Wasoko, formerly known as Sokowatch, is a privately held company based in Nairobi, Kenya, founded in 2016. It operates as a B2B e-commerce platform providing informal retailers across Africa with access to essential goods and financing. Wasoko has raised significant funding, including a $125 million Series B round in 2022, and has expanded its operations to multiple African countries, including Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Ivory Coast, and Senegal.
Wasoko Corporate Details & Core Services
Wasoko, formerly known as Sokowatch, is a B2B e-commerce platform that provides informal retailers across Africa with access to essential goods and financing. Retailers can order products via SMS or mobile app for free same-day delivery, and access Buy Now Pay Later financing to overcome working capital constraints.
B2B E-commerceRetail Supply ChainInformal RetailBuy Now Pay Later
What are Wasoko's Key Business Metrics & Stats?
No of employees
800
Founded year
2016
Type
private
Industry
E-commerce
Location
Nairobi, Kenya
Pricing Strategy
Competitive product pricing below traditional wholesalers, Free same-day delivery for orders placed before 2 PM, Buy now, pay later options for eligible retailers
How much funding has Wasoko raised to date?
Name
Description
Funding Amount
USD 2 Million
Stage
Seed
Latest Valuation
625 Million (USD)
Lead Investor
4DX Ventures
Investors
4DX Ventures, Village Global, Lynett Capital, Golden Palm Investments, Outlierz Ventures
What are Wasoko's Core Products?
Name
Description
Wasoko Mobile App
A mobile application that allows informal retailers to order products and receive free same-day delivery to their stores.
WKash
A financial service offering buy now, pay later options to retailers, providing them with working capital to order more goods.
What are the latest developments at Wasoko?
Date
Type
Description
March, 2022
Funding
Wasoko raised $125 million in Series B funding led by Tiger Global and Avenir Growth Capital.
March, 2022
Rebranding
Sokowatch rebranded to Wasoko to reflect its pan-African focus.
March, 2022
Expansion
Wasoko launched operations in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, and Dakar, Senegal.
August, 2024
Merger
Wasoko and MaxAB completed a merger to strengthen their position in the African B2B e-commerce market.
What industry awards and recognitions has Wasoko received?
Date
Type
Description
March, 2021
Innovation
Named one of Fast Company's 'World's Most Innovative Companies' in 2021.
June, 2021
Technology
Selected as a 'Technology Pioneer' by the World Economic Forum.
December, 2020
E-commerce
Won the e-commerce category at the AppsAfrica Innovation Awards.
October, 2020
Fintech
Winner of the Visa Everywhere Initiative for solutions aiding small businesses during COVID-19.
Wasoko VS Kobo360 VS MaxAB VS Twiga Foods VS Trade Depot VS MarketForce : 2026 Comparison
Kobo360 Digital Logistics Platform, Kobo360 Mobile and Web Applications, Kobo360 Vendor Financing, Kobo360 Warehousing, Clearing & Freight Forwarding, Kobo360 Rail and Barge Operations
E-commerce Platform, Fintech Solutions, Data Analytics
What are Wasoko's official legal and registration details?
Name
Description
Legal Name
Wasoko
Cin number
GST number
Registration number
Who is in Wasoko's executive leadership team?
Name
Designation
CEO
Daniel Yu
Head of Marketing
Mellany Msengezi
Head of Sourcing
Aurelien Barreau
Head of Business Intelligence
Georges Bejjani
Where are Wasoko's primary office locations?
City
Country
Nairobi
Kenya
Dar es Salaam
Tanzania
Kigali
Rwanda
Kampala
Uganda
Abidjan
Ivory Coast
Dakar
Senegal
What are the current business signals and market intelligence for Wasoko?
Spending next 3 months
Geographic expansion into new African markets, Enhancing product offerings such as point-of-sale systems and bill payments, Hiring additional staff to support growth
Pain points
Inconsistent product availability, High costs and time-consuming restocking processes, Limited access to financial services and credit
Sales motion
Direct engagement with retailers via SMS and mobile app, Same-day delivery through a network of logistics drivers, Offering buy now, pay later options to eligible retailers
Buyer Persona
Informal retail shop owners seeking efficient inventory management, Retailers looking for reliable and timely product deliveries, Shop owners interested in accessing credit to grow their businesses
Type of customer
Informal retail shop owners, Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
Key customer domain
Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) retail
Annual ACV
Approximately $300 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) as of 2022
What is Wasoko's annual revenue history?
Year
Revenue (USD)
2021
136.9 Million
What are Wasoko's risk management and compliance ratings?
GDPR RIsk
No
Privacy Risk
No
Company Ratings
Glassdoor Rating
4.6
What are Wasoko's business model and service classifications?
