StartupBlink

1203 Top startups in Eastern Africa for July 2026

We rank OKX, M-kopa and Kilimall in Eastern Africa along with 1200 other startups based on an algorithm that scores startups based on total investment, employee count, and quarterly website traffic. The leading startup ecosystem in Eastern Africa is Kenya accounting for 0% of all startups in the region.

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Top Unicorn Startups in Eastern Africa for 2026

KuCoin is the only unicorn in Eastern Africa raising more than USD 10B. It is the undefined ranked unicorn in Eastern Africa.
SB Score:729

With over 700 digital assets available, this global cryptocurrency exchange offers Spot, Margin, P2P fiat, and Futures trading, as well as staking and lending services to its 27 million users worldwide. Join a community spanning 207 countries and regions for a seamless trading experience.

Industry:
Fintech
Subindustry:
Financial Services

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Total amount:1

Best Startups in Eastern Africa for 2026

1st

OKX
SB Score:714

OKX is the second largest global crypto exchange by trading volume and a leading Web3 ecosystem. With monthly Proof of Reserve releases, OKX is trusted by over 50 million global users. OKX is the fastest and most reliable crypto trading app for professional traders everywhere. - Buy, sell, and trade 350+ tokens with 100+ local currencies - Duplicate moves from top traders in the industry in just one click - Explore Web3 and take control of your crypto, NFTs, and digital assets with the OKX Wallet With its extensive range of crypto products and services, and unwavering commitment to innovation, OKX’s vision is a world where financial access is backed by blockchain and the power of decentralized finance.

Industry:
Software & Data
Subindustry:
Apps

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SB Score:567

M-KOPA provides connected asset financing solutions for underbanked customers. Its platform combines digital micropayments and IoT connectivity to offer access to products including solar lighting, televisions, fridges, smartphones, financial services, and more.

Industry:
Energy & Environment
Subindustry:
Clean Energy

National Rank (Kenya)

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SB Score:533

Kilimall is a premier online marketplace in Kenya, designed to streamline shopping for Kenyans. It provides a seamless and enriching shopping experience, ensuring that customers can easily browse and purchase products, which are then delivered directly to their doorstep.

Industry:
Ecommerce & Retail
Subindustry:
Ecommerce

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SB Score:477

MYDAWA is a new and innovative service that allows anyone buy wide range of high quality medication and wellness products affordably and conveniently from your mobile phone.

Industry:
Software & Data
Subindustry:
Apps

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SB Score:467

The firm was formed by a team that had worked together as the executive team at a leading asset manager in the region. After a very successful tenure growing profitability by over 10 times, increasing assets by over 3 times and moving the previous firm from number 6 to number 1 (in the East-African region) by revenues, the team moved to create an independent firm focused solely on serving the interests of clients and investors. They strongly believe that if they wake up every day thinking about what is in the interest of clients, putting their interests ahead of their own and trading the short-term interests for the long-term interests, their clients will do very well. And when their clients do well, they will do well too. Cytonn Investments is an investment and real estate company, with offices in Nairobi - Kenya and DC Metro area - U.S. They are primarily focused on offering alternative investment solutions to global institutional investors, individual high net-worth investors, local institutional investors and diaspora investors interested in the East-African region.

Industry:
Fintech
Subindustry:
Investment

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SB Score:460

Greenlight is a debit card and money app that provides an all-in-one money management platform for families and parents. Millions of parents and kids use Greenlight to earn, save, spend wisely, give, and invest. Parents can set flexible spending controls, manage chores, automate allowances, and invest for their kids’ futures. It offers up to 3% unlimited cash back on all purchases and gives parents the option to automatically invest those cash rewards in stocks and ETFs to spend on family-related expenses. Greenlight was founded in 2014 and is based in Atlanta, GA.

Industry:
Fintech
Subindustry:
Financial Technology

National Rank (Uganda)

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SB Score:456

Wasoko transforms access to essential goods and services by connecting small shops to the digital economy. It increases sales and market coverage for companies in emerging markets. It also enables informal retailers to order products at any time via SMS or mobile app, and receive free same-day delivery to their store. This makes it easier for shopkeepers to source goods and helps manufacturers ensure that their products are consistently available to consumers.

