Top 35 Retail Startup Investors in Kenya in May 2026

Portfolio highlights

• Swiftly — Harness your public transit data with Swiftly's urban mobility solutions to make your city's mass transportation move more efficiently.
• HopSkipDrive — Arranging safe, dependable transportation or children ages 6+ with qualified caregivers
• Clarametyx Biosciences — Clarametyx Biosciences is a late preclinical stage biotechnology company developing targeted, immune-enabling biologic therapies to counter persistent infections associated with biofilms.

Portfolio highlights

• Kodak — A global technology company providing industry-leading products and services for commercial print, packaging, publishing, manufacturing and entertainment.
• Bayport Management — Bayport Management Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides retail financial services in the Republic of Mauritius and internationally.
• Freshtohome — Freshtohome is an online grocery store that sells a range of seafood and meat to its users.The website’s range of products include fish, poultry, mutton, steaks, and fillet. Fish consists of shell, freshwater, and marine. Furthermore, it enables suppliers to supply their seafood and meat to the website.Freshtohome was launched in 2015 by ShanKadavil and is based in Bangalore.

Portfolio highlights

• buywith — buywith is a video commerce platform enabling retailers and brands to transform their e-commerce into engaging shoppable videos and dynamic video-led experiences, including an AI-powered digital studio for creating video ads for retail media at scale.
• Lion Pose — Daily Skincare Products for People of Color
• Uncover — Dermatologist-tested K-Beauty formulas powered by African botanicals for melanin-rich skin. Shop SPF 50 sunscreen, serums & kits with free Kenya shipping.

Portfolio highlights

• Mydawa — MYDAWA is here to ensure that every Kenyan can get quality, secure and affordable medicine and wellness products online
• Everytable — Everytable aims to redefine the food landscape the same way McDonald’s did fifty years ago. But this time, instead of burgers and fries, they are selling nutritious, fresh, made-from-scratch food, at fast-food prices.
• The Jackfruit Company — The Jackfruit Company (TJC) is the producing convenient, whole food, plant-based products.

Portfolio highlights

• ReelFruit — On a mission to inspire delightfulness by offering the tastiest snacks in town.
• Uncover — Dermatologist-tested K-Beauty formulas powered by African botanicals for melanin-rich skin. Shop SPF 50 sunscreen, serums & kits with free Kenya shipping.

Portfolio highlights

• Regfyl — Powered by AI, Regfyl is the all-in-one fraud and compliance platform for financial institutions and fintechs. Regfyl allows these businesses to reduce costs and focus on higher value activities.
• Flowcart — Sukhiba is a decentralized community-based commerce platform.
• Orca Fraud — Orca empowers fraud fighters with effective tools to combat fraud

Portfolio highlights

• Finaktiva — Finaktiva is the number one financial ally of Colombian entrepreneurs. We offer flexible and agile online financial solutions (loans in various forms, factoring and confirming) adjusted to the requirements of the companies. We also offer a range of non-financial tools through our platform to help SMEs´ grow. Our customers are typically businesseswith innovative business models, double-digit growth rates that have a positive impact in their communities.
• AgriCapital — AgriCapital is a financial service firm that provides store credit, productive credit, credit installments, and accompaniment services.
• Ampersand — Ampersand catalyzes and power mass-market electric mobility. By supplying the battery swap network and operating system the company makes sustainable mobility rapidly accessible and affordable for developing markets, to improve livelihoods and the environment. With over a million km already covered by e-motorcycles in Africa using our plug-and-playpowertrain and energy network.

Portfolio highlights

• Shop Zetu — Shop the latest trendy fashion, beauty and accessory brands in Kenya online! Discover affordable clothing, footwear, accessories, beauty products and more. Order today from Shop Zetu.
• Uncover — Dermatologist-tested K-Beauty formulas powered by African botanicals for melanin-rich skin. Shop SPF 50 sunscreen, serums & kits with free Kenya shipping.

