Intercity transportation in Africa is about to see a significant change, as BuuPass, a mobility solution provider, has secured funding from Yango Ventures, redefining the intercity travel landscape.
BuuPass Secures Strategic Investment from Yango Ventures for Expansion Across Africa
BuuPass, a Kenyan mobility company, has recently secured a strategic investment from Yango Ventures, part of a $20 million early-stage fund supporting African mobility tech. This funding aims to accelerate BuuPass's expansion across Africa and strengthen its presence in the intercity transport sector.
Current Status
Since its 2016 launch, BuuPass has processed over 16 million ticket sales, enabling more than $100 million in travel transactions. The platform serves both consumers (via web, mobile app, USSD) and bus operators through a SaaS solution that digitizes inventory, sales, and scheduling, addressing inefficiencies in Africa's informal intercity transport networks.
In 2024, BuuPass acquired QuickBus, extending operations into South Africa and Nigeria by integrating thousands of additional routes and operators. This move resulted in over $70 million in bookings in 2024 and the sale of more than 25 million tickets cumulatively, demonstrating strong growth and multi-vertical coverage.
Future Expansion Plans
BuuPass is now positioning itself to expand into up to 12 African countries by the end of 2025. This expansion will leverage strategic partnerships with telecom operators and financial service providers to tap into the continent's growing mobile payments and smartphone penetration.
With Yango Ventures’ support, BuuPass plans to scale more efficiently, broaden its market reach, and solve complex challenges in African travel, moving towards more integrated mobility services across urban and intercity markets.
Long-Term Commitment
The investment from Yango Ventures reflects a long-term strategic commitment to BuuPass. The company's co-founder, Sonia Kabra, notes that Yango's participation offers valuable understanding of Africa's mobility dynamics.
BuuPass's previous investments include a $1.3 million pre-seed round in early 2023 with investors including FrontEnd Ventures, XA Network, Google for Startups Black Founders Fund, and Renew Capital.
In conclusion, the investment from Yango Ventures empowers BuuPass to significantly accelerate its continental growth and improve intercity travel digitization, positioning it as a leading African mobility platform beyond Kenya.
- The strategic investment from Yango Ventures will aid BuuPass in expanding its business operations across multiple African countries by leveraging technology for finance and investing in digital travel solutions.
- With the recent funding, BuuPass plans to scale efficiently, broaden its market reach, and integrate more payment and smartphone services, all while tackling complex challenges in African travel and moving towards offering comprehensive mobility services across urban and intercity markets.
