Tesh Mbaabu

Time to spill some facts about Tesh Mbaabu, this dude is the real deal, a total big change in Africa’s startup scene. Guy’s from Kenya, and he’s been crushing it since he was super young. Started his first gig at 18 with TeshTeq, a digital design agency, just messing around with tech and figuring out how to build stuff. No fancy background, just pure hustle.

Fast forward, he jumps into the startup world full throttle. Co-founded Cloud9xp, a travel-tech platform for booking chill experiences all over Africa. That one got snapped up by HotelOnline in 2020, shows he’s got that magic touch early on. But the big win? MarketForce. He co-founded that, and man, that thing exploded. It’s a B2B marketplace helping informal merchants source inventory, pay, and even get financing, basically a lifeline for small traders in Africa. They took it across five markets, helped over 270,000 merchants, and raised a massive $40 million Series A. That’s no small feat, it proves he’s not just talking, he’s building real stuff that actually moves the needle.

Now, Tesh isn’t just about startups. He’s also super into investing and supporting the next gen of African founders. Through Mesozi, he’s backing high-growth tech startups, helping young entrepreneurs get off the ground. And his latest move? Co-founding Chapter, an AI-powered social commerce platform that helps merchants sell, market, and automate on WhatsApp and Instagram. Basically, he’s jumping into the future, AI, social commerce, all that cool shit.

What’s his story telling us? It’s about relentless hustle, seeing opportunities where others see chaos. He’s all about building tools that lift up small businesses, making tech accessible and useful for everyday people. The dude’s got a heart for Africa’s informal economy, that’s where most of the country’s money is made, and he’s helping formalize and digitize it.

He’s got mad creds, Forbes Africa 30 under 30, Top 40 under 40 Kenya, influences in tech adoption, and a bunch of fellowships with Alibaba, UN, Schmidt Futures, Harambean… the list goes on. All that just proves he’s not just about startups; he’s out here changing the game for Africa.

Bottom line, Tesh Mbaabu’s process isn’t just about startups or funding. It’s about a guy who saw the bullshit gaps in Africa’s economy, jumped in with both feet, and built solutions that actually matter. He’s a true innovator, a builder, and a future leader who’s making Africa’s tech scene impossible to ignore. No Cap, this guy’s someone to watch.