Nairobi-based M: lab East Africa will be welcoming new mobile start-ups for resident incubation program on September 2 2013 in a move to enable East Africa entrepreneurs build success mobile companies.
M: lab East Africa’s dream is to be a leader in identifying, nurturing and helping to build sustainable business in the knowledge economy, and it is through the incubation program that the hub helps start-ups grow and compete effectively in the global market. It also helps the startups tackle challenges such as lack of seed funding, tech-enabled office space and a mentor-ship program.
The start ups have access to physical space for working, internet and other business facilities at subsidized rates. They also benefit form intense and customized entrepreneurship training, coaching, support and advice, as well as business advisory and linkage to access early stage funding.
In 2011 the company incubated seven mobile start-ups for an incubation program such Kopo Kopo- which makes it possible for any small and medium business in East Africa to accept mobile money payments. MedAfrica, a medical service content platform that seeks to create health awareness among consumers from their mobile phones and a winner of Pivot25 and Global Ericsson Application Award in company category was also incubated at the M:lab.
Other firms incubated at m:lab include M-farm Limited, an award winning software solution and agribusiness company; Uhasibu, another award winning cloud-based accounting systems for small and medium companies East Africa; Zege Technologies’s M-PAYER that ease and automated the process of frequent payment through mobile money; Whive, a social media platform for startups and MTL,M-Shop builder, a platform that allows consumers to order, pay for, obtain and validate tickets for events, travel, goods & services.