Young people chasing dreams face a lot of rejection, right? Despite these challenges, young African business owners are changing the game in areas like real estate, tech, and farming, turning problems into strengths. Many receive grants, secure major investments, and attract large user bases, so these startups don’t just look good, they grow fast and gain recognition worldwide.
We curated this Africa startup list to showcase businesses that prove how innovative and impactful African entrepreneurs can be. These entrepreneurs use technology to solve real problems, improve services, create jobs, and strengthen the continent’s economy.
Here are 30 African brands on the rise that are really making waves. You’ll find what issue each of them is solving, who their primary customers are, and the reasons for their growing popularity.
Nigerians’ enthusiasm for events often makes planning difficult. Partyverse addresses this challenge by offering a platform to locate, arrange, and manage events. In less than a year, it collaborated with PiggyVest and secured funding from Zrosk. It also enhances the event experience by letting customers capture and share memories, making each event memorable.
mPharma tackles the problem of expensive and inconsistent access to medicine in Africa by supplying pharmacies with low-cost drugs and using technology to manage inventories. The company operates in over ten countries and partners with public health organizations to improve medicine access, even in rural areas.
Flux improves soil health and absorbs CO₂ using crushed basalt rock through rapid weathering. The company manages logistics, field mapping, and an 800-acre research farm for experiments. Additionally, it provides carbon removal certificates to prevent soil degradation and promote sustainable agriculture.
Founded by professionals from Tesla and Google, ChipMango addresses Africa’s semiconductor skills gap by offering chip design training and services. It partners with Nigerian universities, has generated $200,000 in revenue, and meets the rising global demand for chip design capacity.
This prominent EdTech firm in West Africa was founded in 2019. It provides an online platform with video lectures, tests, and exam preparation for primary and secondary school curricula. For students in low-connectivity areas, it offers offline access. With millions of users and significant funding, including a $15 million Series B round, uLesson continues to grow rapidly.
Woliz builds digital infrastructure to connect small businesses with consumer goods companies and banks. It helps retailers manage stock and accept digital payments in one platform. After a $2.2 million pre-seed funding round, Woliz has processed over $50 million in gross product value and onboarded 55,000 retailers since its 2024 launch.
Gowagr, based on Polymarket, transforms prediction markets while addressing the stigma around gambling. It attracts close to 200,000 users in just two years and facilitates esports and fantasy gaming tournaments, adding entertainment and user engagement.
M-KOPA offers pay-as-you-go solar energy services using mobile payments in Uganda and other African countries. It expanded to provide over $1 billion in products to millions of under banked consumers, including cellphones, electric motorcycles, cash loans, and health insurance.
Koolboks uses solar-powered technology to provide reliable refrigeration in remote areas for up to seven days without electricity. This reduces reliance on expensive and unstable energy sources, preserves vaccines safely, and helps maintain food quality.
Founded in 1994, MTN Group became Africa’s most valuable brand with a $3.3 billion valuation. Operating in over 20 countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda, it has driven digital inclusion and innovation. In 2025, Brand Africa ranked MTN as South Africa’s best telecom and most preferred brand.
Kiro’o Games, a pioneering Cameroonian video game developer, incorporates African lore into titles such as Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan. The studio showcases Africa’s creative potential and promotes African culture in the global gaming industry.
Bathu Shoes is a leading sneaker brand in the $219 million South African market. Known for colorful designs that promote African identity, the company has 35 branches, 400 employees, and an annual turnover of $11.5 million. It retains 95% control over design, production, and retail operations.
ChatCasa leverages AI to improve customer experience. Its human-assisted assistant integrates with multiple corporate applications, answers customer questions, tracks sales, and provides performance insights to streamline operations.
Swvl provides affordable bus-sharing services across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. The company raised approximately $264 million to improve urban transportation reliability. Its focus on cost and convenience distinguishes it as a mobility industry leader.
Midiarack consolidates ad placements across billboards, radio, and other media, helping marketers assess and book media spots in one place. In seven months, it has grossed over 300,000 cedis and gained significant traction.
LevvyBox transforms cars into advertising platforms. It employs 400 drivers who earn extra income through in-car ads or rooftop billboards. Its initial brand partners include Kava, Yellowlyfe, and Filmhouse Cinemas.
Dodai began operations in 2023 and raised $6.2 million in funding. Its electric bikes travel up to 93 miles per charge, with batteries lasting around eight years. The company also rents scooters and assembles affordable electric three-wheelers, helping solve urban transportation issues.
Oikus strengthens trust in African real estate by verifying property data and avoiding fraud. It examined over 100,000 listings and conducted 250 resident surveys. The company will speak at the Lagos State Real Estate Marketplace Conference in 2025.
M-Pesa provides real-time mobile money transfers, improving financial inclusion among the unbanked. Users can safely store and transfer funds, reducing theft and fraud risks in seven African countries.
Founded in 2018, Wave offers low-cost money transfers in Francophone Africa. With over 150,000 agents and 29 million active users monthly, it provides free deposits and withdrawals, making financial services more accessible in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and beyond.
FreezeLink transforms food and medicine distribution in Africa by offering a comprehensive cold chain service that includes four key functions: cold storage, transportation, wholesale distribution, and the construction of solar-powered cold storage facilities, all supported by a dedicated technical team.
This initiative was set up in the period of economic turmoil, and it supports traders like a Lusaka business owner by offering cross-border banking capabilities. It provides loans and payments to the owners of small businesses, enabling them to cope with the business requirements by making frequent payments through digital borrowing.
This technology platform supports children’s healthcare by reducing the shortage of specialists and speeding up diagnosis. It functions as an extension of standard medical practice.
Flutterwave offers an API for cross-border payments in Africa, solving payment infrastructure challenges. It enables e-commerce sellers to accept international cards and increase sales without high costs.
It works in over 50 countries; AppsTech. The report of the African Business Roundtable states that, in 2025, it will be supported by more policies favorable to startups and transnational online trade. It promotes the establishment of complete ecosystems in the technological industry.
Senga empowers businesses to deliver exceptional service to their clients. They provide one-stop, high-touch logistics services to enterprises transporting goods by road. They offer services to firms in retail, manufacturing, eCommerce, construction, and agriculture.
Eyone is a platform that supports effective and patient-centered care by means of real-time interoperability between patients, physicians, and medical records, which facilitates connecting all parties.
Plentify connects to household appliances in South Africa, allowing households to save money by moving energy demand to greener and more affordable periods. AI gadgets that warm water during power outages have become crucial solutions to load-shedding problems and are now considered household necessities.
is a platform where smallholder farmers in Nigeria are assisted with crowdfunding investments in agricultural inputs, technology, and market access. It also tackles the great problems facing the farmers, including limited access to financing, low productivity, and access to markets.
Clickatell is a leading chat commerce company headquartered in South Africa that provides a powerful platform that enhances better consumer interaction, makes the process easier, and makes customers happier.
These Rising 30 brands are riding the wave of global innovation and shaping the economic future of the continent.
With additional funding and legal support, this new generation of entrepreneurs hopes to create profitable businesses that have the potential to significantly alter the global economy and go beyond Africa.