Investor Briefing
Businesses don't have a payment problem. They have a money allocation problem.
PayAssure is building the financial infrastructure that automatically allocates, settles, and reconciles every transaction across Africa's supply chains.
Opportunity
Large, defensible, settlement-first platform
TAM
$9B+
Regional supply chain payment and working capital flows across East Africa.
Revenue model
SaaS + fees
Subscription, transaction, settlement and embedded finance revenue.
Why now
Digital payments, ERP adoption, embedded finance, and regulatory momentum are creating the conditions for PayAssure to become the middleware backbone for trade settlement across Africa.
The Story Behind PayAssure
Why this company needs to exist
Every day, businesses across Africa receive millions of customer payments. Yet many of these same businesses struggle to pay suppliers on time, maintain healthy cash flow, and grow without relying on expensive short-term financing.
The challenge isn't always a lack of revenue. It's what happens after a payment is received. Customer payments intended for suppliers, operating expenses, inventory, and business growth are often pooled into a single account. As daily expenses accumulate, businesses lose visibility into what belongs to whom. By the time suppliers expect payment, the funds have often been used elsewhere.
The result is delayed settlements, strained supplier relationships, manual reconciliation, cash flow pressure, and an increasing dependence on working capital loans. Financial institutions have responded by creating more lending products to finance these gaps.
We believe there is a better approach. Instead of financing broken payment flows, businesses should have infrastructure that allocates money correctly from the moment a customer pays. That's why we built PayAssure.
Our Thesis
The next generation of financial infrastructure won't simply move money — it will intelligently allocate it. If funds are distributed correctly at the moment of payment, businesses reconcile less, suppliers are paid faster, and dependence on short-term lending reduces.
Our Platform
PayAssure sits between payment acceptance and settlement. Every transaction is authenticated, business rules determine allocation, the settlement engine distributes payments, and the ledger records every movement. Reconciliation is generated automatically — programmable financial infrastructure for African commerce.
Vision
Today's systems answer "Was the payment successful?" PayAssure answers "Now that the payment has arrived, where should the money go?" That infrastructure layer is what we're building.
North Star: Businesses don't struggle because customers don't pay — they struggle because money isn't allocated correctly after payment. PayAssure automates that allocation.
Market Context
Why East Africa. Why now.
Kenya has witnessed the collapse of major retail chains including Nakumatt, Uchumi, and Tuskys over the past decade. While many factors contributed to their downfall, one recurring and critical challenge was poor visibility into cash flow, supplier obligations, and settlement processes.
These retailers couldn't reconcile payables in real-time. Suppliers had no visibility into orders, shipments, and payment timelines. The manual, fragmented nature of their payment workflows meant:
- •Weeks of working capital tied up in reconciliation
- •Disputed invoices and delayed settlements
- •No access to trade finance or working capital credit
- •Inability to forecast cash positions or scale operations
Across Africa, thousands of manufacturers, distributors, and retailers still operate this way.
Today, East African commerce is fragmenting across multiple channels: POS systems, mobile money, bank transfers, ERP platforms, and emerging marketplace integrations. Without a unified settlement layer, retailers and suppliers have even less control over their financial flows.
PayAssure is building the infrastructure layer to modernize these financial flows and enable faster, more transparent commerce. We're creating the settlement backbone that Nakumatt, Uchumi, and Tuskys needed—and that thousands of retailers, distributors, and manufacturers need today.
2000+
Retail enterprises in Kenya
100B+
KES annual B2B transactions
50%+
Manual reconciliation processes
Our Solution
Middleware for settlement orchestration, not another ERP.
PayAssure sits between retailers, suppliers, ERPs, banks and payment rails to orchestrate every transaction, execute settlement, and continuously reconcile cash flow.
PayAssure connects ERP systems, payment providers and financial institutions in a single settlement workflow that is audit-ready and configurable.
Market Opportunity
Across Africa, payments are collected — but money allocation remains broken.
Across Africa, businesses process billions of shillings in payments every day. Yet supplier payments remain delayed, reconciliation is largely manual, and working capital is tied up in inefficient financial processes. These structural frictions create a large, addressable opportunity for a settlement-first infrastructure layer.
TAM
Regional supply chain payments
$9B+ in annual settlement and working capital flow across East African commerce.
SAM
ERP-connected retail trade
Focused on manufacturers, distributors and retailers using ERP and payment providers in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
SOM
Initial pilot & partner rollout
Early traction with pilot customers, ERP partners and banks gives a defensible path to the first 50 enterprise accounts.
Target segments
Retailers · Manufacturers · Banks
We focus on enterprise buyers with the highest settlement complexity and financing need.
Why Now
Market dynamics are aligning for settlement-first infrastructure.
