This week, we sought out Lori Systems to speak to us briefly about winning the 2017 Startup Battlefield Africa competition. Nancy Odero, here, represents this startup looking to revolutionize the African logistics space.
1. First, who is Nancy Odero?
In one word I would say Nancy is driven. I have had a passion for the logistics industry for over 10 years and having the opportunity to work with Lori Systems to revolutionize this industry, in Africa, is a dream come true. Having a strong sense of drive is key in this industry and using this quality to deliver on-time results to ensure continuous movement is, in my opinion, what I aim to achieve every day I get to the office.
2. Congrats, you guys won Startup Battlefield Africa. Take us through your win.
The TechCrunch win was a welcome surprise for Lori Systems. We were actually a last-minute addition to the competition and therefore had to put in a lot of extra hours into preparing for our presentation. Nevertheless, we found the experience to be a great opportunity to not only interact with innovative startups from around the continent but also to celebrate Africa and the achievements we, as a continent, have made in the tech space.
We are very passionate about Lori Systems’ mission to bring down costs of goods across the continent. And to have this recognized and celebrated by the African tech community is a welcomed win.
3. What do you tell young Kenyans who shy away from throwing their hats into contests like Startup Battlefield Africa (which you won, congrats again)?
Thank you.
I would tell young Kenyans, you never lose out on anything by trying. With contests like Startup Battlefield Africa, just being featured as a participant is a big boost to your company and to your growth as an entrepreneur. The training you get and the interactions you make ultimately help grow your individual entrepreneurial brand and your company’s as well.
4. Kenyans consider funding to be the biggest challenge in starting a business. So, give them a clue. How did Lori Systems put together resources to start?
Funding will always be that thorn in the side with entrepreneurship. When Lori Systems started, all our resources came from our founder Josh. He put all his savings into the business. Until we were able to prove our business model, this was our main source of funding.
Starting a business is probably one of the hardest things an individual can do and if you do chose to go down this route, be willing to give your all to it. But also ensure you’ve got a couch to sleep on – sound advice I received from Josh.
5. We want to hear about more success from you in future. What next for Lori Systems?
As we look ahead, we are actively working to grow our team. We have a great team that continues to champion the business and the mission. We are always looking for hungry and passionate people willing to put in the work. We are currently headquartered in Kenya and recently incorporated in Rwanda and Uganda. In the next few years we hope to expand further across the continent and revolutionize the African logistics space.