Table of Contents
Jumba, a Nairobi-based B2B construction technology startup, led by Kenyan entrepreneur Kagure Wamunyu, has recently raised $4.5 million in funding from its completed seed round.
The investment, which was spearheaded by LocalGlobe and included Enza Capital, will enable the company to expand its operations in Kenya and explore new opportunities in the East African market.
This funding round comes just eight months after Jumba raised $1 million in a pre-seed round from an impressive lineup of investors, including Foundamental, Seedstars International Ventures, Logos Ventures, SpeedInvest, First Check Africa, and the Alumni Angel Network.
Wamunyu established Jumba in 2022 with plans to launch a B2B platform that will revolutionize the purchase and supply of construction materials.
Wamunyu, armed with a master’s degree in city and regional planning from the University of California and with a history of launching successful businesses, left her Ph.D. program in sustainable urban development to build Jumba.
Her entrepreneurial expertise and commitment to innovation have led to the creation of an invaluable tool for the construction industry. In under 15 months, Jumba has raised $5.5 million through seed and pre-seed funding rounds, enabling it to execute its strategic expansion plans under Wamunyu’s leadership.
Wamunyu disclosed that Jumba, which is currently providing construction materials to 60 percent of Kenya’s 47 counties, is expanding its operations to meet the growing demand, thanks to the $4.5 million in seed funding it has secured.
“We are growing very fast, and our problem has always been that we have way more demand than we can meet,” she said.
“Most of our customers are in counties beyond the capital, Nairobi, and the reason is that manufacturing is centralized in Nairobi, but customers are located throughout the country, and that is where we come in because we help with distribution,” she added.
With $4.5 million secured in seed round funding, Jumba is focused on tapping into the country’s construction industry, particularly in counties outside of the centralized manufacturing hub of Nairobi. Wamunyu is committed to addressing challenges in the sector and hopes to contribute to bridging Kenya’s significant housing deficit, which presently stands at 80 percent.
