Samuel Gikandi

CEO, Africa's Talking
,Kenya
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Who Is Samuel Gikandi?

Total Experience22 years
CompanyAfrica's Talking
CountryKenya

Samuel Gikandi is a highly influential Kenyan entrepreneur and technologist, best known as the co-founder and CEO of Africa's Talking. He has played a pivotal role in shaping the developer ecosystem across the continent by providing accessible and robust communication and payment APIs. Samuel is passionate about leveraging technology to solve local problems and empower African developers and businesses. His leadership has driven Africa's Talking to become a key infrastructure provider for thousands of developers and companies, fostering innovation and digital transformation in various sectors including finance, healthcare, and logistics.

Samuel Gikandi LinkedIn pageCompany Website

How Did Samuel Gikandi's Career Path Shape Their Journey?

Samuel Gikandi's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:

Africa's Talking - CEO(2019 to Present)
Africa's Talking Ltd - Co-founder / CEO(2012 to 2019)
Stanbic Bank Kenya - Non Executive Director(2020 to 2023)
Elarian - Chief Executive Officer(2021 to 2022)
Morgan Stanley - Associate(2006 to 2012)

What Are Samuel Gikandi's Key Achievements?

Co-founding and Scaling Africa's Talking

Successfully co-founded Africa's Talking in 2010 and scaled it into a leading Pan-African platform providing communication (SMS, USSD, Voice, Airtime) and payment APIs to thousands of developers and businesses across over 20 African countries.

Championing the African Developer Ecosystem

Significantly contributed to the growth and empowerment of the African developer community by providing essential tools and infrastructure, fostering innovation and enabling the creation of impactful local solutions.

Expansion of API Services

Led the expansion of Africa's Talking offerings beyond basic SMS to include USSD, Voice, Airtime, IoT, and Payments, creating a comprehensive suite of tools for African businesses.

Recognition by Forbes Africa 30 Under 30

Acknowledged for his entrepreneurial spirit and impact on the African tech landscape by being listed on Forbes Africa's 30 Under 30 in 2016.

Driving Financial Inclusion

Facilitated financial inclusion by enabling businesses, including fintechs and banks, to build and deploy services that reach a wider unbanked and underbanked population through accessible mobile technology.

What's Samuel Gikandi's Educational Background?

Bsc, MEng, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Year 2001

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Company Overview

Africa's Talking
Total employees180
HeadquartersNairobi
Founded2010

Africa's Talking is a Pan-African technology company that provides a platform with easy-to-use APIs for developers to integrate communication and payment services like SMS, USSD, Voice, Airtime, and Payments into their applications. Their goal is to simplify access to mobile communication and financial infrastructure across Africa, empowering developers and businesses to build innovative solutions.

Company Website
Africa's Talking Funding Information
$10.3M - Total Funding Raised
$8.6M - Most recent funding amount
3 - Number of funding rounds
17 Apr, 2018 - Latest funding round
Lead Investors:
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Orange Ventures
Social Capital
Savannah Fund

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