Portfolio highlights

• M-KOPA — M-KOPA is the global leader for “pay-as-you-go” energy services for off-grid customers. M-KOPA was established in 2011. Following 2 years of piloting and development, M-KOPA began commercial sales in Kenya in October 2012. M-KOPA expanded to Uganda in 2013 and commences operations in Tanzania in late 2014. Their team includes over 500 staff andwe sell our product through more than 1000 retail agents and shops. The founders of the company are experienced mobile technology innovators who believe in the huge potential of transformative, affordable products designed for underserved consumers. While excellent technology is a pre-requisite, technology alone does not solve for customer needs. Success comes when smart technology is combined with a commitment to on-going, on-the-ground delivery. To that end, M-KOPA is beginning to license its technology to experienced and reputable third parties in markets outside of East Africa (licensing queries should be sent to licensing@m-kopa.com). M-KOPA has developed a proprietary, patented technology platform that combines embedded GSM + mobile payments to revolutionize asset financing in emerging markets. The M-KOPAnet platform has been designed and built from the ground up by our talented team of software engineers, who continue to innovate and improve the system every day. It offers the powerful combination of accounting + customer relationship management + inventory tracking in one complete system. Aside from enabling our business operations to scale at record speed, the M-KOPAnet™ platform captures and processes huge volumes of data, enabling us to improve our proposition, customer service, and security in real-time.
• TIBU Health — TIBU Health is a disruptive HealthTech logistics company that provides high-quality healthcare services.
• BlueMark — BlueMark is the leading provider of impact intelligence and independent verification for the sustainable and impact investing market.

Portfolio highlights

• MoKo Home + Living — MoKo Home is your plug for Modern Sofas, Quality Mattresses, Beds & affordable home furniture in Kenya. Order furniture online and we deliver

Portfolio highlights

• Uncover — Dermatologist-tested K-Beauty formulas powered by African botanicals for melanin-rich skin. Shop SPF 50 sunscreen, serums & kits with free Kenya shipping.

Portfolio highlights

• Uncover — Dermatologist-tested K-Beauty formulas powered by African botanicals for melanin-rich skin. Shop SPF 50 sunscreen, serums & kits with free Kenya shipping.

Portfolio highlights

• Orb Energy — Orb Energy is a vertically integrated solar company that manufactures solar panels, design, install, and services complete system, and finance C&I customers.
• Twiga Foods — Twiga is a mobile-based supply platform for Africa’s retail outlets, kiosks, and market stalls. The company is using a mobile-based, cashless, business-to-business (B2B) supply platform to access distribution into the millions of small and medium-sized vendors in African urban markets. Founded in 2013, Twiga is based in Nairobi, Kenya.
• responsAbility Investments AG — Impact investment products - fight climate change, drive sustainable food systems & create a more inclusive world without compromising returns.

Portfolio highlights

• OTee — OTee's Industrial Automation platform makes it possible to create and manage industrial-grade virtual control systems, based on open standards and architecture!
• Ciloo — The global brand management platform for local, on-demand production of branded products. Reduce costs, waste + shipping distances. Full brand control.
• Starflow — Starflow goal is to create a scalable energy system that helps people achieve energy independence.

Portfolio highlights

• Zazuu — Zazuu is a platform for sending money across the border.
• Gigmile — Gigmile provides financial services. They provide gig workers with core services and an affordable lease on productive assets that is tailored to their earnings to enable them to succeed in the mobility industry as entrepreneurs.
• REasy — Top up locally, pay suppliers globally, and manage international shipments with REasy. Fast, secure, and designed for African businesses expanding worldwide.

Portfolio highlights

• Shop Zetu — Shop the latest trendy fashion, beauty and accessory brands in Kenya online! Discover affordable clothing, footwear, accessories, beauty products and more. Order today from Shop Zetu.
• Socium — Socium Job these are companies that recruit and offer real career opportunities to all those who share their values ​​and wish to invest in their development.
• Uncover — Dermatologist-tested K-Beauty formulas powered by African botanicals for melanin-rich skin. Shop SPF 50 sunscreen, serums & kits with free Kenya shipping.

Portfolio highlights

• RailYatri — Indian Railways Train Enquiry, Insights & IRCTC eTicket booking - RailYatri
• Agenda Edu — Agenda Edu offers a SaaS communication management and engagement in educational environments assisting educators, caregivers and students.
• SafeTraces — Delivering veriDART, the first field diagnostic platform leveraging aerosol tracers that safely simulate airborne pathogen mobility and exposure levels.

