About SaaS sector in Kenya
The SaaS sector in Kenya comprises 618 companies, including 62 funded companies having collectively raised $146M in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 9 are Series A+ funded.
SaaS sector in Kenya has seen 2 acquisitions and 1 IPO.
This sector includes companies providing cloud-based, multi-tenant and subscription or on-demand B2B software applications.
All B2B software that offers cloud-based, multi-tenant solutions for business functions like Marketing, HR, Sales, Business Intelligence, etc are included in this sector. 1. All On-premise B2B software are excluded. 2. All companies that do not offer their own proprietary software are excluded. 3. Services and Consulting firms are also excluded. 4. Resellers are also excluded.
Key Metrics
Total Companies
Top Companies
Total Funding
Funded Companies
Series A+ Companies
Series C+ Companies
IPOs
Acquisitions
Top SaaS Companies in Kenya
There are 618 SaaS startups in Kenya which include Africa's Talking, Craft Silicon, Powerhive, WorkPay, Leta. Out of these, 62 startups are funded, with 9 having secured Series A+ funding.
Over the past 10 years, an average of 42 new companies have been launched annually. Notably, several of these startups have been founded by alumni of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University and University College London.
Here is the list of top SaaS startups in Kenya
Platform offering USSD API solutions. The platform offers bulk SMS, shortcodes, premium SMS, USSD, MMS, and customized mobile messaging solutions for individuals, businesses, and developers. With the API developers, it can connect a short code, use an alphanumeric sender id, and send SMS messages across Kenya.
Key facts about Africa's Talking
Provider of banking, microfinance, fund management, and merchant service solutions. The company delivers core banking, loan origination, mobile banking, and anti-money laundering solutions. It offers services such as virtual lending, agency banking, and remote account opening. The company also provides solutions for investment management, agri finance, and SAACO operations.
Key facts about Craft Silicon
- Founded Year: 2000
- Location: Nairobi (Kenya)
- Stage: Seed
- Investors: Norfund
- Latest Funding Round: Seed, 2009, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 54/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 15 of 404 Competitors
3. Powerhive
Provider of cloud-based asset intelligence solutions for microgrids. It offers a cloud-based software platform Honeycomb - that remotely monitors and controls microgrid operations, and runs real-time data analytics.
Key facts about Powerhive
- Founded Year: 2011
- Location: Nairobi (Kenya)
- Stage: Series B
- Total Funding till date: $34.3M
- Investors: Prelude Ventures, Kouros Investment and 7 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series B, Mar 23, 2022, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 54/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 2 of 12 Competitors
4. WorkPay
Cloud-based HRMS suite solutions for SMBs.It offers features such as employee attendance tracking, claiming expenses, performance management, an employee self-service portal, payroll administration, time tracking, employee wellness benefits, etc. It is a tool available on the subscription based pricing model.
Key facts about WorkPay
- Founded Year: 2017
- Location: Nairobi (Kenya)
- Stage: Series A
- Total Funding till date: $13.9M
- Investors: Kepple Africa Ventures, Cottonwood Venture Partners and 19 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series A, Jun 12, 2024, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 54/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 48 of 1,271 Competitors
5. Leta
Provider of AI & web-based transportation management solutions. The company offers solutions for managing last-mile delivery and freight transportation operations. It includes load optimization, route optimization, delivery management, and customer engagement.
Key facts about Leta
- Founded Year: 2021
- Location: Nairobi (Kenya)
- Stage: Seed
- Total Funding till date: $8M
- Investors: Speedinvest, 4Di Capital and 10 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Seed, Feb 27, 2025, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 53/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 24 of 1,711 Competitors
Companies founded year-on-year in the SaaS sector in Kenya
109 SaaS startups in Kenya were founded in 2020 - this is the most number of startups founded in any year in the last 10 years.
- Total Number of Companies
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | - |
2025 | 3 |
2024 | 17 |
2023 | 36 |
2022 | 42 |
2021 | 60 |
2020 | 109 |
2019 | 65 |
2018 | 50 |
2017 | 44 |
Stage-wise distribution of SaaS sector companies in Kenya
Out of the total 618 SaaS companies in Kenya, 62 have secured funding. Among them, 9 have reached Series A or higher, and 5 to Series B or beyond.
