Kenyan mobility startup BuuPass, a leading B2B2C platform for intercity travel across Africa, has secured strategic funding from Yango Ventures to fuel its continental expansion and deepen its position in the mobility ecosystem.
Since launching in 2016, BuuPass has sold over 16 million tickets and facilitated more than $100 million worth of travel transactions. The platform offers both consumer-facing booking via web, mobile app, and USSD, and a SaaS solution that digitises bus operations by helping operators manage inventory, sales, and schedules all vital for modernising Africa’s largely informal intercity transport sector.
Founded by Sonia Kabra and Wyclife Omondi, BuuPass has previously raised a $1.3 million pre-seed round in early 2023, backed by investors including FrontEnd Ventures, XA Network, Google for Startups Black Founders Fund, and Renew Capital. In 2024, it acquired QuickBus, broadening its footprint into South Africa and Nigeria and adding thousands of new routes and operators to its network.
The investment from Yango Ventures part of a $20 million early-stage venture fund launched by ride‑hailing firm Yango Group is strategic as much as it is financial. While Yango focuses on urban ride-hailing, backing BuuPass gives it insight into intercity travel markets and paves the way for complementary mobility services across the continent.
Yango Group CEO Daniil Shuleyko highlighted that through Yango Ventures, the company is sharing expertise and networks to help startups scale and impact their communities not merely providing capital. BuuPass co-founder Sonia Kabra noted that Yango’s involvement brings insight into African mobility patterns, not just funding.
The new round arrives as BuuPass continues its pan-African agenda. The acquisition of QuickBus significantly expanded its presence beyond Kenya and Uganda into Nigeria and South Africa. The company is targeting entry into up to 12 African markets by 2025, with plans to leverage partnerships with telcos, banks, and other digital platforms.
BuuPass’s growth reflects a broader shift in mobility infrastructure across Africa from fragmented paper-based bus operations to digital platforms that unify supply and demand. Its combined SaaS and marketplace model offers scale and stickiness, creating a transport ecosystem that can serve millions across borders and continents.
Although the exact funding amount wasn’t disclosed, the strategic nature of Yango’s investment signals long-term support as BuuPass accelerates expansion, improves technology, and builds out agent and operator partnerships. With this backing, BuuPass is solidifying its position as essential infrastructure for Africa’s intercity travel landscape.
As smartphone adoption rises paired with mobile payments and digital services the company is well-positioned to dominate intercity ticketing and operations across Africa’s increasingly connected transport networks.
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