According to a report by Tracxn, there are about 367 startups in East Africa as of July 7, 2025, 82 of which are funded, and 9 securing Series A+ funding. Kenya leads as one of the primary hubs, followed by emerging ecosystems in Uganda and Tanzania.
Between 2014 and 2024, over 700 agritech startups across Africa raised more than $1.56 billion, with East Africa being a major beneficiary, a trend that continues into 2025. These companies address critical challenges like low productivity, limited market access, financial exclusion, and climate change impacts, which are particularly pressing in a region where agriculture accounts for 30–40% of GDP and supports over 50% of the population’s livelihoods.
This article explores the top startups in East Africa by region, highlighting their contributions and potential.
Kenya
Apollo Agriculture
Apollo Agriculture is a leading agritech startup that provides smallholder farmers with a comprehensive suite of services, including loans, seeds, advice, insurance, and market access. Founded in 2016 by Eli Pollak, Benjamin Njenga, and Earl St Sauver, Apollo uses satellite data, remote sensing, and machine learning to assess farmer credit risk and offer personalised support.
Farmers can repay loans post-harvest, often through vouchers for local stores, enhancing financial inclusion and productivity. Apollo has received significant funding, including a $10 million investment from Swedfund and ImpactConnect in 2025, and aims to reach over 2.3 million low-income farmers in Kenya by 2026. The company’s impact is substantial: farmers using its services produce, on average, 2.5 times more than other Kenyan farmers, with 84% reporting an improved quality of life. Apollo’s focus on sustainable farming practices and its expansion into Zambia positions it as a leader in agritech innovation. Its technology-driven approach, including partnerships with over 1,000 agro-dealers, ensures proximity to farmers and fosters sustainable livelihoods.
Hello Tractor
Hello Tractor operates as a technology-driven platform that connects smallholder farmers with tractor owners for leasing services. The company uses IoT-enabled digital solutions and a pay-as-you-go model to improve mechanisation access, significantly increasing efficiency for smallholder farmers.
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Hello Tractor operates across 17 countries, including Kenya, and has serviced over 600 hectares by tractor in Kenya alone and has connected over 5,000 tractors with 1.2 million farmers. The company has received notable investments, including from John Deere and Absa Bank, which financed 100 new tractors and implements in Kenya, creating 3,000 direct jobs and mechanising over 300,000 farmers.
Hello Tractor’s platform boosts farmer incomes by 227% by enabling access to affordable tractor services through community-based agents or a mobile app. Its innovative credit framework and partnerships, such as with Heifer International, underscore its role in fostering economic empowerment and agricultural productivity.
Pula Advisors
Pula Advisors is a Kenyan insurtech startup founded by Rose Goslinga and Thomas Njeru, which provides agricultural insurance to smallholder farmers, using technology and parametric insurance to mitigate climate risks. Pula operates across Africa and Asia, facilitating crop and livestock insurance for over 1.1 million farmers. The company bundles insurance with agricultural inputs, with premiums paid by input companies, making it free for farmers.
Pula has received funding from TLcom Capital and Women’s World Banking, and in 2025, it launched the Human-Wildlife Conflict Compensation Scheme in Kenya, a tech-driven initiative to compensate those affected by wildlife conflicts. Pula’s innovative approach enhances farmer resilience and supports sustainable farming practices.
SunCulture
SunCulture provides solar-powered irrigation solutions, including water pumps and drip irrigation systems, to smallholder farmers. SunCulture increases crop yields by up to 300% and reduces water usage by 80%, offers financing through a Pay-As-You-Grow model and has raised $45.5 million, including a $4 million Series B round in 2025.
Its partnerships with USAID and the Shell Foundation support its expansion across Africa. SunCulture’s one-stop-shop approach, including agronomic services and training, makes it a leader in climate-smart agriculture.
Uganda
EzyAgric
EzyAgric is a pioneering agritech company that digitises the agricultural value chain to provide better production, marketing, and financial services to farmers and agribusinesses. Founded in 2015, EzyAgric operates through a proprietary mobile and web app, supported by a network of community-based merchants.
The platform digitally profiles farmers and their gardens to deliver tailored agro-inputs, localised extension and advisory services, and professional production services such as soil testing, spraying, planting, and shelling. EzyAgric also facilitates access to profitable markets, ensuring farmers can sell their produce efficiently.
EzyAgric has raised $1.6 million, reflecting investor confidence in its scalable model. The company’s focus on technology-driven solutions positions it as a key player in Uganda’s agritech ecosystem. Some of its key features include:
- Digital profiling of farmers and their gardens for customised agro-inputs.
- Offers e-extension services, including soil testing and professional farming support.
