#60: M-Kopa - How the asset financing platform is providing access to consumer products across Kenya & Africa

Overview: Today, we’re going to talk about M-Kopa, the African asset financing platform. We’ll explore the M-Kopa story across 5 areas:

African electrical power context

M-Kopa's early history

Product & monetization strategy

Competitive positioning & exit options

Then we'll end with our views on its overall outlook.

This episode was recorded on Jan 15, 2023

Companies discussed: M-Kopa, Safaricom (M-Pesa), d.light, Zola Electric, Transsion, Samsung, Nokia (HMD global), Airtel, MTN, Mobisol, Carbon & Fairmoney

Business concepts discussed: Rural electrification, Payment infrastructure, Pay-as-you-go Solar, Off-grid energy, asset financing, credit scoring, risk assessment & renewable energy

Conversation highlights:

(05:45) - Africa electricity access context

(09:45) - Kenya electricity access context

(14:55) - M-Kopa early history

(16:55 ) - Founders’ background

(25:07) - Other ideas before M-Kopa and M-Kopa launch

(28:44) - Launch strategy - partnerships, sales and distribution

(32:05) - Fundraising, Growth, Geo Expansion, Team

(54:01) - Product strategy and how the product works

(1:06:04) - Monetization strategy

(1:14:16) - Competition and options for exit

(01:29:50) - Olumide’s overall thoughts and outlook

(1:38:06) - Bankole’s overall thoughts and outlook

(1:48:08) - Recommendations and small wins

Olumide’s recommendations & small wins:

Interested in investing in Africa Tech with Olumide: Read about Adamantium fund & contact me at [email protected]

Founders looking for funding: If you're a B2B founder working on Education, Health, Finance or food, please contact me for funding at [email protected]

Recommendation 1: Descript: We use it for afrobility and even though I didn't initially think we needed it, it's grown on me. Especially now that I'm using it more aggressively for my personal finance book (myfiredom.com) editing

Recommendation 2: Dances with wolves movie. So so good!

Small win 1: Hung out with mum during thanksgiving break. It was cool!

Small win 2: New years day with friends in London. It was nice!

Bankole’s recommendations & small wins:

Recommendation: Building an AI Chatbot off Podcast Transcripts

Small win: Happy to be back home after months of travelling in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa

Other content: M-Kopa Solar Is Making a Profit on Poor Africans

Listeners: We’d love to hear from you. Email [email protected] with feedback!

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

Investors: It would be great to link up with you. Contact us at [email protected]

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