From Uber to now Jumba, Kagure Wamunyu has made a name for herself as a force to be reckoned with in the East African business scene. Her exceptional skills and expertise have positioned her as a leader in the African transportation and construction space.
Armed with a degree in mathematics and civil engineering and a master’s in city and regional planning from the University of California, Wamunyu’s education and experience led her to be the right candidate when global ride-hailing company Uber was looking to expand into Kenya.
Having dedicated her education and research to understanding Nairobi’s transport landscape, Wamunyu’s expertise made her a natural fit for Uber during its 2017 expansion into Kenya.
Her passion for transportation and knowledge of the East African market were invaluable in guiding the company toward success.
Following her tenure at Uber as head of operations and country manager, her work continued as she transitioned to the role of global head of operations for Kobo360, a leader in the world of integrated logistics solutions and truck brokerage services.
Drawing on her wealth of knowledge, entrepreneurial acumen, and unwavering commitment to innovation, Wamunyu founded Jumba in 2022, a pioneering construction technology start-up based in Nairobi. The startup’s cutting-edge B2B platform simplifies the procurement and financing of construction materials in Africa, empowering builders to complete projects with ease.
By enabling access to affordable financing and top-quality construction materials, Jumba’s platform is now revolutionizing the construction industry in Kenya, driving innovation and growth in a sector ripe for expansion and development.
Wamunyu’s vision for Jumba is to tackle Kenya’s housing shortage, which currently stands at a staggering 80 percent, by leveraging the country’s construction industry, particularly in counties outside of Nairobi’s manufacturing hub, Since its inception, Jumba has achieved remarkable growth, becoming a leading B2B construction technology start-up based in Nairobi.
In recent times, the startup has attracted significant investment, raising a total of $5.5 million through successful seed and pre-seed funding rounds. In its latest seed round, led by prominent investors LocalGlobe and Enza Capital, the startup secured $4.5 million.
This is a significant boost for Jumba, which has already established a strong presence in Kenya by providing construction materials to 60 percent of the country’s 47 counties.
With the funding, it is set to expand its operations and meet the increasing demand for its innovative B2B platform, particularly in counties outside of Nairobi’s manufacturing hub.
As Jumba enters its next phase of aggressive growth, Wamunyu has noted that the company is experiencing remarkable momentum. “We are growing very fast, and our problem has always been that we have way more demand than we can meet,” she said.
With over a year of operation under its belt, Jumba is well-positioned to continue driving innovation and growth in the construction industry, particularly outside of Nairobi’s centralized manufacturing hub.
