Nairobi Startups Partner With Investors for Product Scaling

Several Nairobi-based startups have sealed partnerships with global and regional investors to scale their products, following a major influx of capital and mentorship at the 12th Sankalp Africa Summit held in city. The summit, which convened over 1,500 investors, development leaders, and entrepreneurs, saw promising Kenyan companies secure funding and support to expand their reach.
Among the companies gaining traction is Spiro, a Nairobi climate-tech firm focused on EV mobility. In early 2025, Spiro raised a Series A‑style round to expand its battery-swapping infrastructure and build out electric bike assembly plants. Meanwhile, Wasoko (formerly Sokowatch), a B2B e‑commerce and logistics startup, continues to scale its digital supply‑chain products across East Africa — leveraging earlier VC backing and investor interest in its model.
Investor reaction has been broadly positive. The Sankalp Summit and linked platforms are being credited for opening deal rooms and forging networks that enable product scaling. For founders, this means access not just to capital, but also to mentorship, technical capacity, and go-to-market support. However, some experts caution that scaling successfully will require Nairobi startups to balance rapid growth with operational discipline and local market nuances.
Looking ahead, stakeholders believe that the momentum of investor‑startup engagement will drive a new wave of product-led scaling in Nairobi’s ecosystem. As more startups leverage global funds and investor expertise, the city could further cement its status as East Africa’s leading hub for innovation — producing scalable, export‑oriented businesses with global appeal.