RENEW and the Impact Angel Network to invest in logistics and e-commerce in Ethiopia
November 1, 2017: The US-based Impact Angel Network (RENEW and Impact Angel Network) have committed capital to Roadrunner Technology Solutions LLC (Roadrunner), which will partner with Universal Courier Services PLC (Deliver Addis) to expand the burgeoning logistics and e-commerce industries in Ethiopia.
November 1, 2017: The US-based Impact Angel Network (RENEW and Impact Angel Network) have committed capital to Roadrunner Technology Solutions LLC (Roadrunner), which will partner with Universal Courier Services PLC (Deliver Addis) to expand the burgeoning logistics and e-commerce industries in Ethiopia.
Deliver Addis is a technology-enabled, online food delivery company based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, launched in October 2015. To date, the company’s focus has been on business-to-consumer delivery, mainly of restaurant orders. The IAN’s investment in Roadrunner is aimed at helping its partner Deliver Addis to become Ethiopia’s leading technology-enabled, last-mile courier service for consumers and businesses.
“RENEW, and the IAN anticipate that this investment in Roadrunner will meaningfully contribute to the Ethiopian economy by creating jobs, reducing emission through the use of more fuel-efficient vehicles, and increasing business for local restaurants, grocery stores and companies. We are grateful to our partners in Ethiopia and the Government of Canada who make our work in Ethiopia possible,” said Matt Davis, CEO of RENEW.
Deliver Addis’ founder Feleg Tsegaye commented, “Since we launched Ethiopia's first online restaurant delivery service, people have quickly taken to it with virtually no marketing and have pushed us to expand in ways we hadn't expected. Our partnership with RENEW and the IAN will enable us to build the technology and scale our operations in order to support demands from existing and new customers, including individuals, businesses, organisations and more.”
Deliver Addis has succeeded in building a loyal customer base in offering a service which, while common in most developed economies, has been largely unavailable in Ethiopia. The IAN’s investment will provide Deliver Addis, through its partnership with Roadrunner, with the technology and operational support it requires to improve the quality and speed of its existing services, expand its service offering to new products, and reach new consumers. Roadrunner will supply Deliver Addis with a dedicated technology platform, as well as back-office, market research and payment processing support. Deliver Addis will continue as the delivery provider in Ethiopia.
This is the Impact Angel Network’s ninth investment in its portfolio of eight companies in East Africa.
