Simplifyd, a Nigerian startup aiming to become Africa’s platform of choice for data-free internet access, has raised US$500,000 in pre-seed funding and announced the launch of ZeroData, its toll-free internet application platform.
Simplifyd, founded in 2020 by Tomi Amao, Mayowa Amao, Sam Keiru, and Abiola Fajimi, aims to solve the challenges associated with accessing affordable data amid the staggering rate of data consumption, particularly among mobile and web app users in Africa’s emerging markets.
The startup has received over US$500,000 in pre-seed funding from Future Africa and Y Combinator, with the latter funding coming after Simplifyd was selected for the W22 batch of the renowned Silicon Valley-based accelerator alongside a slew of other African startups.
It has also announced the launch of ZeroData, which co-founder and CEO Tomi Amao says was created out of a strong desire to solve Africa’s troubling data affordability problem, as well as to support greater digital inclusion across the continent.
“ZeroData is intended to serve users with active data plans as well as those who do not have any.” When users use the application while they have an active data plan, their data plan is not depleted. “Our app also allows users who do not have active data plans to have continuous access to the internet apps listed on the platform,” he explained.
“For us, the realization that Africans pay the highest proportional to income rate for mobile internet in the world is concerning.” This is a significant challenge that we are excited to address long-term with the launch of ZeroData. For the continent’s growing number of Internet users, we are developing a convenient platform to access the internet away from the challenge of massive data consumption.”
Users will only need to download the ZeroData app, which is available for both mobile (Android) and desktop (Windows) (MacOS and Windows). This gives them immediate data-free access to the listed apps and websites. The ZeroData platform also enables businesses to bundle data with their apps in order to make them more accessible and data-free to those who need it the most.
