Endeavor this month welcomed to its global network of entrepreneurs Obi Ozor and Ife Oyedele II, co-founders of Kobo360, a startup solving logistics challenges for businesses in Nigeria and Kenya. The company operates via a digital platform that matches cargo-owners with truck owners while providing real-time updates throughout the entire delivery process.
The founders were selected as part of a cohort of 10 entrepreneurs from five markets. “We’re excited to welcome Kobo360 into Endeavor’s network which includes some of the world’s most exciting scale-up entrepreneurs and most experienced mentors and investors,” said Eloho Gihan-Mbelu, Managing Director & CEO of Endeavor in Nigeria.
In addition to leveraging technology to reduce friction and improve efficiency in the African logistics ecosystem, Kobo360 offers value-added services such as trip-financing, discounts on diesel, and insurance. Since launching in 2017, the startup has achieved several milestones, including a $30 million Series A last August.
“Fixing Africa’s supply chain is clearly important for commerce on the continent, and Kobo360’s rapid growth over the past 3 years is evidence that the company’s valuable services are in critical demand,” Gihan-Mbelu continued, “Obi and Ife are inspiring founders and their relentless focus on scaling Kobo360 serves as an inspiration to high-impact entrepreneurs everywhere.”
Obi has over seven years of logistics and supply chain experience and is the CEO of Kobo360, managing all key aspects of the company including operations, investments, compliance risk management, and product growth. Ife meanwhile acts as the Chief Growth Officer, having worked in various capacities with several global brands, overseeing the growth and expansion of the Kobo360 platform across Africa.
“It’s an honor to be joining this global network of high-impact entrepreneurs and to have Endeavor recognize our efforts to transform Africa’s logistics sector using technology,” Obi said, describing their admission to the Endeavor network as a “fundamental milestone in Kobo360’s journey.”
With the recent addition of Kobo360, Endeavor Nigeria now supports 16 entrepreneurs who lead 10 scale-up stage companies in Nigeria, spanning fintech, renewable energy, entertainment, logistics, and retail. Earlier this year, the company welcomed Daystar Power (a renewable energy company based in Nigeria and Ghana) and Migo (a financial technology platform operating in Nigeria and Brazil) into its network.
Established in 1997, Endeavor is a global organization leading the movement for high-impact entrepreneurship. The company helps founders of some of the world’s most exciting scale-up companies accelerate growth, and contributes to building strong entrepreneurship ecosystems in underserved markets like Nigeria. Headquartered in New York City, Endeavor currently operates in nearly 40 growth markets throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America.
