In this Factory Founder podcast episode, we caught up with Denis Njuguna, the CEO of JungoPharm, where we delved into the journey of JungoPharm, its beginnings, and overcoming challenges. Denis shared valuable insights into JungoPharm's growth trajectory. He discussed their customer acquisition strategies, trend forecasting in core markets, and the importance of leveraging customer research and networking effects. What to look forward to in this episode:JungoPharm's origin story [0:42]Market sizing and market opportunity [01:59]Challenges encountered since JungoPharm's inception [03:07]Customer acquisition strategy [04:32]Trend forecasting the pharmaceuticals industry in core markets [06:45]Lessons learned from past experiences [09:02]Leveraging customer research from people around you [11:39]The power of networking effects and community building practice [13:40]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Connect with Denis Njuguna on LinkedIn.Tell us...What was your favourite quote lesson from this episode? What topic would you like us to feature on a future podcast? Let us know via our social media pages:Linkedin: Founders Factory AfricaFacebook: Founders Factory AfricaInstagram: Foundersfactory_africaTwitter: FoundersFFA

In this Factory Founder Podcast episode, Koya Matsuno, co-founder of Vunapay, delves into the innovative world of VunaPay and its mission to transform the economic landscape for smallholder farmers. VunaPay offers instant payouts to smallholder farmers as they deliver their produce. Koya explores the implications of VunaPay's instant payout system, discussing how it streamlines financial access for farmers, enhances their livelihoods, and drives positive economic impact within rural farming communities.What to look forward to in this episode:VunaPay's origin story [0:51]The value proposition [02:03]Market sizing and market opportunity [03:34]Working with farmer cooperatives [04:36]Addressing structural barriers to entry [05:30]VunaPay's customer acquisition strategy [06:44]Approaching the target customer [07:47]The competitive advantage [08:28]Targeted solutions vs. Implementation challenges [09:46]Broadening the horizons as a 'Global Citizen' [11:36]Internal decision-making processes [13:25]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Connect with Koya Matsuno on LinkedIn.Tell us...What was your favourite quote lesson from this episode? What topic would you like us to feature on a future podcast? Let us know via our social media pages:Linkedin: Founders Factory AfricaFacebook: Founders Factory AfricaInstagram: Foundersfactory_africaTwitter: FoundersFFA

In this Factory Founder Podcast episode, Ope Onaboye, Co-founder and CEO of Renda Africa, unveils the curtain on building the end-to-end fulfillment infrastructure that businesses require to be able to scale across Africa and shares personal anecdotes and insights into his journey as a founder. Renda's mission is to simplify order fulfillment and retail distribution for businesses in Africa. What to look forward to in this episode:Renda's elevator pitch [01:18]Integrated solutions within logistics and distribution processes [3:04]Market sizing for Renda in Nigeria [4:20]Oversimplifications about the market in Nigeria [05:47]What scenario planning looks like for Renda [8:57]Renda's data reporting cycle [12:56]Internal decision making processes [14:04]Lessons learned from a previous leadership role [17:11]Creative thinking and problem-solving techniques [24:38]Leveraging mental health breaks and taking time off [26:00]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Connect with Ope Onaboye on LinkedinTell us...What was your favorite lesson from this episode? What topic would you like us to feature on a future podcast? Let us know via our social media pages:Linkedin: Founders Factory AfricaFacebook: Founders Factory AfricaInstagram: Foundersfactory_africaTwitter: FoundersFFA

