Three Kenyan teams win Citibank’s global mobile apps contest

Kamal Budhabhati from Craft Silicon presents the Elma mobile commerce payment app during the Citi Mobile Challenge held at Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel, Nairobi, in April. Right: Tony Ndung’u presents the Kytabu app by Kytabu Inc at the same venue. PHOTOS | COURTESY 

By SANDRA CHAO-BLASTO, schao@ke.nationmedia.com

Umati Capital, Craft Silicon and Kytabu Inc were last week listed among winners of the Citibank Mobile Challenge with each bagging Sh2.5 million.

The three were among 14 Kenyan software developers who made it to the finalists’ list, comprising participants from across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The global Citibank initiative is aimed at inspiring technology developers to re-imagine mobile banking and payments and to stimulate digital progress in the industry.

The win by Kenyan start-ups goes to reinforce the widespread use and popularity of mobile phones.

Kytabu won in the most innovative social impact solution category, Umati Capital was recognised for having the most innovative solution in the businesses category, while Craft Silicon provided the best social commerce solution.

Craft Silicon’s Elma is a commerce platform which allows users to come up with customised products for various purposes such as paying for utilities.

The company recently announced that it had upgraded the app, which was initially released three years ago, to Elma2.0. The company said it’s “way ahead of present technology.” The re-launched version is set to include a tap-and-go payment system.

Kytabu, also launched in 2012, is a textbook subscription application for mobile devices which allows users to buy books or chapters through mobile money transactions.

The application has pre-installed books within the 8-4-4 curriculum and has an audio feature for those who prefer to listen to rather than read their books.

Umati Capital is an invoice discounting and SME working capital solutions provider which uses a mobile app that enables suppliers to receive payments through their phones.

Their suite of mobile and web applications allow corporations and their SME suppliers to access working capital advances against outstanding payments, tackling the financing gap that many experience.

This is not the first time that Kenyan innovations are proving successful and viable. The acquisition of M-Ledger by mobile operator Safaricom and more recently AFB’s buying of the Weza Tele application for Sh100 million are examples of successful local innovations.

Mobile penetration in the country stands at above 80 per cent, according to data from the Communications Authority of Kenya.

This means almost every Kenyan has access to a mobile phone albeit not a smart one. The rapid growth of mobile money services such as M-Pesa and Airtel Money has further increased demand for mobile phones and services accessible through them.

Banks and other microfinance institutions have been at the forefront of integrating mobile technology, with each coming up with unique applications for their customers to access mobile banking services.