Online ticketing start-up BuuPass raises Ksh.163M to expand local operations, enter Uganda

Kenyan online ticket-booking start-up BuuPass is seeking to scale operations in the country and expand to Uganda after securing Ksh.163 million ($1.3 million) in a pre-seed round.

BuuPass offers transport operators a bus management system (BMS) to manage their operations, inventory and sales.

The firm, founded by Wyclife Omondi and Sonia Kabara in 2016, connects clients to its business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) marketplace.

It enables passengers to search, compare and book their bus, train and flight tickets across websites, apps or USSD codes, making it easy to book tickets online seamlessly.

American technology outlet TechCruch reports that Founders Factory Africa, Adaverse, Gullit, FrontEnd Ventures and Five35 participated in the funding round.

Renew Capital, Changecom, XA Network, Ajim Capital, Artha Ventures, Daba Finance, Google Black Founders Fund also raised capital, alongside several angel investors.

“With this funding, we are excited to expand our footprint in Kenya and Uganda and are actively looking for opportunities to bring our platform to other African countries,” Kabara said in a LinkedIn post.

“Our ultimate goal is to create a comprehensive, continent-wide network of interconnected transport options for the seamless movement of people,” she added.

She additionally told the publication that the startup is also seeking to hire a team on the growth side and technology experts to can build systems for scale.

BuuPass’ BMS has a point-of-sale offering to capture transactions and a module to manage parcel services.

The company says operators using its product are able to manage their fleets and businesses better by doing away with pen and paper, and also getting data to draw insights from and reduce cash leakages.

Its clients, which include Madaraka Express, Easy Coach Limited and Modern Coast Express, have additionally increased their sales from online bookings, BuuPass says.

BuuPass says it handles 25 bus companies, with 12,000 bookings a day. It notes that so far, it has recorded over 9 million ticket sales.