Worknasi: Tanzania’s Airbnb for African office space
Newly launched Tanzanian startup Worknasi, is an online platform connecting businesses and startups in the country to awesome office space, co-working spaces and meeting rooms in today’s sharing economy
Founded by Edgar B.Mwampinge, a Tanzanian law graduate and founder of Spid Express a company which offers expresse delivery services based on door to door pick-up, delivery and messenger services.
Worknasi is coined from “Work” and “Nasi”, which is Swahili word for “with us”. Therefore “Worknasi” means “work with us”. In Tanzania, entrepreneurs who find offices fail to furnish them due to high costs and lack of time to do so. Worknasi is therefore there to help them reduce the high rent costs they face during their early startup lives.
The company was born when Mwampinge realised he couldn’t find office space for his other startup, courier service Spid Express. He asked a friend if we could share his office and he would contribute on rent. The friend agreed and gave him a room in his office. That’s when Mwampinge realized that people could actually share their offices so he decided to set up the platform.
Packages currently available include single desks, shared desks in open spaces, rooms and full offices. The startup also has meeting rooms for those who need them on-demand or per month basis. Due to lack of capital for marketing, the company currently relies on social media for publicity.
Worknasi wants to be the Airbnb for office space in Africa, connecting startups and businesses with spare working areas. Worknasi aims to provide businesses with opportunities to generate extra revenue and startups to access flexible and affordable working spaces and meeting rooms.
Funding is needed to develop the platform. Mwampinge would like to invest more in technology to have the best platform for a better user experience and rent payment flexibility. He wants to enable users to pay their rent direct through the platform via a mobile money payment system, debit card, PayPal, and other payment methods,” he said.
“The sharing economy in Africa, especially on office space and meeting rooms, is a bit of a new concept, however it is an area which is ready to be explored ! ”
Source: Techmoran & Disrupt Africa