Industry:
Ecommerce & Retail
Subindustry:
Consumer Goods

National Rank (Kenya)

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SB Score:454

Apollo Agriculture is an agtech company that offers farmers access to agricultural inputs, financing, and advice. Apollo helps farmers in emerging markets maximize their profits. The company uses agronomic machine learning, remote sensing, and mobile phones to deliver a customized package of credit, high-quality farm inputs, and advice that can double farm yields, starting in Kenya. Apollo assesses farmer credit risk and customizes each package to a farmer's specific location using satellite data, soil data, farmer behavior data, and crop yield models.

Industry:
Software & Data
Subindustry:
Artificial Intelligence

National Rank (Kenya)

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SB Score:451

4G Capital has supported micro-enterprises in Africa since 2013, providing financial literacy training with working capital loans to help small businesses grow sustainably. 4G Capital clients receive a bespoke programme of business training to help them use micro-loans to achieve much higher take-home earnings. 4G Capital’s proprietorial machine learning technology delivers high fidelity insights from traditionally data dark sectors. We design scalable credit products and services optimized for clients’ business risks, timescales and affordability. Training is delivered via mobile apps and face-to-face outreach. Using only mobile money, loans are accessed in under two minutes with either smart or feature phones. 4G Capital directly addresses the Finance Gap across Africa. This stands at over $19 billion for Micro and SMEs in Kenya alone (source: IFC), even though this important segment accounts for over 30% of GDP. It is almost impossible for these companies to access credit without high collateral and data requirements. Over 30% of small businesses fail due to lack of funding. 4G Capital consistently achieves very high collections rates without collateral or refinancing its clients, by only lending to viable businesses on terms that are right for them. 4G Capital is on target to positively impact over 1 million people by 2020. With operations in Kenya and Uganda, and having received multiple industry awards, 4G Capital is now scaling across the continent and expanding its suite of products and services as Africa’s Fastest Fintech. Key achievements to date: · >94% collection rates without refinancing clients · Net Promoter Score 72 · Clients increase revenues by average 82% · 81% Women Customers · 82% Repeat Customers · 77% Rural Clients · 94% Increased financial literacy · $32M worth of loans to date · >50 locations in Kenya and expanding in Uganda and beyond · Partnership retail credit service plugs in to distributor systems to boost value chain sales

Industry:
Fintech
Subindustry:
Financial Services

National Rank (Kenya)

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SB Score:443

Workpay is a Payroll, Benefits, Compliance software company with embedded finance for local and remote teams in Africa. We empower teams to hire local and remote teams across Africa while staying compliant and without the hustle of having local entities.

Industry:
Fintech
Subindustry:
Financial Services

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Total amount:1203

Top 74 Energy & Environment Startups in Eastern Africa for 2026

The top three Energy & Environment startups in Eastern Africa have raised more than USD 376M. The top three cities in the Eastern Africa for Energy & Environment startups are Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Kampala.
SB Score:567

M-KOPA provides connected asset financing solutions for underbanked customers. Its platform combines digital micropayments and IoT connectivity to offer access to products including solar lighting, televisions, fridges, smartphones, financial services, and more.

Industry:
Energy & Environment
Subindustry:
Clean Energy

National Rank (Kenya)

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SB Score:414

Sistema.bio is a manufacturer of prefabricated modular biodigester systems for farmers to produce fertilizer and biogas. The company provides biogas solutions for thermal energy used in cooking and mechanical energy in farming.

Industry:
Energy & Environment
Subindustry:
Clean Energy

National Rank (Kenya)

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SB Score:403

CrossBoundary recently formed CrossBoundary Energy, the first dedicated investment fund for Commercial and Industrial solar in Africa. Many businesses in Africa generate a significant portion of their own electricity through inside-the-fence diesel generation. Due to the cost of diesel, it would be economically and environmentally optimal for these businesses to switch to renewable generation through solar and other alternatives. However, businesses are ill equipped to take the financial and technical risk to finance a conversion to renewables. At the same time, capital lacks a standardized platform to access these profitable but relatively small transactions. CrossBoundary Energy is a platform to aggregate finance for medium scale renewable self-generation. The platform finances renewable generation projects (0.2MW-10MW) that serve commercial customers in Africa such as off-grid light manufacturing, cell towers, farms, remote hospitals, eco-lodges and beverage bottlers. Our goal is to enable the delivery of energy-as-service and unlock the latent opportunity for renewable own-generation in Africa.

