VunaPay, a Kenyan startup revolutionizing instant payments for farmers, has emerged as the winner of the Latitude59 Pitch Competition, Kenya Edition.
The competition, held at the ASK Dome in Nairobi, saw VunaPay beat 382 startups, with only ten finalists advancing to the pitch stage.
As the victorious startup, VunaPay will receive a trip to Tallinn, Estonia, and a booth at Latitude59 2025, one of the premier startup events in Europe.
VunaPay impressed the judges with its innovative, impact-driven solution designed to empower smallholder farmers in Kenya. The platform offers instant payment solutions, integrating AI-driven produce scanning technology and mobile money platforms to ensure fair pay, financial inclusion, and better financial service access for farmers.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Latitude59, Liisi Org expressed her excitement about the competition, stating, “I was glad to witness three female founders pitching on stage, all of them leading impact startups. This year’s focus was heavily on impact-driven solutions, and there were many strong candidates—most were ready to raise a round and had properly functioning products!”
The Latitude59 Kenya Edition 2024, the second satellite edition of the event, attracted nearly 2,000 attendees, creating a vibrant space for startups, investors, and tech enthusiasts to connect. The event provided an invaluable platform for both African and Estonian founders to network, forge partnerships, and discuss innovations in the global startup ecosystem.
As the winner of the competition, VunaPay will receive fast-track access to Latitude59’s Pitch Competition 2025 in Tallinn, as well as a fully-covered trip to the event. In addition, Twiva, another finalist, was honored with the “Walk the Talk” award from Infobip, earning platform credits worth $20,000.
The competition’s prize pool was supported by a variety of organizations, including Latitude59, Cloudplexo, EMERGING Valley, iHub, and SPURT GROUP, each of whom presented awards to startups of their choice.
VunaPay is a mentee of the Spark Accelerator Program and aims to bridge the gap between smallholder farmers and financial services.
The platform allows agricultural cooperatives to track member activities, manage inventory, and facilitate instant payments upon delivery of produce. With AI-powered yield estimation and mobile money integration, VunaPay offers a solution that helps farmers access credit, improve land use, and ultimately increase their yields and living standards.
Daniel Erik Schaer, Estonian Ambassador to Kenya and South Africa, highlighted the importance of collaboration between Kenya and Estonia: “Estonia is a small country, and partnerships are essential for us. Many of our bold startups are already active in Africa, so I hope you’ll use this opportunity to connect, explore, and work together to create something extraordinary.”
As a recipient of the Innovation Award at the Connected Africa Summit 2024, VunaPay has made significant strides in expanding its technology infrastructure and growing its customer base.
The Latitude59 2025 pitch event will be a crucial milestone in the company’s mission to empower farmers across Africa, forging valuable partnerships and advancing its technological solutions.
VunaPay is a Kenyan startup focused on revolutionizing the way smallholder farmers access financial services. Through its innovative platform, VunaPay facilitates instant payments, financial inclusion, and improved agricultural productivity for farmers in Kenya.
By digitizing cooperative records, integrating mobile money, and utilizing AI-driven technologies, VunaPay empowers farmers to access financial services, improve land management, and secure better livelihoods.