Kenyan Tech-Enabled Logistics Platform Amitruck Raises $4M

Amitruck, a Kenyan tech-enabled logistics platform, has just raised $4 million in seed funding – bringing the total funds raised to date to $5 million.

The most important purpose of this round is hiring, according to Amitruck founder and chief executive officer Mark Mwangi.

The seed round was led by Better Tomorrow Ventures (BTV), with the participation of Dynamo Ventures, Rackhouse Venture Capital, Flexport Inc, Knuru Capital, Launch Africa Ventures, Uncovered Fund and a number of angel investors.

Launched in 2019 as a digital logistics marketplace, Amitruck connects shippers with transporters operating trucks, vans, tuk-tuks (three-wheelers), pickups and motorbikes, allowing them to negotiate the rates of haulage.

The platform also lets shippers customize services, for example, to add off-loading charges. The platform includes a transporter’s rating and the mean number of trips made, data that helps shippers narrow down their choices. The process begins once both parties reach an agreement.

Some of Amitruck’s more than 300 B2B customers in Kenya include FMCG firm Unilever, L’Oréal, a beauty company; SkyGarden, an e-commerce platform; and Twiga, a fresh produce marketplace. They also work with individual customers, who are, for example, moving houses, according to TechCrunch.

The goods ferried by Amitruck’s partners are said to be insured.

In an interview, Mwangi said he’s optimistic about the future, saying that the logistics sector offers enormous opportunities to companies like his, which are trying to bring order to the industry