In this Factory Founder Podcast episode, Timbo Drayson, Co-founder & CEO of OkHi, shares personal anecdotes and insights into building their revolutionary smart addressing system to reduce fraud in financial services and enable financial inclusion.OkHi's mission is to empower and include individuals without an address to access critical services like opening bank accounts, securing loans, and even emergency services like ambulance dispatch.  What to look forward to in this episode:OkHi's origin story and core value proposition [01:11]Insight into the customer verification process [01:30]Evolving from the initial offering to their address verification solution [02:56]Lessons learned from product iteration at OkHi [05:35]The broad range of use cases for OkHi [09:49]Addressing challenges in location-based verification [13:01]Leveraging customer behaviour to provide relevant solutions for different markets [16:01]OkHi's customer acquisition strategy [19:04]Exploring the Insuretech vertical [21:50]Success metrics for measuring specific customer pain points [25:48]OkHi's plans for the future [30:02]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Connect with Timbo Drayson on LinkedinConnect with Daniel Maison on Linkedin Tell us...What was your favorite lesson from this episode? What topic would you like us to feature on a future podcast? Let us know via our social media pages:Linkedin: Founders Factory AfricaFacebook: Founders Factory AfricaInstagram: Foundersfactory_africaTwitter: FoundersFFA

In this Factory Founder Podcast episode, Sam Baddoo, Founder & CEO of Fleri and COO, Sidi Saccoh, expand on their vision to create a world that allows immigrants to thrive and flourish, and not just survive in their countries of adoption. One of the biggest challenges for migrants living in the diaspora, away from the countries they were born or grew up in, is maintaining support and medical care for their loved ones back home.Fleri is a membership-based marketplace offering that helps them solve this by partnering with healthcare providers across emerging countries, enabling them to find the right medical care for their families back home.What to look forward to in this episode:Fleri's vision and mission [01:36]The product offering [03:48]The origin story of Fleri [04:58]Leveraging the market opportunity [08:39]How Fleri has evolved over time since its inception [12:32]Fleri's customer acquisition strategy [15:35]The value proposition [18:17]The role of the COO [21:26]Fleri's talent acquisition strategy [22:34]Key takeaways from fundraising in the current market [24:08]Fleri's vision for the future [26:24]The benefits of VC funding and support [30:07]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Connect with Sam Baddoo on LinkedInConnect with Sidi Saccoh on LinkedInTell us...What was your favourite quote lesson from this episode? What topic would you like us to feature on a future podcast? Let us know via our social media pages:Linkedin: Founders Factory AfricaFacebook: Founders Factory AfricaInstagram: Foundersfactory_africaTwitter: FoundersFFA

In this Factory Founder Podcast episode, Co-founder of VitruvianMD, Ifthakaar Shaik, shares live insights about transitioning from his corporate role at a major banking institution to being the co-founder of VitruvianMD and how the journey has been so far. What to look forward to in this episode:Introduction to VitruvianMD [0:55]Ifthakaar's Founder Journey [07:34]VitruvianMD's product offering [11:28]Leveraging the partnerships strategy [15:11]Medical diagnosis at the intersection of AI [17:55]Building great corporate relationships [21:11]VitruvianMD's value proposition [23:35]Market sizing [25:06]Building great products and scaling VitruvianMD [28:04]The team behind VitruvianMD [31:05]Fundraising processes [37:08]What's next for VitruvianMD [40:11]Navigating policy regulations and the FDA [44:11]Mental health and wellbeing outside of work [47:13]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Connect with Ifthakaar Shaik on Linkedin and Instagram.Tell us...What was your favourite quote lesson from this episode? What topic would you like us to feature on a future podcast? Let us know via our social media pages:Linkedin: Founders Factory AfricaFacebook: Founders Factory AfricaInstagram: Foundersfactory_africaTwitter: FoundersFFA

