S2, EP4 - Miishe Addy, CEO & Co-Founder of Jetstream Africa - Streamlining Africa’s complex supply chains to boost trade

In 2017, Miishe Addy moved to Accra, Ghana to teach at a technology incubator. She also pursued a side hustle exporting coconut oil and byproducts. Miishe wanted to ship her products to Lagos, Nigeria, but she abandoned her plans after running into logistical challenges.

Facing the complexity and fragmentation of African supply chains, Miishe sought the guidance of an advisor, Solomon Torgbor, who worked for Maersk. They found that the supply chain problem was not unique to her venture but affected all businesses across Africa. In 2018, they founded Jetstream to simplify supply chains. Their mission? To support African businesses with their exports and promote trade in Africa.

Today Jetstream Africa provides tech-enabled freight forwarding, trade financing, and cargo tracking tools for businesses in Africa. It is present in 29 countries, 12 in Africa, and has disbursed $9 million in loans to date. Default rates are low at 2%.

In this episode, Miishe talks about the lightbulb moment when she reached product market fit, her fundraising advice for early-stage African founders, the impact of COVID on Jetstream, and why she pivoted the business.