Tappi, a Kenyan software-as-a-service (SaaS) startup, is taking its innovative solution for helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) establish an online presence to a new market.
The company, which allows businesses to easily build a website through an automated chat tool, has expanded into Ivory Coast by extending its existing partnership with telecom giant MTN.
Tappi is a rapidly growing Kenyan startup that is digitizing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across Africa. Founded in 2022 by Kenfield Griffith and Louis Majanja, tappi allows business owners to easily create a website and online presence through their app.
The simple three-step process lets SMEs download the tappi app, customize their look and feel, and then promote their business through automated ads on Google, Facebook, and Instagram using just airtime credit or mobile money payments.
Tappi’s Growth and Funding
Since launch, tappi has been on an impressive growth trajectory. The startup has captured verified reviews on over $3 million in consumer transactions and engaged with more than 150,000 consumers.
In December 2023, tappi raised $1.5 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed round led by Mercy Corps Ventures and Chui Ventures.
Expansion into Ivory Coast with MTN
Tappi is now expanding into the Ivory Coast market through a partnership with telecom giant MTN. For as low as $8 (KES 1,057) per month, SMEs in Ivory Coast can access tappi’s SaaS tools to generate SEO-optimized websites in under two minutes, distribute online ads, and secure additional digital services.
Through MTN’s network of 17 million customers in Ivory Coast, businesses can also access tappi’s services via bundled data plans. This presents a major growth opportunity for tappi to reach the 150 million consumers across Francophone Africa.
“With a strong GDP growth rate of 6.9 per cent, Ivory Coast not only represents the ideal market to empower MSMEs primed to digitise and significantly expand their customer base, but will act as a critical gateway to access Francophone Africa’s 150 million consumers as we identify future growth opportunities across the region,” said Kenfield Griffith, tappi co-founder.
MTN has been an integral partner for tappi since day one, and this Ivory Coast expansion aligns with their shared mission of digitizing African SMEs at scale.
“Alongside MTN, we are proud to kickstart this mission with one of our top partners, who has been integral to tappi since day one and is equally committed to the goal of digitising MSMEs across Africa. With over 17 million customers in Ivory Coast alone, and a robust mobile money network, we firmly believe MTN holds the perfect reach, scale and infrastructure to seamlessly get technology into the hands of MSMEs ready to grow their businesses, and we look forward to driving ahead with the next phase of our partnership,” Griffith stated.
