![[Startup Interview] Mary Mwangi, CEO Data Integrated Limited, Kenya](Images/2018/05/Mary Mwangi-Digital Integrated Limited.jpg)
[Startup Interview] Mary Mwangi, CEO Data Integrated Limited, Kenya
Data Integrated Limited (DIL) was one of four winners of the MEST Africa challenge and will participate in a pitch challenge to showcase their solution at the MEST Africa Summit.
The event will be held in Cape Town SA on 20th June this year. They will showcase their solutions to more than 150 corporate executives from Silicon Valley, Europe, and Africa who will make their businesses panAfrican. The winner will take home an equity investment worth $50 000.
Mary Mwangi is the Founder and CEO of Data Integrated Limited (DIL) and she spoke to Africa Business Communities;
What is the latest news?
We just won the Mest Africa Challenge for East Africa and we will be going to South Africa for the final challenge, I am happy and excited about this especially the support that we are getting from Nest, MEST, and MTN.
Congratulations! Give us a background about Data Integrated Limited?
For the last 6 years, Data Intergrated Limited (DIL) has been building traction across the enterprise payment solution and aggregator space to address challenges facing the "First Mile" of financial inclusion. We automate and digitize small businesses with the only fully customizable, interoperable, East African payment processing solution.
Where is it located?
Our offices are in Kenya, Nairobi, Kasarani.
When was DIL founded and why?
Data Integrated Limited was founded in 2012 to provide automated mobile money payments for the customer to the business transaction while providing backend analytic data to the small business owners.
How is DIL funded?
The company was funded by family and friends up until now. We are currently fundraising.
What are Data Integrated Limited's Unique Selling Points?
We provide fully customized payment solutions for SME's that helps meet their automating needs including their industrial experience that has made their businesses successful so far.
How has the market responded to your products?
We have gained good traction, especially in the transport sector. We were able to process over 5million transactions and about $40 million in 2017 on our platform.
Who are your clients?
Our clients are mostly bus companies and bus owners in Kenya that are known as "Matatus."
What changes has DIL gone through since inception and what do they mean to the business?
Since inception, we moved from focusing much on the hardware manufacturing solution to more of a software focus and now we are focussing on a connected devices/ software driven solution in order to provide an automated end to end payment solutions.
Are you planning any strategic partnerships?
Yes, we have been able to partner with banks such as UBA, Ecobank, Equity Bank and telecom companies such as MTN, which is being very supportive and other businesses, especially within the transport space.
How is competition in your industry and how do you deal with it?
The competition is there but at different levels for the different products that we provide but we have not seen an equal competitor for all our products. The way we keep being competitive is by answering to our clients' needs and keeping ahead of the curve with innovative solutions.
What can be expected of DIL in 2018?
We expect to make some good inroads within the fintech space and the transport sector with our "Smart transport solution" among our other SME payment solutions.
What does DIL need to grow and prosper?
A great team which we keep building. We are currently fundraising to have enough money to scale up our products, we need partners, technical advisors, go to market partners in other countries and stakeholders' support.
Who should contact DIL and why?
Investors, Banks, Telecoms, other payment service providers and companies that are in the payment spaces for collaboration and our potential customers the SME's that want to automate their payment systems through an easily affordable and customizable solution that meets their needs.
www.linkedin.com/in/mary-mwangi
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