ImpactAlpha, February 16 – Kenya’s long-distance bus services, which are privately operated, haven’t kept pace with the online trends of its passengers. Bus operators often require in-person bookings and cash payments.
Nairobi-based BuuPass is working to make mass transit easier and more accessible for users. The company offers bus fleet-management software, as well as an online marketplace for passengers to book tickets, reserve seats and pay online.
The seven-year-old company works with more than 25 bus companies operating about 1,200 vehicles in Kenya and Uganda.
BuuPass raised $1.3 million in pre-seed funding from FrontEnd Ventures, Google’s Black Founders Fund and impact investor Renew Capital. Renew’s impact angle for BuuPass centers around “affordable and efficient access to transportation for the masses.”
The investment is one of Renew’s first few deals outside of its home market, Ethiopia. The firm is increasingly expanding into other African markets and looking at companies and sectors that benefit from digitalization and strategic technologies.