Regulatory support, open banking, ERP adoption and growing embedded finance demand are creating a rare opportunity to define the settlement layer for African commerce.
Increased digital payments across retail and wholesale channels
Open banking and account-to-account settlement initiatives
Growing ERP adoption across distribution and manufacturing
Embedded finance available through payments and banking partners
Regulators encouraging faster, more transparent settlements
Product
An API-first settlement platform for enterprise commerce.
PayAssure combines onboarding, API integrations, orchestration, reconciliation and embedded finance into one operational platform for enterprise customers.
Business onboarding and account management
API-first integrations for ERP, payments and banking
Settlement engine with configurable workflows
Payment orchestration and split settlement
Reconciliation and trade finance reporting
Embedded finance enablement for lending and credit
Business Model
Recurring platform revenue plus transaction and financial services fees.
Our revenue mix is engineered for predictable growth, with subscription income and high-margin settlement fees supporting expansion into embedded finance.
SaaS subscriptions
Platform access and customer onboarding for retailers, suppliers and ERP partners.
Transaction fees
Per-transaction fees for payment orchestration, reconciliation and settlement.
Settlement processing fees
Fees for settlement routing, account-to-account transfers and financial institution flows.
API usageLater
Usage fees for high-volume integrations and data services.
Premium analyticsLater
Advanced trade finance reporting, risk monitoring and cash-flow intelligence.
Embedded finance revenue sharing
Partner share from lending, credit and cash management services embedded in the workflow.
Financial Model
Conservative revenue projections based on market data.
| Period | Customers | Monthly Avg Transactions | Annual Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 10 | 500 | KES 20.7M |
| Year 2 | 50 | 5000 | KES 199.5M |
| Year 3 | 250 | 25000 | KES 997.5M |
Assumptions Behind These Numbers
- •Year 1: KES 19.2M transaction fees; KES 1.5M subscriptions
- •Year 2: KES 192.0M transaction fees; KES 7.5M subscriptions
- •Year 3: KES 960.0M transaction fees; KES 37.5M subscriptions
Revenue Model Assumptions
How we calculate revenue.
Average Settlement Value
KES 400,000 per transaction
Platform Fee (settlement)
0.8% of transaction value
Subscription Fee
KES 5,000-20,000 per customer/month based on tier (avg KES 12,500 used)
API Usage Fee
KES 0.50-1.00 per API call for enterprise integrations
Monthly Transactions per Customer (Y1)
50 transactions (manual pilot phase)
Monthly Transactions per Customer (Y2)
100 transactions (API integration)
Monthly Transactions per Customer (Y3)
100 transactions (platform maturity)
Customer Acquisition (Y1→Y2)
5x growth via pilots and word-of-mouth
Customer Acquisition (Y2→Y3)
5x growth via ERP partnerships and channel sales
Key Notes
- •Revenue mix is 60% transaction fees, 30% subscriptions, 10% API fees in mature state
- •Projections are conservative and do not include embedded finance revenue sharing
- •Unit economics improve as platform scales due to lower marginal cost per transaction
Competitive Advantages
Built to be difficult to replace.
API-first platform designed for modern integrations
Multi-tenant architecture for rapid partner onboarding
Settlement-first design focused on payables and receivables
ERP and payment partner integration capability
Banking partnerships and regulatory-ready flows
Network effects as suppliers, buyers and financiers join
Market Position
Why we're different from the competition.
PayAssure occupies a unique position that existing competitors cannot easily replicate.
| Capability | ERP Systems | Payment Gateways | Banks | PayAssure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory Management | ✓ | — | — | — |
| Payment Processing | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Settlement & Reconciliation | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Multi-Party Matching | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Embedded Finance | — | — | — | ✓ |
| API-First Architecture | — | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Real-Time Reconciliation | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Audit Ledger & Compliance | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-Vendor Integration | ✓ | — | — | ✓ |
What Competitors Focus On
- •Inventory and order management (ERPs)
- •Payment authorization and processing (Gateways)
- •Account management (Banks)
What PayAssure Focuses On
- ✓Settlement and reconciliation (the gap)
- ✓Multi-party financial workflows
- ✓Real-time visibility and transparency
The Opportunity
While ERP systems manage operations and payment gateways process transactions, nobody is building for the settlement layer. That's where the friction, cost, and capital inefficiency live. PayAssure is the only player focused on modernizing settlement for East African commerce—and that's exactly why we're positioned to win.
Competitive Moat
Why PayAssure is difficult to replicate.
Our technology and go-to-market approach create sustainable competitive advantages that are hard for competitors to duplicate.