Portfolio highlights

• Synthium — Synthium offers Cognition-as-a-Service (CaaS) for consumer robotics, using gamified web-based simulations to crowdsource human cognitive data for training robot AI models. Users engage in robotics tasks like spatial navigation via webcam and microphone inputs, generating diverse datasets for model training across robot types such as humanoids anddrones. Data captures human intuition in dynamic environments, enabling scalable AI development without physical robots.
• Alchemyst AI — Alchemyst AI is an innovative generative AI software-as-a-service (SaaS) startup that leverages cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to deliver unique solutions tailored to various industries. Alchemyst aims to empower businesses to harness the potential of generative AI for enhanced creativity, efficiency, and decision-making.We arebuilding force multipliers within teams across various verticals - starting with Maya, our first Alchemyst for Sales Development. We would soon be horizontally scaling to other roles as well, integrating into wherever you work.Since inception, we have taken a bottom-up approach to building our platform as opposed to a top-down approach usually seen in SaaS products - keeping the client experience first.
• Cooper Pet Care — Just Russel honden- en kattenvoeding op maat. Op basis van ras, leeftijd, gezondheid en gewicht. Makkelijker voor jou, beter voor je huisdier!

Portfolio highlights

• Uncover — Dermatologist-tested K-Beauty formulas powered by African botanicals for melanin-rich skin. Shop SPF 50 sunscreen, serums & kits with free Kenya shipping.

Portfolio highlights

• BasiGo — BasiGo is an early-stage e-mobility start-up looking to revolutionize the public transportation sector by providing matatu owners with a cost-effective electric alternative to diesel buses.
• Turaco — Turaco develops simplified insurance and credit solutions through mobile technology to solve the healthcare financing needs. Turaco has simplified insurance products and also provides on-demand health loans, allowing customers to get healthcare at affordable monthly premiums.
• MoKo Home + Living — MoKo Home is your plug for Modern Sofas, Quality Mattresses, Beds & affordable home furniture in Kenya. Order furniture online and we deliver

Portfolio highlights

• Fasal — Fasal offers smart irrigation automation and fertigation automation system, soil moisture & temperature sensors, weather stations for precision irrigation
• Ampersand — Ampersand catalyzes and power mass-market electric mobility. By supplying the battery swap network and operating system the company makes sustainable mobility rapidly accessible and affordable for developing markets, to improve livelihoods and the environment. With over a million km already covered by e-motorcycles in Africa using our plug-and-playpowertrain and energy network.
• Lapaire — Get the best affordable eyeglasses in Africa with Lapaire. Book your free vision test today at our locations across Benin, Ivory Coast, Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali, Kenya & Uganda. Quality glasses, professional optometrists, unbeatable prices.

Portfolio highlights

• FarmWorks — FarmWorks is an agricultural technology company that gives farmers access to farm inputs as well as a market for the produce .FarmWork is to unlock agricultural potential by building clusters of mid-sized farms while working with thousands of small-holder farmers and establishing direct linkage to local and global markets.
• Ilara Health — Ilara Health helps primary care clinics across Africa deliver better care.
• Spouts of Water — SPOUTS mission is to manufacture and distribute ceramic water filters to provide everyone in Uganda with safe water.

Portfolio highlights

• Poa Internet — Poa! provides low cost internet to individuals and small businesses in low-income neighborhoods in East Africa. poa! offers customers access to affordable and reliable data that is 40% cheaper than network operators, free content and free online services and tools.poa! services are delivered through a Wi-Fi network that blankets an entireneighborhood, enabling access to the internet on any Wi-Fi enabled device at any time. Unlike competitors, poa! offers transparent pricing, data bundles that are not time-limited and free content and online services such as job boards and marketplaces.
• Sistema.bio — Sistema.bio is a biodigester with biogas appliances. High efficiency biodigesters transform organic waste into renewable biogas.
• MoKo Home + Living — MoKo Home is your plug for Modern Sofas, Quality Mattresses, Beds & affordable home furniture in Kenya. Order furniture online and we deliver

Portfolio highlights

• Flowcart — Sukhiba is a decentralized community-based commerce platform.
• Tern Group — Tern Group is an AI Platform to hire and relocate top healthcare talents globally, faster and cheaper. TERN is a full-stack solution to source and relocate top-tier medical and engineering talent from India, North Africa, South Africa, and Central Asia and the approach ensures a seamless, ethical, and transparent migration process, drasticallycutting complexity and shaving costs for healthcare systems.
• Uncover — Dermatologist-tested K-Beauty formulas powered by African botanicals for melanin-rich skin. Shop SPF 50 sunscreen, serums & kits with free Kenya shipping.