In this Factory Founder Podcast episode, Peter Gicharu, Co-Founder and CTO of Tibu Health, shares insights into their mission to revolutionize healthcare in Africa. He discusses the pressing healthcare challenges in Kenya, Tibu Health's innovative solutions, and their remarkable journey from inception to addressing the unique needs of their customer base. Peter also provides valuable lessons for fellow founders and offers a glimpse into Tibu Health's exciting future plans.What to look forward to in this episode: Tibu Health's elevator pitch [0:32]Addressing specific customer needs through omni-channel services [01:43]Leveraging customer feedback to improve the Tibu health platform [06:27]Factors Tibu Health team considers when iterating their product offering [12:47]The journey towards product market-fit [16:03]Tibu Health's success metrics [17:55]Lessons learned from fund raising in the healthtech space [19:20]Allocating capital based on priorities and the needs of the business [22:49]Marketplace monetisation [25:05]Overcoming challenges and leveraging opportunities within the health tech sector [26:15]Navigating the traditional sense of healthcare delivery in Africa [31:18]Tibu Health's plans for innovation and agility [34:24]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Connect with Peter Gicharu on Linkedin.Tell us...What was your favourite quote lesson from this episode? What topic would you like us to feature on a future podcast? Let us know via our social media pages:Linkedin: Founders Factory AfricaFacebook: Founders Factory AfricaInstagram: Foundersfactory_africaTwitter: FoundersFFA

Ekow Duker saw a gap in the market for African data scientists who do not have access to opportunities to build their skills in data science, accrue professional experience, or find meaningful work. To bring data science, artificial intelligence, and community together into a single app, Zindi Africa was created to address this problem. In this Factory Founder Podcast episode, Ekow shares in-trench insights about creating a community-based online marketplace for AI solutions and data science talent in response to and in support of the nascent African data scientist ecosystem.  What to look forward to in this episode:Market sizing and a view on capture strategy [1:20]Competitive advantage in the data science space [2:36]Principles of data science [04:53]Building a data science community [6:08]Zindi's customer relations strategy [08:01]Success stories [11:16]Zindi's customer acquisition cost [14:58]Navigating expansion in African markets [15:48]Tracking growth [18:50]Zindi's community size and growth [21:59]User behaviour [23:48]Achieving product-market fit [26:01]Zindi's most defensible attribute [26:41]Marketplace monetisation [27:16]Scaling as a business [28:33]Zindi's competitors [32:42]Overcoming challenges [35:02]Pitching to partners and investors [38:24]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Connect with Ekow Duker on Linkedin.Tell us...What was your favourite quote lesson from this episode? What topic would you like us to feature on a future podcast? Let us know via our social media pages:Linkedin: Founders Factory AfricaFacebook: Founders Factory AfricaInstagram: Foundersfactory_africaTwitter: FoundersFFA

In this Factory Founder Podcast episode, Co-founder and CEO of Zuri Health, Ikechukwu Anoke, offers in-depth insights about building a business at the intersection of healthtech and fintech. What to look forward to in this episode:Zuri Health's market sizing approach [0:42]The Zuri Health value proposition [4:00]Oversimplifications in African healthcare systems [7:38]Capitalising on collaborations within the healthtech space [8:29]Addressing Africa's healthcare accessibility challenges [14:06]Zuri Health's customer journey [16:55]Onboarding healthcare providers vs. end-users? [20:37]Zuri Health's customer acquisition cost [25:45]Decision making processes as a healthtech founder [26:21]Most surprising findings concerning the Zuri Health app and how it is used [26:37]Monetising the marketplace [28:00]Primary metrics used to track Zuri Health's growth [29:21]Defining success in the healthtech space [30:16]Overcoming challenges since being founded [31:17]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Follow Zuri Health on Linkedin and Twitter.Follow Ikechukwu Anoke on Linkedin.

