DAR ES SALAAM: A Tanzanian digital company, Flowteller, cashed 1.8m/- after emerging as the top venture during the 11th edition of Harambe Evening startup pitch held in Masaki, Dar es Salaam, recently.
They secured victory after presenting an incredible startup that enables mobile money agents to expand their services beyond cash transactions, beating the other two startups, Lipisha and Winvo, in the process.
Organized by Serengeti Angels in partnership with WakaPay and the Dutch Embassy to Tanzania, the event brought together entrepreneurs, investors and members of Tanzania’s technology ecosystem.
“I am excited that our startup idea has excelled during this event…it was not easy but we have shown our strength in innovation as a team.
“Flowteller offers technology that allows traders to deliver digital services directly to their community,” said Flowteller founder Mr David Bwire.
For Lipisha, they showcased a platform focused on B2B payments and reconciliation tools, aimed at helping businesses track and manage transactions more efficiently.
On the other hand, Winvo introduced a solution designed to finance Local Purchase Orders (LPOs) through peer-to-peer crowdfunding, allowing investors to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
During the event, organisers also shared insights about WakaPay, a Tanzanian fintech startup enabling mobile money users in Tanzania to pay traders in Kenya directly.
The platform offers cross-border payments with competitive foreign exchange rates and a flat fee 1 dollar for transactions up to 150,000/-, after which a 1.5 percent charge applies.
WakaPay founder George Mtemahanji said the solution is aimed at simplifying cross-border transactions as trade within Africa continues to expand.
“Across Africa, trade has always moved faster than the systems designed to support it,” he said. “With WakaPay, we aim to make sending money across borders as simple as paying a neighbour.”
On her part, Ms Wilma Mallya, a real estate consultant who attended the event for the first time, revealed that she was thrilled with the level of innovation from the three competitors, Flowteller, Lipisha and Winvo.
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Meanwhile, for organizers, they said the initiative reflects continued collaboration between the Waka team, Serengeti Angels and the Dutch Embassy in supporting entrepreneurship and strengthening Tanzania’s startup ecosystems.
Harambee Evening is a community-driven platform designed to give early-stage startups an opportunity to present their ideas, gain visibility and connect with potential investors and supporters.
