ImpactAlpha, June 15 – A hot tech trend: helping digitize micro and small businesses in emerging markets (see, “African tech startups are peddling pandemic resilience”). The thousands of small businesses on Sky.Garden’s e-commerce platform also get help navigating formal and informal delivery channels.
The Nairobi-based company raised a $4 million Series A round from German-backed SANAD Fund for MSME, Aavishkaar, Uncovered Fund, and KSK Angel Fund.
Aavishkaar’s Ashish Patel said the pandemic underscored the mission of Sky.Garden’s Danish founders to democratize access to e-commerce in Kenya. SANAD, which invests in social enterprises supporting micro and small businesses in Africa and the Middle East, noted Sky.Garden’s commitment to “expanding access to the benefits of e-commerce to the locally-owned businesses that drive the engine of the economy.”
Digital Indonesia.
Separately, Valar Ventures led BukuWarung’s $60 million Series A round to help digitize the country’s micro and small businesses.