Industry:
Energy & Environment
Subindustry:
Energy

National Rank (Kenya)

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Total amount:74

Top 43 Transportation Startups in Eastern Africa for 2026

The top three Transportation startups in Eastern Africa have raised more than USD 99M. The top three cities in the Eastern Africa for Transportation startups are Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Kampala.
SB Score:405

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. As of January 2024, 2000 Ampersand customers are covering 1.5 million km a week in Nairobi and Kigali.

Industry:
Transportation
Subindustry:
Automotive

National Rank (Rwanda)

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SB Score:396

Peach Cars building a solution for those looking to buy and sell vehicles whole information on vehicles and hassle-free transactions.

Industry:
Transportation
Subindustry:
Automotive

National Rank (Kenya)

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SB Score:390

BasiGo is an e-mobility start-up looking to revolutionize the public transportation sector by providing public transport bus owners with a cost-effective electric alternative to diesel.The company offers electric buses for public transportation in Kenya and Rwanda, operating on a pay-as-you-go model. his model includes maintenance and battery charging, making it easier for bus operators to transition to electric vehicles.

Industry:
Transportation
Subindustry:
Public Transportation

National Rank (Kenya)

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Total amount:43

Top 42 Edtech Startups in Eastern Africa for 2026

The top three Edtech startups in Eastern Africa have raised more than USD 113M. The top three cities in the Eastern Africa for Edtech startups are Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Kampala.
SB Score:387

Gebeya Inc. is a Pan-African Freelance Talent Marketplace company headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with remote teams in Kenya, Senegal, North America, and the UK. The company aims to become an active contributor to Africa’s digital transformation and build a booming Africa through leveraging continental and global job opportunities for African talent. Its vision is to be the most trusted and reliable source of skilled talent that showcases Africa’s competitiveness. For more information, visit www.gebeya.com.

Industry:
Edtech
Subindustry:
Edtech

National Rank (Ethiopia)

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IDEA is an innovative EdTech company that has created high quality, personalised digital education content and software for students and teachers globally. IDEA has created interactive, data-driven, digital software, content and games for students and teachers covering all grades and localised to each national education market. IDEA has developed a completely digital STEM program from Kindergarten to Grade 12 as well as teacher training courses and ICT skills development.

Industry:
Edtech
Subindustry:
Edtech

National Rank (Mauritius)

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SB Score:345

LoHo Learning is a leading provider of digital learning solutions that empower learners, educators, and institutions to achieve better educational outcomes. With a strong focus on innovation, LoHo Learning develops and delivers cutting-edge eLearning platforms, interactive educational content, and comprehensive learning management systems. LoHo Learning's primary mission is to revolutionize the way education is delivered by harnessing the power of technology. By leveraging advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, and virtual reality, LoHo Learning creates immersive and personalized learning experiences that cater to the unique needs and preferences of each learner. The company offers a diverse range of products and services tailored to different educational levels, from primary to tertiary education. Their eLearning platforms provide a rich repository of interactive educational content, including multimedia lessons, assessments, quizzes, and simulations. These platforms enable learners to access educational resources anytime, anywhere, fostering self-paced learning and knowledge retention. LoHo Learning also understands the importance of empowering educators with the right tools and resources. Their learning management systems enable educators to create and manage courses, track learner progress, and provide personalized feedback. These systems facilitate seamless communication and collaboration between learners and educators, fostering an engaging and interactive learning environment. Furthermore, LoHo Learning is committed to promoting equity and inclusivity in education. They design their solutions with accessibility features that cater to learners with diverse abilities and learning styles. Additionally, they actively collaborate with educational institutions and policymakers to bridge the digital divide and ensure that all learners have equal access to quality education.

Industry:
Edtech
Subindustry:
Edtech

National Rank (Kenya)

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Total amount:42

Most Funded Startups in Eastern Africa for 2026

The top three most funded startups in Eastern Africa have raised total funding of more than USD 949M. GnuGrid has 1.23% more funding than M-kopa.
SB Score:460

Greenlight is a debit card and money app that provides an all-in-one money management platform for families and parents. Millions of parents and kids use Greenlight to earn, save, spend wisely, give, and invest. Parents can set flexible spending controls, manage chores, automate allowances, and invest for their kids’ futures. It offers up to 3% unlimited cash back on all purchases and gives parents the option to automatically invest those cash rewards in stocks and ETFs to spend on family-related expenses. Greenlight was founded in 2014 and is based in Atlanta, GA.

