Twiva, an AI-driven social commerce platform in Kenya, is among nine startups chosen to join the Spark Accelerator Program by Safaricom.
This initiative, supported by M-PESA Africa and Sumitomo Corporation, aims to accelerate product innovation and business growth for early-stage startups.
The program features startups spanning sectors like embedded finance, future fintech, SME productivity tools, and content, selected from over 200 applicants in Kenya.
The startups will undergo a three-month capacity-building program to equip them with the necessary skills and resources to thrive.
Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said the programme aims at catalysing societal change and economic prosperity by supporting tech-enabled startups.
"The Spark Accelerator program aims to drive meaningful innovation through technology," he said.
Twiva, known for using influencers to market and sell products on platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter, will benefit from a range of support services.
The startup will benefit from a comprehensive support package including training, mentorship, market access, capital, technology, and product development, facilitated by iHub – Co-creation Hub (cchub).
Founded in 2020, Twiva has been transforming retail in Africa by providing MSMEs with digital market access and fostering consumer trust in online transactions.
Twiva's CEO and Co-founder, Peter Kironji, said its inclusion in the program reflects its potential to transform social commerce and drive economic growth by providing digital market access for MSMEs and building consumer trust.
The global social commerce industry is projected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2025.
