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

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

Motorbike hailing platforms in other emerging markets (GoJek/GoTo)
African mobility context
SafeBoda's founding & early history
Fundraising and growth
Product & monetization strategy
Competitive positioning & potential exit options
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 [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 to drive the ecosystem forward. Contact us at [email protected]

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