Settlement Engine
Proprietary algorithm for real-time, multi-party settlement reconciliation
API Gateway
Unified interface for disparate payment, banking, and ERP systems
Banking Integrations
Deep partnerships and technical integrations with financial institutions
Audit Ledger
Immutable transaction history for regulatory compliance and dispute resolution
Reconciliation Engine
Automated matching and exception handling across all transaction types
Multi-Tenant Architecture
Highly scalable SaaS platform designed for rapid partner onboarding
Barriers to Entry
- ✓Banking Relationships: Requires 12-18 months of regulatory and compliance work to establish banking partnerships. We've already begun this process.
- ✓Domain Expertise: Building a settlement engine requires deep knowledge of financial operations, reconciliation logic, and regulatory requirements.
- ✓Network Effects: As more retailers, suppliers, and financial institutions join the network, the value of the platform increases for all participants.
- ✓Data Network: Our transaction data and patterns become more valuable over time, enabling better forecasting and risk assessment.
Go-to-Market
A staged path from pilots to ecosystem leadership.
We begin with enterprise pilots, then expand through ERP partners and financial institutions to build a settlement network that becomes the default infrastructure layer.
Phase 1
- Manufacturers
- Retailers
- Wholesalers
Phase 2
- ERP providers
- POS vendors
Phase 3
- Banks
- SACCOs
- Digital lenders
Traction & Milestones
Measurable progress toward product-market fit.
We are focused on concrete execution milestones that validate market demand and prepare the platform for scale.
Company incorporated and legally registered
Domain and core brand secured
Settlement architecture designed and validated
Authentication and API security framework completed
API gateway architecture designed
Settlement Engine in active development
First pilot retailer securing
Manufacturer partnerships underway
Roadmap
Quarterly milestones that move the platform forward.
Q3
- • Pilot launch
- • Early ERP integrations
Q4
- • Retailer and supplier onboarding
- • Payment partner pilots
Q1
- • Banking integrations
- • Settlement automation live
Q2
- • Embedded lending rollout
- • Regional expansion planning
Leadership Team
We invest in founders first. Meet the team building PayAssure.
Austine Jefwa Katsinye
Founder & CEO
- • Business Strategy & Partnerships
- • Go-to-Market Leadership
- • business development and enterprise sales
- • Millennium Fellow 2026
Leads business strategy, partnerships and go-to-market expansion. Deep experience in enterprise sales, trade finance distribution and African commerce ecosystems.
Wilfred Mwaura Kimani
Co-Founder & CTO
- • Backend Systems Engineer
- • Architect of PayAssure settlement platform
- • Distributed Systems Specialist
- • Financial Infrastructure Expert
Architect of the PayAssure settlement platform. Specialist in backend systems, distributed settlement engines and secure financial infrastructure.
Simon Amani Tunje
Business Adviser
Strategic advisor providing business and market expertise.
Esther Sidi Charo
Operations Adviser
Strategic advisor on operations and business development.
Funding Ask
We're raising KES 8 Million for our seed round.
This capital will accelerate product development, banking integrations, compliance framework, pilot execution and market expansion across East Africa.
Target Round
KES 8 Million Seed Round
Equity available for strategic investors. Details available during due diligence.
Engineering
Product development and platform enhancement
35%
Banking Integrations
Partnerships and integration with financial institutions
20%
Compliance & Regulatory
Legal, audit, and regulatory framework
15%
Customer Acquisition
Go-to-market and pilot execution
15%
Infrastructure
Cloud, security and platform operations
10%
Operations
Administration and back-office support
5%
Investor Profile
We welcome strategic investors and partners who:
- ✓Understand settlement infrastructure and fintech in African commerce
- ✓Are positioned in banking, payments, ERP or supply chain ecosystems
- ✓Can provide distribution, partnership or technical support
- ✓Are committed to long-term growth in East African markets
Regulatory Strategy
Built for compliance from day one.
As a financial infrastructure platform, regulatory compliance and data security are core product requirements, not afterthoughts.
Data Security
- •End-to-end encryption for all transaction data
- •AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS 1.2+ in transit
- •Regular security audits and penetration testing
- •Secure API authentication and rate limiting
Identity & Access
- •OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect for secure authentication
- •Multi-factor authentication (MFA) support
- •Role-based access control (RBAC)
- •Comprehensive audit logging for all access
Regulatory Compliance
- •KYC/AML (Know Your Customer / Anti-Money Laundering) support
- •Transaction monitoring and reporting workflows
- •Compliance with Central Bank of Kenya guidelines
- •PCI DSS compliance for payment processing
Data Governance
- •Data residency compliance (Kenya-based storage)
- •GDPR and PDPA-aligned data protection
- •Right to erasure and data portability
- •Regular data retention policy reviews
Operational Resilience
- •99.9% uptime SLA with geographic redundancy
- •Disaster recovery and business continuity planning
- •Real-time monitoring and incident response
- •Regular backups and recovery testing
Financial Reporting
- •Immutable audit trail for all transactions
- •Real-time reconciliation and reporting
- •Compliance with IFRS standards
- •Regulatory reporting workflows
Banking Integration Strategy
We're building the platform to be banking-ready from day one, with multiple integration pathways:
- →Partnering with multiple tier-1 and tier-2 banks for settlement
- →Direct API integrations with banking partners
- →Central Bank of Kenya engagement for regulatory clarity
- →Quarterly compliance reviews with legal and banking teams
Roadmap
We expect to complete banking integration pilots within 6-8 months of seed funding, enabling our first production settlement partnerships by end of Year 1.
