Kenya's Sukhiba Connect raises $1.55M seed extension round for expansion
Summary
The platform focuses on emerging markets and helps medium and large enterprises enhance their sales and retention through WhatsApp.The startup has developed a B2B conversational commerce tool that allows businesses to connect with and sell to customers via WhatsApp.According to the Global Web Indexs 2020 Social Media User Trends Report, 97% of internet users in Kenya use WhatsApp monthly. Buyers can browse product catalogues, add or remove items from their carts, and complete purchasesall within WhatsApp.According to the company, it scales effortlessly by integrating several payment providers and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, including SAP, ERPNext, Shopify, and WooCommerce.SUKHIBA is designed to bridge the gap between brands, manufacturers, distributors, and their customers in emerging markets by leveraging the ubiquitous nature of WhatsApp.This seed extension marks a significant milestone for us, enabling us to scale our operations and enhance our SaaS platform to better serve our growing customer base of manufacturers, distributors and D2C brands, Gudipati says.Since its initial seed round in 2023, Sukhiba Connect asserts it has experienced significant growth. It now operates in eight markets across Africa and India, collaborating with leading manufacturers, distributors, major retail chains, and direct-to-consumer brands.Over 35,000 SMEs use the platform to purchase products and services through its merchant partners. In contrast, in 2023, the startup facilitated WhatsApp commerce for over 30 major companies, including leading manufacturers and distributors. These companies, in turn, serve nearly 15,000 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), including retailers.Whats more, Sukhiba Connect aims to become the top CRM and sales force automation tool in emerging markets, competing with social commerce players like Kapu and MarketForces Chpter.