Portfolio highlights

• Uncover — Dermatologist-tested K-Beauty formulas powered by African botanicals for melanin-rich skin. Shop SPF 50 sunscreen, serums & kits with free Kenya shipping.

Portfolio highlights

• Uncover — Dermatologist-tested K-Beauty formulas powered by African botanicals for melanin-rich skin. Shop SPF 50 sunscreen, serums & kits with free Kenya shipping.

Portfolio highlights

• Igloo — As a top insurtech company, Igloo makes insurance easy across Southeast Asia by working with reputable insurers and distribution partners.
• Netwey — Netwey is a telecommunications company that offers services including mobile internet, internet home, and telephony.
• TPL Insurance — TPL Insurance is a Pakistan's first direct insurance company that take care of all insurance related matters.

Portfolio highlights

• CNote — CNote makes initial Cash Deposits easy for corporations, foundations, and individuals. Align your financial goals with your values and drive change in communities.
• Rhaeos — Rhaeos, the world's first wearable shunt monitor, aims to improve the quality care for patients with hydrocephalus through a novel, thermal biosensor. Developed within Northwestern University with collaboration between Dr. John Rogers, McCormick School of Engineering, Feinberg School of Medicine and Kellogg School of Management, Rhaeosrepresents a unique multidisciplinary translational effort for an important clinical need.
• Wattnow — Wattnow is a real-time monitoring solution that provides a breakdown of energy spending to identify wasteful trends.

Portfolio highlights

• Jumba — Jumba is the trusted digital partner for hardware stores. Through tech, we support hardware stores to grow. Get cement at unbeatable prices. Access cement LPOs even at midnight. Get inventory on credit through Jengwa.
• Uncover — Dermatologist-tested K-Beauty formulas powered by African botanicals for melanin-rich skin. Shop SPF 50 sunscreen, serums & kits with free Kenya shipping.
• Cleva — For anyone with global financial needs, A US-based dollar account in your name to receive, hold, and save USD.

Portfolio highlights

• Uncover — Learn your skin, Love your skin. K-Beauty Crafted for Melanin

Portfolio highlights

• Peerby Classic — Borrow and rent goods from others nearby - affordable, convenient and green. Tools, bikes, party equipment, electronics and more. Try it now.
• Zobi — Zobi’s not just Artificial Intelligence, it’s Home Intelligence. Our smart, brand-agnostic solutions take a holistic view of homes - people, devices, networks, habits. They build an anonymous profile for each home, then use that intel to spot unusual behaviour and stop cybercriminals.
• Finverity — Finverity provides technology, working capital and expertise to give banks, NBFIs, financiers and companies a strategic advantage in supply chain finance

Portfolio highlights

• qeen.ai — qeen.ai is a GenAI native platform that enables autonomous AI to e-commerce firms of all sizes.
• BloomPath — Purpose-built AI for your organization's workflows. Embedded in your systems. Fine-tuned to your processes. Deployed inside your environment.
• Penny Software — Penny is a Procurement AI platform for enterprises that streamlines RFQs, POs, approvals, and payments in one unified source-to-pay system.

Portfolio highlights

• Jumba — Jumba is the trusted digital partner for hardware stores. Through tech, we support hardware stores to grow. Get cement at unbeatable prices. Access cement LPOs even at midnight. Get inventory on credit through Jengwa.
• Uncover — Dermatologist-tested K-Beauty formulas powered by African botanicals for melanin-rich skin. Shop SPF 50 sunscreen, serums & kits with free Kenya shipping.
• Cleva — For anyone with global financial needs, A US-based dollar account in your name to receive, hold, and save USD.

Portfolio highlights

• Edves — Edves automates the brick and mortal School operations from Student enrollment, Fee Collection, Lesson Note up to Transcript Generation.
• Finclusion Group — Enhancing financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa through data driven lending.
• Nexford University — Transform your career with affordable, flexible degrees and job skills designed for today's workforce. Skip debt and learn at your own pace with Nexford.

Portfolio highlights

• Uncover — Dermatologist-tested K-Beauty formulas powered by African botanicals for melanin-rich skin. Shop SPF 50 sunscreen, serums & kits with free Kenya shipping.