These are the founders behind firms funded in August

From the newsletter

Three founders with IT backgrounds secured funding and exits last month. Alp Tilev, a former Microsoft employee, and Josh Whale, who previously managed IP registrations in China, raised $10 million for electric mobility company Ampersand. Meanwhile, IT specialist Abdessamad Misbah sold his startup, Koto, to AfriCar Group for an undisclosed sum. 

• Collaboration is vital in the mobility sector, as shown by the co-founding of Ampersand. Mr Whale started the company in 2014. And in 2018, Alp Tilev, then a minigrid expert, joined, bringing valuable energy management expertise.

• Successful mobility startups require complementary tech skills, including telematics to monitor and analyse key operations.

More details

• Josh Whale has successfully led Ampersand to a significant operational milestone, with e-motorbikes running six days a week for over a year, covering more than 500,000 km and completing over 12,000 battery swaps. He has built a strong team, backed by significant backing from funders and partners.

• His background in managing data transmission, technology transfers, and contracts in China, one of the global leaders in e-mobility, provided him with critical insights into supply chains, shipping logistics to East Africa, legal compliance, and strategic business fundamentals that have shaped Ampersand’s growth.

• Alp Tilev brought essential expertise in mini-grid development and six years at the Development Bank of Rwanda, where he honed skills in electricity demand forecasting, load profiling, and demand growth projections; vital for optimising the energy supply powering Ampersand’s electric motorcycles.

• His experience at Microsoft added depth to his technical and business acumen, equipping him with knowledge on building companies using Microsoft technologies and platforms, as well as deploying, maintaining, and customising software solutions.

• Abdessamad Misbah’s strong web and app development background was pivotal in building Koto, a platform for new car prices, as well as Vostra, an affordable eSIM service for global travellers, and Seveuri, a web hosting platform; demonstrating versatility in product creation across industries.

• As a tech problem solver and solution designer, Mr Misbah can guide professionals in scaling their careers or launching ventures. Now as CEO of Digital Brains Agency, he combines entrepreneurial drive with technical expertise to deliver innovative and scalable digital solutions.

Our take

• Mobility has many specialised areas that rely heavily on technology, such as battery management systems, distance tracking, and AI integration for efficiency and safety. These capabilities are crucial for ensuring optimal performance, reducing operational costs, and enhancing user experience.

• In this sector, technology and analytics work hand in hand, particularly when crafting a go-to-market strategy. Ampersand’s successful expansion into the Kenyan and Rwandan markets is partly attributed to its ability to leverage data-driven insights for strategic decision-making.

• Over the last six months, Ampersand has significantly increased its hiring of data analytics and IT experts to strengthen its operations. This trend is also evident in companies like Zembo and BasiGo, proving that tech talent is becoming a core driver of competitiveness in e-mobility.