Spark Accelerator Program Launches Nine Startups to Drive Innovation and Societal Change

An electrifying event marked the unveiling of nine early-stage startups selected for the Spark Accelerator Program. Organized in collaboration with M-PESA Africa and Sumitomo Corporation, the program aims to support visionary founders in scaling their businesses.

Implemented by iHub Nairobi, the Spark Accelerator Program seeks to nurture commercially viable startups that also drive societal change. The recipient startups were chosen from various categories, including Embedded Finance, Future Fintech, SME Productivity Tools, and Content.

Here are the beneficiary startups:

• Chumz.io: Utilizes mobile money, gamification, and behavioral psychology to build a community of savers.
• nobuk: Simplifies payment collection and reconciliation for African groups and collectives, enhancing financial reporting.
• chpter.: Empowers businesses to boost sales on platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram by automating conversations, marketing, and payments through an AI-powered platform.
• FaidiHR: A comprehensive cloud-based payroll and HR platform for businesses.
• Churpy Inc.: Automates repetitive and manual tasks in the office of the CFO.
• Twiva: A social-commerce platform that helps brands access markets by leveraging social media influencers.
• HealthX: A data-driven primary healthcare provider offering hybrid digital and physical touchpoints, aiming to provide a doctor for every Kenyan.
• BlackRhino VR: Enables creators and brands to tell immersive and interactive stories appealing to contemporary audiences.
• VunaPay: Facilitates instant payments to smallholder farmers for produce delivered to agricultural cooperatives.

Additional support for the startups will be provided by partners such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), PwC, and Vodacom.