Nairobi’s AgriTech Selina Wamucii Gets USD 100 K Grant From Expo Live
Selina Wamucii, an agritech startup received USD 100 K from Expo Live in the form of a grant. The Nairobi based startup connects buyers and exporters to smallholder farmers for sourcing the produce directly. It is a B2B mobile platform that also works for farmers who don’t have access to the internet. The startup claims to have enhanced efficiency in the agricultural supply chain by reducing the number of hands the information change.
Founded by John Oroko and Gaita Kariuki in 2015, the startup intends to use this money for recruiting additional 2000 farmers to the platform. This step is expected to help them increase buyer’s acceptance rate from the current figure of 2.4% to 5%. The founders expressed their delight by adding that mango farmers have seen an increase of 60% in income, thereby allowing them to improve quality of life.
The company sources orders from small-scale farmers basis their location, whenever a demand is placed by an exporter. The orders are picked up from the farmers and delivered to the buyers by contractual agents. Currently, the platform hosts 3000 farmers and connects the farmers using USSD technology.
Expo Live is Expo 2020 Dubai’s innovation and partnership programme and has an allocation of USD 100 Mn to back projects that offer creative solutions to pressing challenges that impact people’s lives or help preserve the planet – or both. Organisers are looking for projects that would not reach their full potential without its support.
Launched in January 2017, Expo Live has several programmes. The flagship global Innovation Impact Grant Programme provides up to USD 100,000 per successful initiative, to be made available incrementally as the project meets ongoing conditions. Projects are also supported with business guidance and promotion and may have the chance to showcase their work to many millions of visitors at Expo 2020 Dubai.
