Kenyan startup Badili, a reverse commerce, or “re-commerce”, platform for refurbished phones, has secured an undisclosed amount of seed funding from E3 Capital to help it expand into more markets across East Africa.
Founded in 2021 and already operating in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, Badili aggregates, repairs, and reintroduces used or damaged mobile phones to the market through major e-commerce platforms, local trade partners and MNOs.
The platform provides consumers with access to top-tier smartphone brands, utilising local refurbishment to offer devices at a fraction of the price of new models without compromising quality.
The startup raised a pre-seed round last year, and took part in the 12th edition of the SOSV MOX accelerator, banking US$150,000 in funding. It has now followed that up with seed capital from E3 Capital, which invests in early-stage businesses enabling digitised, decentralised, and decarbonised business models across Africa.
E3 Capital’s investment, made through the E3 Low Carbon Economy Fund (E3 LCEF I), aims to propel Badili’s expansion into new markets beyond East Africa, enhancing Africa’s digital infrastructure by providing affordable access to consumer devices.
“We are proud to welcome E3 Capital, a seasoned African VC, as the lead investor in our latest seed round. I am excited for the significant impact that this partnership will have on our business as well as the lives of thousands of aspirational African consumers who are looking to buy affordable and environmentally friendly electronics,” said Rishabh Lawania, CEO and co-founder of Badili.
Paras Patel, managing partner at E3 Capital, said supporting Badili aligned with E3’s ethos of fostering digital innovation while advocating for environmental sustainability.
“It’s noteworthy that refurbished phones reduce associated CO2eq emissions by 87 per cent compared to new models, underscoring the positive climate impact of Badili’s business. In just a short period, we have been impressed by Badili’s ability to scale the business model in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, striking partnerships with key stakeholders in the ecosystem,” Patel said.
