Joko

High-Level Overview

Joko is a Paris-based fintech company founded in 2018 that builds a mobile super-app to help consumers shop smarter by automatically providing cashback, coupons, price tracking, "pay in 3" options, and loyalty card management, connected to users' bank cards without needing scans or codes.[1][2][3][4] It serves millions of everyday shoppers—over 5 million users across Europe—solving fragmented shopping experiences by boosting purchasing power, enabling responsible buying (including carbon footprint tracking), and saving time at over 7,000 online and in-store merchants.[1][2][4][5] As a certified B Corporation since 2022 with an 81.8 B Impact Score, Joko emphasizes community impact, having helped 4 million users save millions of euros while partnering with thousands of brands.[1][5] The company has raised $11.8M in funding, employs around 86 people internationally (offices in Paris, Barcelona, New York), and shows strong growth momentum with user base expansion amid inflation pressures.[1][3]

Origin Story

Joko was founded in 2018 by Alexandre, Nicolas, and Xavier—longtime friends whose complementary backgrounds sparked the idea.[2] Alexandre and Xavier met in engineering college, working on an AI project to predict movie success; Xavier later led Jumia's travel portal in West Africa, where he connected with Nicolas on B2B partnerships, while Alexandre built scalable tech at Criteo for millions of users.[2] Frustrated by e-commerce's early-stage hurdles and poor customer experiences, they created Joko to reinvent shopping, unifying deals and rewards.[2][7] The name "Joko" means "coming together" in Wolof, reflecting their vision of bridging consumers and merchants.[2] Early traction came quickly: from a super-app boosting in-store and online savings, it grew to 1.5-5 million users, millions in user savings, and partnerships with over 2,000-7,000 retailers.[1][2][3]

Core Differentiators

• Automatic, Seamless Cashback: Links to bank cards for effortless rewards at thousands of partners—no codes, scans, or tickets required—revolutionizing access during inflation.[1][4]
• All-in-One Shopping Super-App: Combines coupons, price tracking, "pay in 3," loyalty cards, and carbon footprint calculations, preserving purchasing power and promoting responsibility.[3][4][5]
• B Corp Commitment: Scores 81.8 on B Impact (vs. median 50.9), focusing on community, environment (e.g., air/climate tracking), and positive impact for 4M+ users.[1][5]
• International, Remote-First Scale: 86 employees across Paris HQ, Barcelona, New York; $11.8M funded; tech-driven for global shopping reinvention.[1][3]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Joko rides the fintech-shopping trend of embedded finance and consumer empowerment, capitalizing on post-pandemic e-commerce growth, inflation (e.g., highlighted in 2025 reports), and demand for sustainable, frictionless retail tech.[1][2][4] Timing is ideal as fragmented loyalty programs and rising costs push users toward apps like Joko, which unifies 7,000+ merchants and saves millions—amplifying its influence in Europe's retail ecosystem.[1][3] It influences broader adoption of bank-linked rewards and responsible consumption (e.g., carbon tracking), competing with/ complementing players like Greenly or TENQUBE while standing out via B Corp status and automatic features.[4][5]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Joko is poised for hypergrowth, expanding its 5M+ user base globally via AI-enhanced personalization and more merchant integrations, fueled by trends like inflation-proofing, sustainable shopping, and open banking.[2][4] Regulatory tailwinds for fintech data sharing and rising B Corp appeal will shape its path, potentially evolving it into a universal retail OS influencing ecosystem standards for cashback and impact tracking. As it scales from Paris roots, Joko exemplifies how tech reinvents everyday shopping—empowering consumers to save smarter, just as its founders envisioned.