At this year’s Moonshot by TechCabal conference — an influential gathering that unites Africa’s top innovators, investors, and policymakers — one company took the spotlight for championing a vital cause: empowering Africa’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with affordable, intelligent technology.
The event, which explored key forces shaping Africa’s digital evolution — from artificial intelligence (AI) to sustainable innovation — also provided a platform to address persistent barriers slowing SME growth across the continent. Among these are poor access to digital infrastructure, funding limitations, and fragmented business systems.
Speaking during the conference, Vincent Edigin, Co-founder and CEO of GreenBii, underscored the staggering financial toll of these challenges.
“African SMEs lose nearly $175 million annually due to inefficiencies and the lack of accessible business solutions. These enterprises sustain more than 80% of Africa’s workforce, yet they face enormous operational burdens,” he explained. “At GreenBii, our mission is to provide smarter, easier, and affordable digital tools that empower them to thrive.”
Founded in 2022, GreenBii is a one-stop business management platform designed to simplify the way African SMEs handle operations — from bookkeeping and invoicing to inventory control and POS management. By merging these processes into a single ecosystem, GreenBii helps entrepreneurs eliminate costly inefficiencies and scale sustainably.
Common Barriers to SME Digitization in Africa
Drawing from its close engagement with small businesses, GreenBii identified recurring issues:
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Disjointed digital tools: Many SMEs rely on separate, non-integrated apps for finance, marketing, and inventory — leading to confusion and higher costs.
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Capital and equipment constraints: High upfront costs prevent most SMEs from adopting modern tools. GreenBii offers flexible financing models to ease access.
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Credibility and visibility gaps: As customers become more digitally savvy, businesses without strong online presence struggle to earn trust and grow.
Driving Inclusive Innovation
While Moonshot 2025 highlighted Africa’s progress in AI and frontier technologies, GreenBii urged policymakers and investors to redirect innovation to the grassroots, where small businesses drive real economic transformation. The company advocates for:
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Greater access to digital infrastructure to streamline operations.
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Flexible financing systems that make software adoption attainable.
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Partnerships between governments, tech providers, and development agencies to enhance digital inclusion.
“Technology isn’t a luxury anymore — it’s a lifeline,” Edigin emphasized. “Every small business deserves affordable, integrated tools that not only boost efficiency but also strengthen trust with customers.”
GreenBii’s strong presence at Moonshot 2025 reaffirms its commitment to building a digitally inclusive Africa — one where SMEs are not left behind, but instead equipped to drive the continent’s next wave of growth.
