One of the toughest problems in Africa is the lack of reliable data from which businesspeople, philanthropists and politicians can make informed decisions. Ajua aims to provide a solution, piecing together the vast puzzle of African commerce bit by bit and moving towards an increasingly innovative, data-driven economy. Originally founded as mSurvey in 2012, the company provides access to high-fidelity data for companies across Africa. By creating a platform that allows business owners to access customer data and avoid guesswork, Ajua enables users to unlock key insights that allow them to grow their businesses. The company name is a reference to a popular game that uses Ajua seeds. Just like the game, this company is all about strategy.

Ajua solves a persistent issue in understanding consumers in Africa – the lack of a platform on which business owners could assess their customer behavior made it tough for companies to cater to consumer needs. Through the use of analytical tools and the collection of data from otherwise fragmented and informal markets, it offers a consolidated view of what products are bought, when they are bought and how the customer feels about their purchase. Ajua enables business owners to use this data to improve efficiency, customer acquisition and retention. 

Ajua was initially bootstrapped but has since raised $3.5 million over the course of five funding rounds, starting in March 2012 and continuing through two seed rounds and two Series A rounds.