Kwara, a Kenyan fintech company, has announced a significant expansion of its client base and plans for further growth. The company, which specializes in digitizing credit unions, or saccos, has more than doubled its client base in the past year. This growth has been facilitated by a $3 million seed extension round as well as an exclusive digital solutions distribution agreement with the Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Cooperatives (Kuscco), the national umbrella body representing saccos. As a result of this partnership, Kwara now has access to over 4,000 saccos for its banking-as-a-service offering. Additionally, the company has acquired Kuscco's subsidiary IRNET, a software company, and provider for saccos, for an undisclosed amount.
Kwara's CEO, Cynthia Wandia, stated that the company sees a significant opportunity for growth in the Kenyan market and plans to invest in products and services that will deepen its relationship with customers. The partnership with Kuscco is seen as a strategic move, as it allows Kwara to generate leads and distribute its core product more quickly while also solidifying its competitive position. The funding round included participation from existing investors as well as new backers, bringing Kwara's total seed funding to $7 million.
Kwara's product upgrades the back-office operations of credit unions, enabling them to shift away from paper-based processes and physical branches, thereby opening up new growth opportunities. The company also offers a next-generation neobank app that provides members of partner credit unions with additional services such as instant loans and third-party services such as insurance. The user base of this app has grown 35-fold since its launch.
In the coming years, Kwara plans to continue adding enterprise-grade features for large, well-capitalized saccos as well as investing in improving the neobanking experience for its customers. The company also plans to sign additional third-party partnerships to add more value to its app users.
Play audio
No comments