Lemonade Finance, Mecho Autotech, and Suplias are among the Nigerian startups selected for Y Combinator S21 batch

Some Nigerian startups selected for Y Combinator's S21 batch

Y Combinator is selecting startups from around the world to join the Summer 2021 (S21) cohort. At least 117 startups have been chosen thus far, with nine from Africa. Mecho Autotech (Nigeria), Amenli (Egypt), Chari (Morocco), Lemonade Finance (Nigeria), Freterium (Morocco), Floatpays (South Africa), Suplias (Nigeria), Odiggo (Egypt), and ShipBlu (Egypt) are the nine African startups (Egypt).

Here are the three Nigerians.

Mecho Autotech

Numerous industries have embraced e-commerce and an on-demand approach to customer service. The automotive mechanical industry is no exception, as technical services are now available on-demand. Mecho Autotech provides auto repair and diagnostics services to the public when they are in need.

Its subscription plans enable vehicle owners to order mechanics, schedule vehicle maintenance, purchase vetted spare parts, arrange for pre-purchase vehicle inspections, and manage fleet maintenance, among other things.

Ayoola Akinkunmi and Olusegun Owoade founded the startup.

Lemonade Finance

Lemonade Finance is a fintech startup specializing in the money transfer industry. It provides money transfer services to and from Nigeria and recently launched a feature that allows users in Nigeria and Canada to send money to the United States and Europe for free.

The fintech's mission is to eliminate the high remittance fees that Africans incur when sending money outside the continent.

Olalere Ridwan founded the startup in October 2020. He previously worked as the Director of Operations at ORide, the Country Manager at Uber, and the Senior Engineer at Flutterwave. Now less than a year old, the startup will gain access to $125,000 in funding, as well as access to the YC community and the opportunity to raise additional capital during the YC demo day.

Suplias

This startup is using technology to reimagine how retailers replenish their shelves. By integrating e-commerce, logistics, and delivery, it enables shop owners to place orders and have products delivered within 24 hours.

Michael Adesanya and Sefa Ikyaator founded Suplias in 2020. Ikyaator has a strong sales and marketing background, while Adesanya has worked in supply chain management at Gap in California and Pomelo Fashion in Thailand.

After a year and a month as Commercial Director at Jumia Nigeria, Adesanya decided to partner with Ikyaator to develop their Suplias e-commerce model, which will focus primarily on retail shop owners.

With the launch of Mecho Autotech in 2021, Suplias in 2020, and Lemonade Finance in 2020, all three Nigerian startups are still in their first year of operation. The $125,000 seed capital will better position early-stage companies for industry growth.

The remaining six African startups are based in Morocco, Egypt, and South Africa. Amenli offers licensed insurance to customers in Egypt online, Odiggo enables users to purchase car parts online, and ShipBlue provides customers with last-mile delivery services.

Chari provides e-commerce and fintech services to retailers in Morocco. As with Suplias, it enables retailers to order products at discounted prices and have them delivered within 24 hours. Additionally in Morocco, Freterium provides one-click transport management, allowing businesses to manage their shipments transparently.

For the time being, the final African startup is South Africa's Floatpays, which enables employees to access their wages prior to payday. More African startups may be added to the list before the month is out as the YC selection process continues.