Sukhiba

Sukhiba is a Kenyan-based firm providing a conversational commerce and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform built on WhatsApp. Founded in 2021 by Ananth Raj Gudipati and Abhinav Reddy (or Solipuram), the company targets medium and large enterprises in emerging markets, aiming to enhance their sales, marketing, and customer service operations. The founders' backgrounds in product, growth, and engineering, combined with experience in scaling global products, position them to address B2B distribution challenges in African markets.

Initially launched as a community commerce platform for aggregating buyer orders, Sukhiba pivoted in mid-2022 to a B2B conversational commerce model to overcome the challenges of an asset-heavy business. The company now operates as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider, generating revenue through monthly subscriptions. This strategic shift allows manufacturers, distributors, and direct-to-consumer brands to connect with their customers, primarily small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), directly through WhatsApp.

The platform enables businesses to manage their entire sales process within the messaging app. Key features include creating in-chat product catalogs, managing orders, processing payments, sending personalized carts, and broadcasting targeted messages. Customers can browse products, manage their shopping carts, and complete purchases using various local payment methods, such as M-Pesa, without leaving the WhatsApp interface. The system integrates with major Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems like SAP and e-commerce tools like Shopify, allowing for streamlined operations. An AI-powered component helps automate responses to frequently asked questions and assists customers 24/7. Sukhiba has demonstrated significant traction, operating in eight markets across Africa and India and serving over 35,000 SMEs. The company has secured $3.05 million in total seed funding to fuel its expansion and platform development.

Keywords: conversational commerce, B2B e-commerce, WhatsApp CRM, social commerce Africa, sales automation, emerging markets, fintech, customer engagement platform, mobile commerce, SME distribution, supply chain technology, direct-to-consumer, digital payments, SaaS, Ananth Raj Gudipati, Abhinav Reddy, enterprise software, marketing automation, order management, retail technology, wholesale distribution