In 2021, Diana Owusu-Kyereko founded MAKA, an interactive social commerce platform that addresses the need for diverse and inclusive fashion inspiration. The idea for MAKA stemmed from Owusu-Kyereko’s own struggle to find representation in style recommendations during the pandemic. Frustrated by the lack of diversity on mainstream websites and among influencers, she established MAKA to provide a platform where users can discover products tailored to their personal styles through live try-on hauls, reviews, and user-generated content from both creators and customers.
MAKA gained traction quickly, accumulating over 550,000 downloads. To fuel its growth, the startup secured $2.65 million in pre-seed funding. This investment round was co-led by 4DX Ventures and Janngo, with additional support from Palm Drive Capital, angel investor Jonathan Shipman, and executives from the delivery platform Wolt.
Diana Owusu-Kyereko expressed the company’s mission, emphasizing the belief that everyone should easily discover their style, feel represented, and express individuality. MAKA’s technology, combined with a team of experts, aims to empower users and provide a trustworthy space for exploring and making purchases from verified brands.
The startup recognizes the challenges faced by young consumers who desire authenticity, freedom to set trends, and individuality while being influenced by real people. MAKA seeks to offer an authentic space where users can explore their unique style while enabling creators to showcase content and connect with new audiences.
Fatoumata Bâ, founder and executive chair of Janngo Capital, highlighted the attractiveness of MAKA’s vision, leveraging technology to empower both consumers and creators. She sees MAKA at the forefront of the intersection between e-commerce, creative industries, and cultural industries in Africa. Bâ emphasized the potential for significant growth and impact on the continent, with the three sectors collectively poised to grow by four times by 2050, generating up to $200 billion in GDP and creating 184 million jobs. Janngo Capital is proud to lead the funding round, recognizing MAKA’s potential to unlock massive growth and make a substantial impact in Africa.
Source: Disrupt Africa