#41: SafeBoda - How the Ugandan motorbike hailing platform is delivering mobility services across Africa

Afrobility: Africa Tech and Business

Overview: Today, we’re going to talk about SafeBoda - the Ugandan motorbike hailing platform. We’ll explore the SafeBoda story across 7 areas:

1. Motorbike hailing platforms in other emerging markets (GoJek/GoTo)
2. African mobility context
3. SafeBoda's founding & early history
4. Fundraising and growth
5. Product & monetization strategy
6. Competitive positioning & potential exit options
7. Overall outlook

This episode was recorded on Oct 31, 2021.

Companies discussed: SafeBoda, GoJek (GoTo), Gokada, Pathao, Allianz X, CRE Ventures, Uber Boda, Bolt / Taxify Boda, Tugende, Chipper Cash, Musha ventures, Go ventures & Gozem

Business concepts discussed: Mobility Tech, Pan-Africa expansion, Transportation + FinTech Superapps

Conversation highlights:

• (05:20) - Motorbike hailing platforms in other emerging markets (GoJek)
• (05:30) - Africa transportation context
• (07:40) - Uganda country & transportation context
• (24:50) - Founder background - Rapa Thomson, Maxime Dieudonne, Alastair Sussock
• (38:20) - SafeBoda's launch
• (43:36) - Fundraising
• (52:50) - Geographic expansion
• (1:15:00) - Product & monetization strategy
• (1:25:00) - Competition and exit options
• (1:37:00) - Olumide’s overall thoughts and outlook
• (1:48:01) - Bankole’s overall thoughts and outlook
• (1:51:10) - Recommendations and small wins

Olumide’s recommendations & small wins:

• Recommendation: Founders podcast (by Dave Senra) & Don't Sweat the Small Stuff . . . and It's All Small Stuff (by Richard Carlson)
• Small win: Was in Chicago hanging out with friends for birthday, Hung out with friends in a Miami night out & installed Windows 11 which is sweet and beautiful
• Other content: Get.Africa #46 article about SafeBoda's Kenya exit (by Chiagoziem Onyekwena), Twitter conversation (by Stone Atwine) about SafeBoda's disintermediation

Bankole’s recommendations & small wins:

• Recommendation: Azonto Ghost song & movie || How Big Tech Runs Tech Projects and the Curious Absence of Scrum
• Small win: Chelsea FC can’t stop winning. Big win.
• Other content: So, Where did the Popular Uganda Boda Bodas Come From?

Listeners: We’d love to hear from you. Email [e-mail] with feedback!

Founders & Operators: We'd love to hear about what you're working on, email us at [e-mail]

Investors: It would be great to link up with you to drive the ecosystem forward. Contact us at [e-mail]

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