Emata
Founded
2020 in Kampala, Uganda — Emata was created to solve the persistent gap in agricultural financing across Africa by embedding digital financial services directly into agricultural value chains so smallholder farmers can access affordable, tailored loans via cooperatives and partners.
Founders & Leadership
Bram van den Bosch — Co‑Founder & CEO
Lillian Nassanga — Co‑Founder & CPO
Davis Agaba — Co‑Founder & CTO
Dario Raffaele — Co‑Founder & CDSO
Maren Hald Bjørgum — Chief Communications Officer
Location
Kampala, Uganda — with additional operations in Mbarara and expanding across East Africa through partnerships with agricultural companies and cooperatives.
Industry
Fintech / AgriTech — focused on digital financial services, microfinance, and AI‑powered agricultural lending to support smallholder farming and rural economic growth.
Funding Stage
Seedstage — Emata completed a $2.4 million seed funding round in 2023, backed by investors including African Renaissance Partners, Norrsken VC, Zephyr Acorn, Marcus Boström, and the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, supporting scaling across East Africa and expansion into core value chains like dairy and coffee.
Overview
Emata is a Ugandan agricultural fintech and licensed microfinance institution that embeds finance into existing agricultural value chains. It partners with cooperatives and agribusinesses to provide digital, AI‑powered credit and loan services to smallholder farmers without traditional collateral requirements, enabling investment in farm productivity, access to inputs, and financial inclusion. Its mission is to digitize lending and help farmers grow sustainably and profitably.
Core Features & Capabilities
AI‑Powered Digital Loans: Tailored, fast loans issued via mobile money, with credit limits based on alternative data like delivery history rather than collateral.
Partner Integration: Works through cooperatives and agribusiness partners, digitizing operations and enabling scalable loan delivery.
Digital Operations & Payments: Integrated MIS for cooperatives, direct digital payments, and frictionless financial workflows.
Crop Insurance & Risk Support: Built‑in climate and crop insurance options complement loan offerings.
No Collateral Requirement: Alternative credit scoring enables small farmers to access credit without traditional guarantees.
Target Market
Smallholder Farmers in Africa seeking affordable, accessible financing for farm inputs, cash shortfalls, school fees, or investment cycles.
Agricultural Cooperatives & Agri Companies looking to digitize operations and support their farmer communities.
Impact Investors and Development Partners focused on financial inclusion, rural development, and climate‑smart agriculture.
Value Proposition
Emata democratizes access to agricultural finance by combining digital technology, AI‑driven credit scoring, and strong partnerships with cooperatives. It reduces cost and barriers to credit for smallholder farmers, increases productivity and food security, and accelerates economic growth in rural African markets — all while enabling partners to strengthen farmer loyalty and operational efficiency.