Kenyan startup Chpter is on a mission to reinvent how small businesses across Africa sell and serve customers by turning everyday chat apps like WhatsApp and Instagram into powerful, AI-powered storefronts.
Founded by Mark Kiarie, Kuria Kevin, Tesh Mbaabu and Mesongo Sibuti, Chpter is building an AI-first social commerce platform that helps merchants in emerging markets automate customer engagement, take orders, and process payments — all from the apps their customers already use daily.
“We’ve moved from the era of Shopify and Amazon to a new era where people are transacting directly on social media,” said co-founder Mark Kiarie, speaking at the Safaricom Spark Accelerator Demo Day. “But the problem is — businesses can’t keep up.”
Solving a pain point
In markets like Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, millions of transactions start with a DM or WhatsApp message — but many of them don’t convert. Why? Because small businesses can’t respond fast enough.
Research shows that 60% of customers will abandon a purchase if they don’t get a reply within seven minutes.
Chpter steps in with AI agents that offer 24/7 customer support, sales assistance, and marketing automation directly on WhatsApp and Instagram. Merchants can take orders, receive payments, and manage customer conversations in one centralized dashboard — no coding or complex setup required.
“Think of Chpter as your digital shop assistant — always available, always responsive,” Kiarie said.
Smart monetization, real traction
Chpter runs on three main revenue models:
- Subscription fees that scale with features and usage,
- Conversational AI fees — charging $0.10 per ticket resolved, which is 80% more efficient than a human agent,
- Transaction commissions on checkouts made through the platform.
Interestingly, over 50% of its revenue today comes from AI and messaging services, showing just how essential automation has become for African merchants.
Since joining the Spark Accelerator, Chpter has seen explosive growth, tripling its annual recurring revenue from $50,000 to $150,000, and signing on over 100 new businesses every week — with 10% of them upgrading to paid plans.
The company is also now a Meta Business Partner (one of fewer than five in Africa), and has landed enterprise clients like NCBA, Safarilink, Brintab, Décathlon, Victoria Home Store, and Lintons Beauty World.
Big partnerships and big ambition
Chpter is already rolling out its technology into public sector use cases, with its API set to power services on platforms like eCitizen — making it possible for users to pay for things like KWS park fees via WhatsApp.
And that’s not all. The team has signed an MOU with M-PESA to offer its services to over 300,000 M-PESA merchants, a move that could massively scale its reach.
The startup is also currently working on an RFP with Masako, further demonstrating its ability to serve both SMEs and large organizations.
“If you look at your phone right now, the most-used app is probably WhatsApp. Now imagine buying airline tickets, paying electricity bills, or even filing insurance claims on WhatsApp,” said Kiarie. “That’s the future we’re building.”
A seasoned team with startup scars
Chpter’s founding team is no stranger to the startup grind. Misongo and Tesh helped scale MarketForce to over $200 million in annual transaction volume. Kiarie and Kuria previously exited their first business. Growth is led by Andrew, an MIT graduate bringing a global tech edge to local challenges.
To scale their momentum, the startup is currently raising $2 million on a $10 million post-money valuation, with 22% of the round already committed. Chpter has previously raised $1.4 million from backers like Dexter, Norsken, PANI, and Renew Capital.
The bigger vision
Ultimately, Chpter’s goal is simple but bold: to empower merchants in Africa — and eventually beyond — to run fully automated, conversational businesses from the platforms their customers already love.
“Africa skipped desktop. We went straight to mobile,” said Kiarie. “Now we’re skipping traditional e-commerce too. We’re going social, we’re going conversational — and we’re going AI-first.”
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