African tech companies: From Mpesa to Lifebank, these are some of the companies that have defined technology in Africa in the last decade.
We were in our Christmas spirit at the office when Alex booted the idea of a list of companies in Africa that have defined technology and defied structure to make big things happen.
One Google doc and several Slack messages later, we had a long list. Every entry was defended (I fought for you Copia Global) and now we have a shortlist.
Let’s count down the 10 most important African tech companies of the decade!
Story from Techcabal. Story by Olumuyiwa Olowogboyega.
Our managing editor asked: “Is Jumia an African company?” the minute Jumia came up. It’s a question that was debated pre-IPO as the “Amazon of Africa” made its debut on the NYSE.
If you want to see how that argument went, watch our video here.
There’s no denying that it’s been mostly bad news for Jumia since their IPO but we must give them credit for being the company that made people believe e-commerce is possible in Africa.
That they’re still standing after some of their peers have called it quits and while they are no longer valued at $1billion, the company is targeting profitability in 5 years.
Why Jumia: Pioneering Africa’s first e-commerce service, sticking at it and giving everyone a belief that e-commerce might yet hit profitability.
Today, the future of work is the subject of many panels, but it was Andela that first made it possible for Africa’s top engineering talent to be placed with global companies.
Although the company has changed its business model, it also originally trained junior developers.
It is also a compliment to their training that a few ex-Andelans have gone on from the company to start their own businesses.
Why Andela: They’ve walked the talk about the future of work and are preparing African talent for a global market.
Can you put a price on saving lives? While LifeBank cannot lay claim to being pioneers, their staying power and reach across Africa means they have served almost 1,000 hospitals.
Blood, blood products, oxygen, and vaccines are just some of the materials LifeBank transports. The company also recently tested drone deliveries in Ethiopia.
Why LifeBank: Saving lives is cool, but saving lives using tech is even cooler.
Read more at Techcabal.
