As it prepares to launch in Nairobi and Harare in the coming months, Nigerian startup Truppr can boast of some impressive user and financial figures.
Launched in August of last year by Co-Creation Hub (CcHub) co-founder Bosum Tijani, Truppr provides a one-stop-shop for finding and booking sports venues, organising events, and finding teammates and fitness partners.
Disrupt Africa reported last month the startup is set to launch in Nairobi and Harare, its first expansion outside of Nigeria, and given the numbers it is easy to see why.
Truppr has over 10,500 members that have hosted almost 1,000 events since the startup’s inception. Three-quarters of its users participate in at least three events per month, while there are about 25 active events on the platform a week. Over 40 new users sign up to the platform daily.
This growing user base has also brought financial success. Truppr generated more than US$40,000 in 2014, and has earned more than US$80,000 already in 2015. It is targeting US$250,000 with its expansion into new countries.
The startup was founded as a result of Tijani’s love of team sports. However, as a result of having lived in five different cities over 10 years, he found challenges when it came to finding regular partners and teammates.
“I play football for fun and fitness twice a week and consistently struggled to keep the routine due to difficulty in finding teammates and venues while on business trips or in new cities,” he said.
According to Oge Odilibe, communications manager at Truppr, this was a problem also experienced by millions of other people across the world.
“Like Bosun, millions of people globally rely on team sports and physical activities as a source of regular exercise,” she said. “Bosun conceived Truppr as a solution to this problem.”
Odilibe said whether on a business trip or on holiday, people still want to stay active by engaging in their favourite sports.
“Bosun saw an opportunity to get people involved by finding fitness lovers and various fun fitness events created around them or even creating an event, whether via the web or the app, and have people join,” she said.
Initially funded by Tijani and the CcHub, the startup in May announced it had secured a GBP30,000 (US$46,000) interest-free loan from Indigo Trust, which is being used to help its expansion.
Nairobi and Harare are Truppr’s chosen first two destinations, with a launch in Nairobi likely to take place this month.
“The diversity and maturity of the Kenyans community when it comes to fitness. That’s why the expansion to Nairobi is happening,” Odilibe said.
The impressive revenues come from bespoke wellness programmes, corporate event management, and merchandise. Truppr will also soon move into taking commissions on venue bookings, premium event listings and affiliate schemes.
The startup is not resting on its laurels when it comes to honing its product either, with Odilibe saying the team had learnt that the fitness community was a highly engaging one, with clear needs and demands.
“We are as such constantly digesting data to help us meet the most pressing needs of our users,” she said.
In terms of difficulties, Odilibe pinpointed customer acquisition as a achallenge on account of its expense.
“Reaching our target user groups and trying to get them on board is usually a challenge, but it’s every startup’s challenge,” she said.