Founded - 618
Funded - 62
Series A+ - 9
Series B+ - 5
Series C+ - 3
Company Stage | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Founded | 618 |
Funded | 62 |
Series A+ | 9 |
Series B+ | 5 |
Series C+ | 3 |
Let us walk you through our Sectors and other offerings
Designed with precision for VCs, PE, IBs, Incubators, M&A, Innovation more
Designed with precision for VCs, PE, IBs, Incubators, M&A, Innovation more
Funding Trends in the SaaS sector in Kenya
Total funding year-on-year in the SaaS sector in Kenya
The SaaS sector in Kenya saw a total funding of more than $143M in the last 10 years. The most amount of funding was in 2022 at more than $46.9M.
- Total Funding
Year | Total Funding |
|---|---|
2025 | $5.36M |
2024 | $10M |
2023 | $7.4M |
2022 | $46.9M |
2021 | $23.5M |
2020 | $2.93M |
2019 | $10.4M |
2018 | $13.4M |
2017 | $460K |
Recent Funding Rounds in SaaS in Kenya
In the year 2025, till October 2025, SaaS companies in Kenya have raised $5M in equity funding across 2 rounds.
In the same period last year (i.e. till September 2024), SaaS companies in Kenya had raised $10M across 5 rounds.
So, 2025 has seen a 50.1% drop in funding in SaaS companies in Kenya as compared to 2024.
Here are some recent, important funding rounds in SaaS companies in Kenya:
Company | Round Raised | Amount Raised | Funding Date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Seed | 3084 | Oct 27, 2025 | ||
Seed | 4078 | Feb 27, 2025 | and 2 more | |
Seed | 5470 | Dec 26, 2024 | ||
Seed | 9764 | Sep 09, 2024 | ||
Seed | 4003 | Sep 02, 2024 | and 8 more |
Top Investors in SaaS in Kenya
Everywhere is the top investor in SaaS companies in Kenya based on number of companies invested.
Here are some top investors in SaaS companies in Kenya:
Investor | Location | Top Portfolio Companies |
|---|---|---|
New York City (United States) | - | |
London (United Kingdom) | - | |
Paris (France) | - | |
New York City (United States) | ||
Singapore (Singapore) | - |
M&A activity in SaaS sector in Kenya
In the year 2022, till September 2022, 2 acquisitions happened in SaaS sector in Kenya.
Here are some recent, important acquisitions in SaaS sector in Kenya:
Company | Acquisition Type | Acquisition Date | Acquirers |
|---|---|---|---|
Acqui-Hired | Sep 12, 2022 | ||
Business Acquisition | Aug 11, 2022 |
Acquisition trends in SaaS sector in Kenya
Here are the acquisition trends in SaaS sector in Kenya:
- Total Number of Acquisitions
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | - |
2025 | - |
2024 | - |
2023 | - |
2022 | 2 |
2021 | - |
2020 | - |
2019 | - |
2018 | - |
2017 | - |
Colleges which produce the most SaaS companies in Kenya
Companies founded by alumni from top colleges in the SaaS in Kenya
Most number of SaaS startups in Kenya have been founded by alumni from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University and University College London.
College | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 5 |
Stanford University | 2 |
University College London | 2 |
University of California (Berkeley) | 2 |
Harvard Business School | 1 |
Harvard University | 1 |
INSEAD | 1 |
National University of Singapore (NUS) | 1 |
Stanford Business School | 1 |
University of Cambridge | 1 |
Total funding in SaaS companies founded by alumni from top colleges in Kenya
In the last 10 years, Stanford Business School and Stanford University graduates' SaaS companies in Kenya have raised the most funding among top colleges, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni are third.
College | Total Funding |
|---|---|
Stanford Business School | $21.4M |
Stanford University | $21.4M |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $14.9M |
University College London | $61K |
Harvard Business School | $58.8K |
Harvard University | $58.8K |
University of California (Berkeley) | $58.8K |
University of Pennsylvania | $50K |
Wharton School | $50K |
INSEAD | - |
Top News in SaaS in Kenya
•
Kenyan logistics startup Leta expands into Ghana after $5m fundingDisruptafrica•Jul 15, 2025•Leta, Speedinvest, Equator, Google
•
Ajua welcomes back Claire Munene as Chief Experience OfficerAfrica Business Communities•Apr 10, 2025•Ajua, Telkom
•
•
Powerhive and Telcoin Partner to Build the World’s First Blockchain-Powered Mobility Financing PlatformGlobal FinTech Series•Mar 06, 2025•Powerhive, Telcoin,
•
•
GE Healthcare partners with Kenyan healthtech startup Afya Rekod to simplify access to medical records in AfricaAfrica Business Communities•Feb 25, 2022•GE Healthcare, AfyaRekod
•
MarketForce raises USD40m in Series APrivate Equity Wire•Feb 22, 2022•Market Force, V8 Capital Partners, TEN13, SOSV and 12 others
•
•
•
