Halan an Egyptian technology startup that uses tuk-tuk to transport passengers and goods will begin operating in Ethiopia.
The company targets under-served communities and is expanding in more cities in the Egyptian governorates of Sharqeya, Daqahleya, Damietta, Qena and Gharbeya before the end of this year, said
The company was founded in November 2017 and already operates in around 20 to 25 cities in Egypt and Sudan.
Halan’s app allows customers to request for the three-wheeled vehicles, motorbikes or order food or goods for delivery through motorbikes or cargo tricycles.
Nakhla said the app has around 10,000 active drivers per month.
He continued to add that Egypt has around 70,000 tuk-tuks in its streets and Uber has 90,000 monthly active drivers in Egypt.
The company’s founder said, “Halan completes a few million rides per month, almost half a million of which are in food deliveries.” He further said that adding ride-hailing had increased by 55% and food deliveries more than quadrupled in the year.
Nakhla hopes that his company will become “pan African” and that he saw tremendous opportunities for growth of the company on the continent.
He said that Adama, a small city in Ethiopia about 500Km from Addis Abba has a lot of two-wheeler and three-wheeler, which he said, is a great place to
He further said that they have already done tens of rides in Adama in the form of testing and they have a team on board.
Adama city has less than 1,ooo vehicles whose drivers Halana will try to recruit to its platform “before launching countrywide,” Nakhla said.
The company has delivery partnerships in Egypt with fast-food chains like KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonald’s.
It is now targeting smaller restaurants in the areas it focuses on.
Nakhla said the startup to date has raised “slightly less than $20million.” Nakhla was inspired to start Halan after he met Nadiem Makarim founder and CEO of
Gojek an Indonesian ride-hailing and e-payments Company in 2017.
Gojek introduced Go-Pay, which is the biggest digital payment platform in Indonesia.
Go-Pay ease payments and connects drivers and merchants with various financial services such as education saving schemes, health insurance and subsidized mortgages.
