Kigali-based fintech Kayko has secured USD 1.2 million in seed funding as it works to digitise the day-to-day operations of Rwanda’s informal merchants and develop data infrastructure capable of unlocking access to formal lending. The round attracted participation from Burrow Capital, LuxDev, Hanga Ignite, and develoPPP Ventures.
Founded in 2021 by brothers Crepin and Kevin Kayisire, Kayko began as a university capstone project and has since evolved into a micro-ERP platform serving more than 8,500 small and medium-sized enterprises. The platform supports bookkeeping, inventory management, and tax visibility, generating real-time financial data that can be used to better understand business performance. Through this approach, Kayko is targeting the multi-billion-dollar financing gap affecting small businesses in Rwanda, while enabling banks to evaluate creditworthiness beyond traditional collateral requirements.
According to the company, the fresh capital will be used to scale its operations, advance credit scoring capabilities, and deepen partnerships with financial institutions, as Kayko continues to position itself at the intersection of SME digitisation and access to finance.
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