Qwili offers a hybrid hardware+software product: a low-cost NFC-enabled smartphone called the Qwili Pula (priced about $60–$70) and a downloadable app that turns phones into point-of-sale devices for selling data, pay-TV subscriptions, groceries and other services. The company pivoted from a B2C wallet play to an agent-focused B2B model after users began reselling digital services, and it has sold over 1,000 phones prior to the pivot. About 500 micro and small merchants currently use the platform (roughly half on Qwili’s phones), and Qwili reports $75,000 in monthly GMV and turnover growth of over 300% from Q1 to Q2 2022. Qwili targets digitally excluded and unbanked customers, enabling informal sellers to earn commissions by selling digital products to their communities. The company plans to use its new funding for app development, hires to improve operations and development, and hardware production, and intends to expand into neighboring Botswana to scale merchant adoption.

Total raised

$1M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Jul 2022