ANKA acquired by GlobalShopCo for an undisclosed quantity

ANKA, an Ivorian e-commerce startup that raised over $13 million from buyers just like the Worldwide Finance Company, has been acquired by GlobalShopCo, a New York-based vogue firm, for an undisclosed quantity. 

“I lately acquired ANKA… as a result of I deeply imagine in what this platform represents: a strong motion that has related African and diaspora creators to prospects all around the world,” Matilda Ceesay, GlobalShopCo’s CEO, mentioned in a mail despatched to prospects and seen by TechCabal. ANKA is GlobalShop’s first acquisition. 

Ceesay instructed prospects that she acquired ANKA to “make it stronger and extra supportive than ever” as a part of her plans to assist African sellers entice extra prospects, streamline operations, and showcase their work to the world, in keeping with the mail seen by TechCabal. 

ANKA’s infrastructure—funds, logistics, and storefronts tailor-made for African sellers—will seemingly function the operational spine for this ambition. By combining its world ambition with the operational sophistication of ANKA, GlobalShopCo is positioning itself as a vogue firm able to powering and scaling manufacturers that resonate deeply with world Black and African diaspora communities. 

The acquisition comes over a 12 months after ANKA rebranded from Afrikrea, its flagship market that related 1000’s of African sellers to consumers in over 170 markets. Afrikrea processed over $60 million value of transactions, grew its income to $4.1 million, and hit 1 million month-to-month visits earlier than ANKA rebranded. 

After its rebrand, the startup pivoted to a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that mixes a market, a cost system, and logistics companies, permitting it to quadruple its cost quantity and attain breakeven, Moulaye Taboure, ANKA’s co-founder, instructed TechCabal. 

Whereas ANKA’s workers and operations will stay intact, the startup founders—Luc B. Perussault Diallo, Moulaye Taboure, and Kadry Diallo—have exited and will likely be changed by Matilda Ceesay.

“Whereas I’m formally entering into the position as soon as held by Moulaye and Kadry, they may at all times stay an necessary a part of the ANKA household,” Ceesay mentioned. “I deeply worth their knowledge, information, and previous learnings, and can proceed to attract from these classes as we construct the groundwork for ANKA’s future.”

Based in 2016, ANKA was as soon as hailed as a rising participant in Francophone Africa’s startup ecosystem, because it got down to take away the limitations for African SMEs and designers to export their merchandise and scale globally by fixing cost, logistics, storefront, and market challenges.

In its present iteration, ANKA supplies an built-in SaaS market platform enabling African sellers to promote on-line, be paid internationally, and ship globally with decrease friction.

“World’s roll-up technique and Matilda’s deep expertise in world vogue, with African roots and American networks, are precisely what was lacking to take African exports to the subsequent stage,” mentioned Taboure.