BuuPass, a Kenyan mobility technology startup, has secured a strategic investment from Yango Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of global ride-hailing and tech conglomerate Yango Group. This investment marks one of the first deployments from Yango Ventures’ newly launched $20 million fund, which is focused on supporting early-stage startups across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Founded in 2016 by Sonia Kabra and Wyclife Omondi, BuuPass has emerged as a transformative force in Africa’s largely under-digitized intercity transport sector. The company offers a comprehensive platform that enables users to book buses, trains, flights, and parcel delivery services, while also equipping transport operators with robust back-office tools for managing inventory, payments, and fleet logistics.
By 2024, BuuPass had processed over $70 million in bookings and sold more than 20 million tickets, partnering with over 150 transport providers across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and South Africa. Its acquisition of South Africa’s QuickBus in 2024, following a $1.3 million pre-seed round in 2023, significantly expanded its footprint and solidified its presence in key regional travel corridors.
BuuPass’s long-term vision is ambitious: to become the unified API powering mobility across Africa, integrating road, rail, and air travel into a seamless digital ecosystem.
The investment from Yango Ventures aligns closely with this vision. While the financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed, BuuPass CEO Sonia Kabra emphasized the strategic nature of the partnership, stating:
Yango leans in with insight, not just capital.
For Yango Group, headquartered in the UAE, this move represents a calculated entry into Africa’s rapidly evolving digital infrastructure landscape. With existing operations in Latin America, the Middle East, and North Africa, Yango is now turning its attention to Sub-Saharan Africa through its venture arm, which will focus on seed to Series B investments in sectors such as online-to-offline (O2O) platforms, B2B SaaS, and fintech.
According to Daniil Shuleyko, CEO of Yango Group:
We are more than just a tech company; we are an ecosystem committed to empowering entrepreneurs worldwide. Through Yango Ventures, we’re sharing our expertise and network to help startups scale, thrive, and drive meaningful change in their communities.
This ecosystem-driven approach sets Yango Ventures apart from traditional venture capital firms. In addition to funding, it offers startups access to global infrastructure, proven business models, and operational expertise. For BuuPass, this could mean deeper integration with Yango’s ride-hailing, logistics, and software platforms—especially as urban and intercity mobility solutions begin to converge.
Yango’s entry into Africa mirrors a broader trend among global tech players. In 2023, inDrive launched a $100 million venture and M&A fund targeting startups addressing systemic inequalities in emerging markets. While Yango Ventures appears more commercially focused, its emphasis on infrastructure and scalability may offer a more pragmatic path to long-term impact.
However, the African startup landscape remains complex. With fragmented markets and diverse regulatory environments, scaling across the continent requires more than just capital—it demands local insight, adaptability, and long-term commitment. Solutions that succeed in Nairobi may need to be re-engineered for Lagos, Kinshasa, or Accra.
Still, Yango’s investment in BuuPass appears well-timed. As demand grows for platforms that streamline transport, payments, and logistics, startups like BuuPass are well-positioned to lead Africa’s next wave of digital transformation.
For BuuPass, this partnership marks a significant milestone in its mission to digitize mobility across the continent. For Yango Ventures, it’s a strategic first step into Africa’s high-growth tech ecosystem. And for the broader market, it’s yet another signal that global investors are beginning to take African innovation seriously—one bus ticket at a time.