Industry:
Fintech
Subindustry:
Financial Technology

National Rank (Uganda)

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SB Score:567

M-KOPA provides connected asset financing solutions for underbanked customers. Its platform combines digital micropayments and IoT connectivity to offer access to products including solar lighting, televisions, fridges, smartphones, financial services, and more.

Industry:
Energy & Environment
Subindustry:
Clean Energy

National Rank (Kenya)

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0

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SB Score:456

Wasoko transforms access to essential goods and services by connecting small shops to the digital economy. It increases sales and market coverage for companies in emerging markets. It also enables informal retailers to order products at any time via SMS or mobile app, and receive free same-day delivery to their store. This makes it easier for shopkeepers to source goods and helps manufacturers ensure that their products are consistently available to consumers.

Industry:
Ecommerce & Retail
Subindustry:
Consumer Goods

National Rank (Kenya)

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Total amount:1203

Top Hiring Startups in Eastern Africa by Employee Number

The top three hiring startups in Eastern Africa have an median employee size that is between [5001-10000]
SB Score:268

E-Birr is a telecom value-added and Mobile Financial Service provider established in 2016. E-Birr is using the safari one Mobile financial services technology (MFS) and customizing it in a way to fit the Ethiopian market. The Safarifone MFS (safariMFS) is a proven financial service platform that has been in use by many operators in the region servicing millions of customers making more than 5 million transactions per day. COOPay-E-Birr is a brand for the mobile financial services provided by the E-Birr and the cooperative bank of Oromia. All version COOPay-E-Birr provides a range of mobile financial services including utility payments, bank transfer, remittances, merchant payments, airtime recharges, e-commerce.

Industry:
Fintech
Subindustry:
Payments

National Rank (Ethiopia)

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SB Score:163

Kawil is a global technology, consulting, and internet company helping enterprises reimagine their businesses for the digital age. The company offers an integrated portfolio of products, services, and solutions built around digital, IOT, Cyber Security, Artificial intelligence, cloud, Automation, engineering services, Data, Analytics, and emerging technologies. Kawil is a trusted global innovator of IT and business services helping our clients transform through consulting, industry solutions, business process services, digital and IT modernization, and managed services in over 20 countries.

Industry:
Software & Data
Subindustry:
Artificial Intelligence

National Rank (Uganda)

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3rd

OKX
SB Score:714

OKX is the second largest global crypto exchange by trading volume and a leading Web3 ecosystem. With monthly Proof of Reserve releases, OKX is trusted by over 50 million global users. OKX is the fastest and most reliable crypto trading app for professional traders everywhere. - Buy, sell, and trade 350+ tokens with 100+ local currencies - Duplicate moves from top traders in the industry in just one click - Explore Web3 and take control of your crypto, NFTs, and digital assets with the OKX Wallet With its extensive range of crypto products and services, and unwavering commitment to innovation, OKX’s vision is a world where financial access is backed by blockchain and the power of decentralized finance.

Industry:
Software & Data
Subindustry:
Apps

National Rank (Seychelles)

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SB Score:567

M-KOPA provides connected asset financing solutions for underbanked customers. Its platform combines digital micropayments and IoT connectivity to offer access to products including solar lighting, televisions, fridges, smartphones, financial services, and more.

Industry:
Energy & Environment
Subindustry:
Clean Energy

National Rank (Kenya)

0

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National Rank (Kenya)

0

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Total amount:1203

Best Countries for Startups

StartupBlink ranks the startup ecosystems of more than 100 countries and 1,000 cities. Download our latest Global Startup Ecosystem Report.
Global RankCountryTotal ScoreAnnual Growth

Access subscores for 1000 cities and 100 countries

Quantity Score
Quality ScoreBusiness Score
1st
0
United States
314.096
0.0%
00.00
00.00
00.00
2nd
0
United Kingdom
80.114
0.0%
00.00
00.00
00.00
3rd
0
Israel
71.462
0.0%
00.00
00.00
00.00
4th
0
Singapore
68.043
0.0%
00.00
00.00
00.00
5th
0
Canada
49.534
0.0%
00.00
00.00
00.00
6th
0
Sweden
40.781
0.0%
00.00
00.00
00.00
7th
0
Germany
37.644
0.0%
00.00
00.00
00.00
8th
+
1
Switzerland
36.108
0.0%
00.00
00.00
00.00
9th
+
3
Australia
35.438
0.0%
00.00
00.00
00.00
10th
0
The Netherlands
34.514
0.0%
00.00
00.00
00.00
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