Talk360, a South African app that allows users to call any landline or mobile phone in the globe at a reasonable rate, has received an additional US$3 million in seed round funding, bringing its total seed round after its first close in May to US$7 million.
The co-founders of TymeBank, Tjaart van der Walt and Coenraad Jonker, as well as Allan Gray E2 Ventures (AGEV), Kalon Venture Partners, E4E Africa, Endeavor, and the main investor HAVAC are among the investors.
Dean Hiine, a South African venture builder, along with Dutch entrepreneurs Hans Osnabrugge and Jorne Schamp created the company in 2016.
Calls from Talk360 can be made to any landline or mobile phone that is not connected to the internet.
It is one of the most popular apps for making international calls on the African continent, and it has offices in South Africa, the Netherlands, India, and Nigeria. In 2021, it linked more than two million users.
Talk360 had a 16% increase in consumers over the previous year, a 13% increase in income, and a nearly doubling of calling minutes to and from South Africa.
According to Hiine, “Our purpose is to bridge distance and connect lives by providing trustworthy, inexpensive, and simple-to-use digital services, offered in a localized manner to all communities, particularly emerging countries, so they may connect to the world.” But in addition to addressing socioeconomic problems, we also provide our expanding nationwide network of agents with prospects for microbusiness and revenue generation.
The funding will enable the business to increase its market share in South Africa, fuel its expansion across the rest of Africa, and introduce the first pan-African payment platform in 2023.
Read more on Tech Gist Africa:
iiDENTIFii, a South African biometrics tech firm raises USD 15 million
SweepSouth, a South African startup providing online home services, secures $11 million in funding
Skrmiish, a South African gaming startup, receives $2.5 million in a seed funding round
