Power Your Ride!
Mobile Charging on the Road
Coming Soon to a Ma3 Near You!
MATATUS - THE KENYAN WAY OF LIFE!
Love them or hate them. Matatus define Nairobi and Kenya. They are the default means of transport for most Kenyans, and a key part of life for most commuters.
With mobile penetration above 100%, the average Kenyan owns more than one mobile phone, and is constantly looking for somewhere to charge this ubiquitous device.
Imagine if, during their daily commute, these consumers could bring a USB cable and charge their phones on the way to or from work. Wishful thinking? No, there’s a name for it: We call it mPowerStation!
With an innovative in-vehicle solution from Norway, mPowerStation is rolling out charging infrastructure to the more than 70,000 buses and matatus in Kenya, so commuters can arrive at their destination with their phones charged.
Using our integrated mCommerce solution, customers pay per minute using mPesa or Airtel money. The revenue is shared between us and the matatu owner.
Announce it! We equip our matatu partners with large (1x1 meters) window stickers telling the world that charging is available. Because our partners should stand out and attract more customers!
Are you our next matatu partner?
Let’s talk about making commuters love YOUR matatus while adding a new revenue stream!
“The quickest way to get out of poverty right now is to have one mobile telephone.”
Our Solution - power to the people!
Beautifully simple!
Our Public Service Vehicle solution can be deployed to a matatu in just hours. Once ready, every commuter in a matatu will have a USB charging port right in front of them, ready to charge their phone while on the road.
Scanning a QR code (USSD option available for feature phone users), the customer prepays an affordable amount via M-Pesa or Airtel Money to activate the USB port for the desired duration, and can start charging immediately.
The fully automated mCommerce solution give Matatu owners comfortable source of extra income, in addition to an advertising feature and competitive advantage over other PSVs on the same routes.
Background
After several years of social entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa, Are, our Co-Founder and CPO, saw the beauty in the simplicity of a solar-powered mobile charging station for villages. While preparing to scale a rural MSME-driven concept, the nascent team realized that the need for charging mobile phones was not only limited to the countryside.
Bringing in world-class expertise in electrical engineering, we developed a commercially scalable solution that adds a charging port to the back of every seat in a matatu. Offering that dearly needed battery boost to Nairobian commuters, we aim to add a small improvement to the daily lives of millions.
What about the village charger? Still there, and also coming soon to a village near you!
Are you an investor looking for the next big emerging-markets venture?
Get in touch and find out more about our expansion plans to some of the world’s most populous markets!