Kingsley Abrokwah is the CEO of KugiGo and Irina Oduro is KudiGo's Vice President of Product. KudiGo offers its customers the complete digital commerce platform, combining #NoCode e-commerce building with seamless integrations for payments, marketing, and social commerce for micro, small, and medium-sized businesses. In this Factory Founder Podcast episode, Kingsley and Irina discuss KudiGo's innovative approach to the complex e-commerce landscape in Ghana, Nigeria, and Africa. They discuss how KudiGo have sought to provide value to their customers through the platform, talk about their strategy for customer acquisition, and what makes new users want to try their platform.What to look forward to in this episode:KudiGo's current product offering [1:20]The KudiGo evolution story [2:19]The customers using the KudiGo storefront [4:24]A creative solution for e-commerce micro-SMEs [5:28]Monetising a B2B e-commerce platforming [7:35]Structuring subscription offerings [9:19]KudiGo's acquisition channels [10:22]The most surprising lessons learned from building KudiGo [20:17]KudiGo's plans for the future [22:34]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Connect with Kingsley Abrokwah on LinkedIn.Connect with Irina Oduro on Linkedin. Tell us...What lessons stand out from this episode? What questions would you like us to ask Founders on a future podcast?Let us know via our social media pages:Linkedin: Founders Factory AfricaFacebook: Founders Factory AfricaInstagram: Foundersfactory_africaTwitter: FoundersFFA

Alex Musyoka is the Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Viebeg Medical. Viebeg Medical is building modern tools for stakeholders in the medical supply chain to ensure improved availability and accessibility of medical products in Africa.In this Factory Founder Podcast episode, we explore the inspiring story behind the founding of Viebeg, a company dedicated to solving the continent's critical medical product supply gap. With a focus on saving lives and improving healthcare outcomes, Viebeg has developed innovative solutions in three key areas: financing, health demand simulation models, and predictive analytics. What to look forward to in this episode:Why Viebeg are tapping into the healthtech and medtech industry despite premature market conditions [01:36]The state of "just-in-time" medical supply in Africa [03:33]How predictive analytics can be leveraged to deploy medical supplies [05:01]Viebeg's customer acquisition strategy [06:03]The customer validation, assumption and hypotheses journey [07:59]What product market fit looks like for Viebeg [10:26]Viebeg's success metrics [11:40]Expansion journey across Africa's different markets [12:43]Viebeg's competitive advantage [15:32]What the next two to three years look like for Viebeg [16:35]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Connect with Alex Musyoka on LinkedIn.Tell us...What lessons stand out from this episode? What questions would you like us to ask Founders on a future podcast?Let us know via our social media pages:Linkedin: Founders Factory AfricaFacebook: Founders Factory AfricaInstagram: Foundersfactory_africaTwitter: FoundersFFA

Nzwisisa Chidembo is the CEO and Co-Founder of Riskbloq. Riskbloq makes asset discovery as easy as possible with a simple dashboard to help customers identify the next best asset for their investment needs.In this Factory Founder Podcast episode, Nzwisisa discusses Riskbloq's origin story, and lessons learned from derisking crypto and blockchain investing within the African context.  What to look forward to in this episode:Riskbloq's origination story [0:43]Crypto isn't going away [01:56]Adding value to blockchain and crypto investors [03:08]Derisking blockchain and crypto investing [05:03]Riskbloq's customer acquisition strategy [07:07]Leveraging trust to build community [09:04]Building a product for international markets vs local markets [10:37]Three key factors that affect startup burn rates [12:36]Riskbloq's problem-solving techniques [14:15]Most surprising insights gathered from Riskbloq's community of users [19:32]What investors are looking for beyond the product [21:30]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Connect with Nzwisisa Chidembo on LinkedIn.Tell us...What lessons stand out from this episode? What questions would you like us to ask Founders on a future podcast?Let us know via our social media pages:Linkedin: Founders Factory AfricaFacebook: Founders Factory AfricaInstagram: Foundersfactory_africaTwitter: FoundersFFA