Regulatory Engagement
- ✓Central Bank Engagement: We maintain ongoing dialogue with CBK for regulatory clarity and sand-box participation opportunities
- ✓Legal Compliance: Our team includes regulatory and financial compliance expertise
- ✓Industry Standards: We actively participate in fintech and settlement working groups to influence and align with emerging standards
Risk Management
We address risks directly.
Experienced investors appreciate transparency. Here's how we're thinking about and mitigating key risks.
Execution Risk
Key Risks
- •Banking integration timelines longer than expected
- •Regulatory approvals delayed
- •Enterprise sales cycles longer than projected
Mitigation Strategies
- ✓Modular architecture allows phased rollout without full banking integration
- ✓Proactive engagement with regulators and legal counsel
- ✓Pilot-first approach with early revenue customers
Market Risk
Key Risks
- •Retail consolidation reduces addressable market
- •Larger players enter the market with greater resources
- •Digital payment adoption slower than expected
Mitigation Strategies
- ✓Focus on underserved SME and mid-market segment
- ✓Strong product differentiation and niche focus
- ✓Network effects create defensibility as customer base grows
Technology Risk
Key Risks
- •Integration complexity with diverse legacy systems
- •Security or data privacy incidents
- •Scaling challenges with high transaction volumes
Mitigation Strategies
- ✓Modular API design supports flexible integrations
- ✓Enterprise-grade security, encryption, and compliance frameworks
- ✓Cloud infrastructure designed for 10x scale from day one
Regulatory Risk
Key Risks
- •New financial regulations could change requirements
- •Cross-border compliance complexity
- •Data residency and protection requirements
Mitigation Strategies
- ✓Flexible compliance framework that adapts to regulatory changes
- ✓Regional approach starting with Kenya before cross-border expansion
- ✓Data governance and encryption comply with African data protection laws
Our Approach
We believe that building a sustainable business means acknowledging risks head-on rather than ignoring them. Our team has experience navigating complex environments and adapting to regulatory and market changes. We maintain regular reviews of these risks and adjust our strategy accordingly.
Investor Resources
Everything you need to evaluate PayAssure.
Investor Deck
Comprehensive 20-page deck covering problem, solution, market, business model, competitive advantages, financials, and team.
- ✓Financial projections and unit economics
- ✓Market size and opportunity analysis
- ✓Go-to-market strategy
- ✓Use of funds breakdown
Founder Video
2-minute founder introduction explaining the problem, vision, and why PayAssure is built to win.
- ✓Personal introduction and background
- ✓Problem and market opportunity
- ✓PayAssure solution and approach
- ✓Call to action for investors
Available on Request
Financial Model
Excel projections with assumptions
Data Room Access
Full diligence materials package
Product Demo
Live walkthrough of platform
Team Deep Dive
Background and expertise overview
Customer References
Pilot partner introductions
Regulatory Summary
Compliance and banking engagement plan
Next Steps
- 1Download investor deck or request a demo
- 2Schedule a 30-minute discovery call with Austine
- 3Access data room for detailed diligence
- 4Move to term sheet discussions and final negotiations
FAQ
Questions investors typically ask.
What problem does PayAssure solve?
We solve slow, opaque settlement and reconciliation between retailers, suppliers and financial institutions by automating transaction orchestration and settlement workflows.
How do you generate revenue?
Revenue comes from SaaS subscriptions, transaction fees, settlement processing fees, API usage, premium analytics and embedded finance revenue sharing.
Who are the competitors?
Competitors include ERP vendors, payment gateways and trade finance providers, but none focus on the settlement middleware layer for supply chain commerce in Africa.
Why is PayAssure different?
We are settlement-first, API-driven, and designed to integrate ERP, payment and banking partners in a single operational platform.
Which markets are you targeting?
East African manufacturers, distributors, retailers, ERP partners, banks and embedded finance providers.
What is your expansion strategy?
Start with pilots in Kenya, then expand to neighboring markets and partner with ERP and banking ecosystems to scale.
Founder Contact
Connect directly with our founder.
For partnership opportunities, investor meetings or strategic conversations, reach out directly to Austine.