Waanda
B2B wholesale marketplace to connect African SME artisans with European retailers.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
N/A | Convertible | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
| USD | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenues | 0000 | 0000 |
| % growth | - | 25 % |
| EBITDA | 0000 | 0000 |
| Profit | 0000 | 0000 |
| EV | 0000 | 0000 |
| EV / revenue | 00.0x | 00.0x |
| EV / EBITDA | 00.0x | 00.0x |
| R&D budget | 0000 | 0000 |
Source: Dealroom estimates
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Waanda operates as a SaaS-enabled, business-to-business wholesale marketplace designed to connect small and medium-sized African producers and artisans with European retailers. Founded in 2021 by Zakaria Jaiathe and headquartered in Berlin, Germany, the company aims to address the market gap for African producers to directly and conveniently distribute their goods to Europe. Zakaria Jaiathe's background includes dual master's degrees in computer software engineering and professional experience as a software engineer and technology executive advisor at SAP, providing a strong foundation in information systems engineering and lean startup methodologies.
The platform serves as a digital ecosystem facilitating cross-continental trade by providing a suite of services to simplify the process. For European retailers, Waanda offers a curated selection of authentic African products, quality control of goods before shipment, transparent pricing, and low minimum order quantities. The company manages key international trade operations, including free shipping and customs clearance, by issuing invoices directly from its German entity, Waanda GmbH. For African producers, Waanda provides ERP/CRM mobile applications to help them manage their businesses more efficiently.
Waanda's business model is structured around facilitating transactions on its marketplace, with a projected Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) of over €350 million by 2026. The company has received backing from accelerator and incubator programs and secured seed funding from institutional investor Digital Africa in July 2023. By August 2023, the platform had registered over 1,000 users across 10 countries. However, according to public records, the company entered liquidation in May 2024.
Keywords: B2B marketplace, African artisans, European retailers, wholesale platform, cross-border trade, SaaS-enabled marketplace, social impact, supply chain, e-commerce solutions, artisan goods, handmade products, import-export, African SMEs, German startup, Zakaria Jaiathe, Digital Africa, trade facilitation, customs clearance, international logistics, product sourcing