Bridging the Commercialization Gap for African Insurtech

A new platform called Doage has launched in Africa, aiming to transform promising insurtech startups into sustainable businesses. Founded by Dominic Agesa Kavugwi, a seasoned insurance executive and entrepreneur, Doage will focus on helping companies move beyond product development and fundraising toward revenue generation.

Addressing a Critical Need

While Africa’s innovation ecosystem has seen growth in insurtech startups, a gap remains in translating initial success into commercial viability. Investors provide capital, accelerators offer early-stage support, and founders understand their solutions—but few specialize in bridging the final steps of market entry, distribution, and revenue generation.

“Investors are very good at allocating capital,” Kavugwi explains, “But there’s a question of who owns commercialization? That’s where Doage comes in.” The platform will offer go-to-market strategy, enterprise distribution access, partnership development, and expansion advisory services tailored to the African market.

Beyond Startups: A Holistic Approach

Doage’s mandate extends beyond startups to include:

• Insurers: Helping them adopt innovative solutions and expand digitally
• Investors: Providing post-investment support to maximize returns
• Technology companies: Facilitating partnerships and market access
• Venture capital firms: Offering commercialization expertise for portfolio companies

Building an Africa-Global Insurtech Corridor

Looking beyond local growth, Doage is creating a corridor connecting African insurtech with international partners. This initiative will:

• Help African startups reach global markets through strategic alliances
• Enable international insurers and tech firms to enter Africa efficiently via established channels
• Facilitate cross-border investments and knowledge sharing

“The next phase of African InsurTech isn’t just about how many startups we create or fund,” Kavugwi emphasizes. “It’s about building sustainable businesses that generate revenue, expand across markets, and ultimately create meaningful enterprise value.”