- Provides market linkages to connect farmers with buyers, enhancing profitability.
- Operates a network of community-based merchants to extend services to rural areas.
Emata
Emata is a fintech and agritech startup founded in 2020 by Bram van den Bosch and Lillian Nassanga Musoke. Emata is a licensed Microfinance Institution that leverages data science and AI to provide affordable digital loans to smallholder farmers. The company partners with over 60 agricultural companies across Uganda, covering sectors like dairy, coffee, cocoa, oilseeds, potatoes, and horticulture.
Emata’s approach involves providing a free Management Information System (MIS) to farmer cooperatives, which simplifies operations by registering farmer deliveries, updating prices, creating payment schedules, and sending daily SMS updates. Using advanced risk analytics, Emata offers loans that are three to six times more affordable than informal loans, tailored to farmers’ needs and distributed via WhatsApp or MobileMoney.
Oko Finance
Oko Finance is an insurtech startup providing mobile-centric micro-insurance products, specifically crop insurance, to smallholder farmers. The company uses satellite imagery and hyper-local weather data to offer automated insurance with instant claims processing, making it accessible to unbanked farmers. Oko Finance operates in Uganda, Mali, and Côte d’Ivoire, partnering with organisations like Orange, Allianz, and Touton.
Farmers can manage policies via USSD menus on any mobile device, eliminating the need for smartphones or internet access. Oko Finance has insured over 15,400 farmers in Mali and more than 300 in Uganda, paying claims to 2,956 farmers in Mali to help them recover after adverse weather events. Oko Finance has also raised $1.2 million, with an additional $500,000 extension round to expand into Côte d’Ivoire.
Key Features:
- Automated crop insurance using satellite imagery for risk assessment and claims processing.
- Accessible via USSD menus, mobile apps, and APIs for partners like micro-finance institutions.
- Policies average $20 per crop season, ensuring affordability.
Tanzania
Tanzania’s agritech startups are making strides in sustainable farming and waste reduction, contributing to the region’s agricultural innovation.
BioBuu
BioBuu is a social enterprise founded in 2015 by Kigen Compton and Matthew Haden. It leverages black soldier flies (BSF) to process organic waste from restaurants and households into high-protein chicken and fish feed, as well as organic compost. They contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing food waste and providing affordable, sustainable agricultural inputs. BioBuu operates a labour-intensive model designed for scalability across Africa.
The company’s factory in Tanzania produces 10 metric tons of insect meal monthly, with plans to expand to a larger facility in Mombasa, Kenya, capable of processing 20 tons of waste daily. BioBuu’s products help farmers improve crop yields and replace expensive animal feeds, reducing food waste and enhancing agricultural quality.
BioBuu has raised $200,000 in seed funding from the GIIG Africa Fund, bringing its valuation to $5 million, including previous investments and grants from 2015–2018.
Kilimo Fresh
Kilimo Fresh is a B2B2C online platform that connects smallholder farmers to buyers, distributing fresh produce like fruits, vegetables, and dry foods to hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, institutions, and export markets. The company has raised $50,000 in equity funding from MEST and OPES-LCEF, supporting its growth and expansion.
Kilimo Fresh leverages mobile technology to provide farmers with fair and stable prices and direct market access, while enabling buyers to access high-quality, organic produce at affordable prices. Kilimo Fresh works with farmers from Tanzania’s coastal regions, Northern Highlands, and Southern Highlands, ensuring a consistent supply and efficient cold-chain logistics. The platform reduces food waste, which accounts for 48% of Tanzania’s produce, equivalent to $4 billion annually.
Mazao Hub
Mazao Hub is a climate and data-driven farming software platform that empowers smallholder farmers with AI-powered agronomy, soil analysis, market access, and financial tools. The company operates Farmer Excellent Centers, physical hubs where farmers access its software, extension services, input delivery, and soil testing.
Mazao Hub’s soil scanners provide real-time data on soil nutrients, pH, moisture, and temperature, enabling personalised recommendations within five minutes. The platform also helps food companies source crops with quality control and supports banks in issuing loans to farmers.
Key Features:
- Uses AI, sensors, satellites, and drones to deliver personalised farming recommendations in local languages.
- Soil testing costs Tshs. 30,000 or less, making it affordable for farmers.
- Recognised as one of the top 15 Climate Tech startups in Africa at the #AfricaTechAwards at VivaTech.
- Operates Farmer Excellent Centers as “agricultural clinics” for in-person guidance.
Conclusion
Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania are major powerhouses in agritech startups, providing innovative solutions in financing, mechanisation, and sustainability in East Africa. Startups in these regions, despite challenges, are poised to enhance food security, improve livelihoods, and drive economic development in Africa.
