entrepreneurs.[2][1][6] Gikandi and Kimani, frustrated by telecom companies' restrictive contracts and denials, launched the platform in 2012 to provide easy voice- and text-based APIs, evolving from basic SMS/USSD services to a full suite including payments and voice.[2] Early traction came from empowering 1,000+ active developers—spanning corporates, startups, and individuals—fueling rapid adoption and expansion to 18 African countries, with pivotal moments like AWS migration for scalability and IFC investment support.[2][3][7]
Africa's Talking rides the surge in African mobile penetration—over 15 years of rising cell phone ownership—democratizing telecom access amid market forces like high smartphone gaps and fragmented providers.[2][3] Its timing aligns with Africa's developer boom, enabling innovative solutions in fintech, health, and e-commerce without infrastructure hurdles, while influencing the ecosystem by nurturing 5,000+ businesses from startups to enterprises.[2] By outsourcing telecom complexities, it accelerates entrepreneurship, supports symbiotic growth with local innovators, and scales impact through cloud migrations and expansions.[2][3]
Africa's Talking is poised to dominate Africa's comms API market, with voice services as the "poster child" of growth amid rising omnichannel demand, recent billing updates signaling operational maturity, and potential for further IFC-backed expansions.[3][5][7] Trends like AI-driven customer service, deeper blockchain payments, and 5G rollout will shape its path, evolving its influence from enabler to essential infrastructure for the continent's 150,000+ developers. As mobile transforms Africa, Africa's Talking remains the unlock for scalable innovation, echoing its founding mission to unleash entrepreneurial potential.[2][6]
Africa's Talking has raised $9.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $9.0M Series A in April 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 2018 | $9.0M Series A | Canaan Partners, jLabs, Rocketship.vc, Social Capital, Tribe Capital, Bill Campbell, Sundeep Madra |