Ongair, a Kenyan company providing businesses with customer service solutions through popular chat apps, has secured funding from Nest VC, marking the firm’s first Kenyan investment. The amount remains undisclosed, but the capital will support Ongair’s growth and strategic expansion into Asia.Nest VC, which expanded its operations to Kenya from Hong Kong in mid-2015, expressed confidence in Ongair’s potential. Aaron Fu, Managing Partner of Nest Africa, remarked, “We are very excited about the growth Ongair is experiencing and believe that with this additional capital, network, and strategic input, the company can grow even more rapidly.
”Founded by Trevor Kimenye, Ongair allows companies to manage customer interactions through a unified dashboard integrated with messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram, and WeChat. Currently used by over 700 businesses globally, the company is positioned to expand its user base further with this new funding.
Strategic Expansion into Asia
Ongair’s decision to target Asia is fueled by the region’s advanced messaging ecosystem, especially WeChat. “Asia is home to the most sophisticated messaging platform in the world – WeChat,” Kimenye explained. He highlighted WeChat’s multifunctional capabilities, which range from payments to food delivery, noting the opportunity for Ongair to provide customer service solutions to businesses on the platform.
By integrating its services with WeChat, Ongair aims to tap into the platform’s extensive business network, which includes millions of companies. This move could significantly increase Ongair’s user base. To support the expansion, Ongair is localizing content for the Asian market and strengthening partnerships, such as its collaboration with Zendesk in Hong Kong.
Kimenye also revealed plans to establish a sales and support office in the region to cater to high-end clients and bolster its cross-selling initiatives with Zendesk.
This funding marks a major milestone for Ongair, showcasing the increasing appeal of African startups to global investors. With its innovative approach and growing footprint, Ongair is poised to make significant strides in customer service technology.
