Wasoko is a technology company.
Wasoko has raised $149.0M across 4 funding rounds.
Key people at Wasoko.
Wasoko has raised $149.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Wasoko has raised $149.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Wasoko's investors include AAF Management Ltd., Main Sequence Ventures, Rebel Fund, Soma Capital, Tiger Global Management, Y Combinator, Tom Blomfield, Amplify Partners, Intel Capital, KRM Interests LLC, Morpheus Ventures, TenOneTen Ventures.
Wasoko is a B2B e-commerce platform revolutionizing supply chain management for informal retailers across Africa, formerly known as Sokowatch.[1][2][3] It builds a mobile app and SMS-based ordering system that connects small shop owners—primarily "mom and pop" stores—with suppliers, delivering fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) like essentials within 24 hours, while offering competitive pricing, flexible payments, and add-on services such as working capital loans.[1][3][4] Serving over 15,000 users in seven countries including Kenya, Zambia, and parts of East and francophone Africa, Wasoko solves critical pain points for informal retailers: high costs from intermediaries, unreliable supply, and limited access to credit, enabling them to save time, reduce expenses, and grow operations.[1][2][3] The company has secured over $20M in funding and recently merged with Egypt's MaxAB in 2024, positioning it as a market leader in Africa's tech-enabled wholesale commerce.[2]
Wasoko traces its roots to 2010 (with formal operations ramping up around 2013) in Nairobi, Kenya, where founders envisioned digitizing supply chains for small shop owners, the backbone of local communities facing fragmented access to goods.[1][3] Emerging from the need to optimize processes using data and technology, the company started as Sokowatch, enabling orders via mobile app, SMS, or calls with same-day delivery from localized warehouses, quickly gaining traction among informal merchants.[1][2][3] Pivotal moments include expanding to seven regions, raising significant funding from investors like Quona Capital and TO Ventures, injecting $1M into Zambia in 2023, and the 2024 merger with MaxAB to create a "category king" in B2B e-commerce.[2]
Wasoko rides the wave of Africa's digital commerce boom, targeting the vast informal retail sector (millions of small shops handling most consumer goods distribution) amid rising smartphone penetration and e-commerce adoption.[1][2][3] Timing aligns with post-pandemic supply chain disruptions and investor interest in emerging markets, where market forces like urbanization, youth demographics, and fintech integration favor platforms bridging traditional trade with tech.[2][4] By formalizing informal trade, improving livelihoods, and enabling BNPL-like services, Wasoko influences the ecosystem, competing with rivals like Twiga and Sabi while setting standards for scalable B2B models that drive financial inclusion and efficiency continent-wide.[3]
Wasoko's merger with MaxAB solidifies its dominance, with next steps likely including deeper West/North Africa penetration, AI-enhanced inventory, and expanded financial services amid Africa's $100B+ informal retail opportunity.[2] Trends like mobile money growth and regulatory support for digital trade will propel it, potentially evolving into a full-stack commerce enabler influencing investor strategies in frontier tech. This positions Wasoko not just as a supplier, but as a transformative force mirroring its founding vision of economic empowerment for Africa's shop owners.[1][2]
Key people at Wasoko.
Wasoko has raised $149.0M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $130.0M Series B in March 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2022 | $130.0M Series B | AAF Management Ltd., Main Sequence Ventures, Rebel Fund, Soma Capital, Tiger Global Management, Y Combinator, Tom Blomfield | |
| Feb 1, 2020 | $14.0M Series A | Y Combinator | |
| Feb 1, 2019 | $3.0M Seed | Y Combinator | |
| Jul 1, 2018 | $2.0M Seed | Amplify Partners, Intel Capital, KRM Interests LLC, Morpheus Ventures, TenOneTen Ventures, Village Global, XYZ Venture Capital, Y Combinator |
