Opening New Doors in Kenya’s Automobile Industry

Kenyan startup Komboa has launched a peer-to-peer (P2P) car-sharing platform, which allows users to rent private vehicles. Komboa, which launched on desktop in June and will soon have its own app, was built to challenge the traditional model of owning a car, by allowing users to rent for the long-term. “We are firm believers in the sharing economy, where people are beginning to think differently about car ownership and mobility,” founder Eric Gisore told Disrupt Africa. “Having access to a car now does not necessarily mean needing to own a vehicle. Similarly, mobility is not restricted to one mode of transportation, with trips becoming more multi-modal.” Bootstrapped thus far, Komboa has seen relatively slow uptake, but does have around 150 registered users. Operating for now only in Nairobi, the startup plans on expanding to other major towns and cities in Kenya once it hits a threshold of 1,000 users on the platform. Komboa operates on a commission basis, taking 20 per cent on every transaction that takes place on its platform.

SOURCE: DISRUPT AFRICA