Riches Attai is the CEO and Co-Founder of Winich Farms. Winich Farms is a platform where food producers and informal processors/retailers can deal directly with one another without needing a middleman, driving efficiency in the supply chain and lowering the costs of business. In this Factory Founder Podcast episode, Riches discusses how Winich Farms helps food producers and processors access financially inclusive services. What to look forward to in this episode:How Winich Farms is platforming Africa's informal food supply sector [0:27]The Winich Farms origin story [01:27]Bridging gaps in supply vs demand for smallholder farmers [04:27]Proving smallholder farmers with access to finance [05:11]Leveraging community-led growth strategies [16:46]The evolution of Winich Farms' product offering [20:01]Ground game efficiency vs product development [22:25]Winich Farms' customer retention strategies [25:20]Catalysing new monetisation streams [28:25]The insurance vertical [30:40]Circumventing the cash scarcity crisis in Nigeria [33:43]Emerging challenges within the agritech space [35:56]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Connect with Riches Attai on LinkedIn.Connect with Andy Obuoforibo on LinkedIn.Tell us...What lessons stand out from this episode? What questions would you like us to ask Founders on a future podcast?Let us know via our social media pages:Linkedin: Founders Factory AfricaFacebook: Founders Factory AfricaInstagram: Foundersfactory_africaTwitter: FoundersFFA

Kaivan Sattar is the Founder and CEO of Asaak. Asaak provides asset financing to boda boda drivers in Uganda - enabling them to own their own motorcycles on credit. Drivers are also given access to microloans for fuel, smartphones, and personal loans.In this Factory Founder Podcast episode, Kaivan breaks down how Asaak is promoting financial inclusion by offering underserved grassroots entrepreneurs democratised access to much-needed asset finance.What to look forward to in this episode:Asaak's origin story [0:29]Catalysing productive asset loans to emerging market entrepreneurs [01:33]Offering asset financing for boda drivers [01:52]Kaivan sizes the market Asaak is playing for [03:06]How Asaak is engaging a partnerships-based approach to business growth [05:50]Leveraging a B2B2C model for shared wins [07:11]Asaak's customer retention framework [09:21]Why tech-enabled customer relationships are essential [10:22]Asaak's competitive advantage [13:18]Community building as a tool for acquiring customers [16:12]The significance of commercial partnerships in creating valuable products and services [17:33]Securing loan repayments and dealing with slippery customers [18:53]Keeping the customer at the heart of scaling efforts [21:06]Asaak's traction to date [22:57]Meaningful contribution to countering climate change and lowering carbon emissions [24:03]Asaak's plans for geographic expansion [26:32]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Connect with Kaivan Sattar on LinkedIn.Connect with Asaak on LinkedIn.Tell us...What lessons stand out from this episode? What questions would you like us to ask Founders on a future podcast?Let us know via our social media pages:Linkedin: Founders Factory AfricaFacebook: Founders Factory AfricaInstagram: Foundersfactory_africaTwitter: FoundersFFA

Ella Peinovich-Griffith is the Founder and CEO of Powered by People  (PBP), an e-commerce platform that enables African artisans to access an international customer base with their wares. In this Factory Founder Podcast episode, Ella shares lessons learned from running an African venture with global reach at the intersection of community building and impact. What to look forward to in this episode:What does PBP do? [0:13]What is PBP's sales pitch to potential partners or investors? [2:00]Who does PBP serve, and what problems are they solving for those people? [2:45]What key things are changing about the modern consumer and their preferences? [4:58]What is the typical profile of a merchant and artisans on the PBP marketplace? [6:54]What digital tools does PBP provide to empower brands to manage their orders, i.e. track and trace? [11:17]What has the adoption rate been like for a marketplace like PBP? [13:00]What can retailers expect when doing business on the PBP platform? [15:46]What is the strategy for getting artisan products into the retailers' hands? [19:13]How does PBP acquire its customers, and what is the acquisition cost? [20:42]How much of a challenge has logistics been, and how are Ella and her team currently solving for this? [22:43]What does success look like for PBP in the next couple of years? [25:24]How does Ella frame and balance PBP's impact mission with commercial imperatives? [27:13]CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:Connect with Ella Peinovich-Griffith on Linkedin.Connect with Powered By People on Instagram. Tell us...What lessons stand out from this episode? What questions would you like us to ask Founders on a future podcast?Let us know via our social media pages:Linkedin: Founders Factory Africa Facebook: Founders Factory AfricaInstagram: Foundersfactory_africaTwitter: FoundersFFA