Last week our friends at Rocket Internet announced they are going to launch ten new companies this year, so we began digging and noticed Samwer’s speech was not just PR Speak. Rocket Internet just unveiled Vendito (Latin for Hawk or Sell) an online classifieds platform for emerging markets. ThE site is already live as Vendito.com, and in Senegal at Vendito.sn, in Uganda at Vendito.co.ug and Vendito.co.tz in Tanzania while it’s yet to go live in Nigeria at Vendito.com.ng or Vendito.ng and in Ghana as Vendito.com.gh and Vendito.co.ke in Kenya. Most of this URLs are not live to the public yet but we thought it would be great to just let you know as our friend!
Vendito’s mission is to provide a free, easy-to-use, fast and localized website that connects buyers and sellers locally to buy or sell their used items and / or services. Of course Vendito’s ambition is to become the leading general classifieds website in emerging markets. Just like OLX’s speech, Vendito says if you have used items you don’t need anymore and are taking up too much space in your house or office Vendito is the place. Vendito has a similar platform. Just like the former TradeStable which was merged into OLX recently which has looks similar to Gumtree but we think its less likely to launch in South Africa soon. Nasper’s will still feel the pinch though as it has spent cash in a number of key African markets and left out those that Rocket Internet is choosing to eat up first. The are also hiring btw!