BuuPass: Transforming African Transportation Through Tech and Social Engineering

In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Sonia Kabra, co-founder of BuuPass, to discuss how her company is revolutionizing long-distance transportation across Africa. From digital ticketing to AI-driven solutions, Sonia shares insights into BuuPass’ journey, its profitability strategy, and ambitious expansion plans.

First, a few words on BuuPass:

Launched in Kenya in 2018, BuuPass began as a B2C platform allowing travelers to book bus tickets online, eliminating the inefficiencies of physical booking offices. As the platform scaled, it introduced a bus management system, helping operators digitize operations, improve transparency, and optimize inventory.

The company has since expanded into Uganda and South Africa, entering these markets through strategic partnerships and acquisitions, with plans to further grow across East, Southern, and West Africa.

Dubbed "Stripe meets Expedia for Africa," BuuPass is more than a booking aggregator - it’s a B2B2C end-to-end solution modernizing a fragmented industry.

With investment from us, Adaverse, BuuPass is leveraging blockchain technology to develop a Pan-African loyalty program, offering a tokenized rewards system similar to airline miles but tailored for Africa’s mass market.

Adaverse: How have consumer behaviors in the transportation sector shifted since you launched BuuPass?

Sonia Kabra: When we launched 7 years ago, our most popular feature was USSD-based ticket booking, where customers would dial a code and book a ticket. However, in recent years, over 90% of our transactions come through our website and mobile app. Bus operators have also embraced digital solutions, seeing the value in operational transparency and data-driven decisions.

Adaverse: Many startups, especially in Web3, take years to become profitable. What has been BuuPass’ approach?

Sonia Kabra: From day one, we focused on generating revenue. We secured a grant in 2017 to build our product-market fit and onboard our first clients, including Kenya Railways and Easy Coach. Unlike some startups that focus solely on user growth, we prioritized customers who were willing to pay.

By 2021, we achieved profitability, even after navigating the challenges of COVID-19. This allowed us to raise $2 million in venture capital funding from Adaverse and others. While we are currently investing in growth, we expect to return to profitability by the end of this year.

Sonia Kabra, Co-founder of BuuPass

Adaverse: You’ve expanded beyond ticketing into parcel delivery and AdTech. How did that come about?

Sonia Kabra: Our growth has been market-driven. For instance, Old Mutual approached us to offer micro-insurance to our customers. Given our access to rich travel data, we saw an opportunity to provide targeted advertising solutions for brands. Inspired by platforms like Uber and Expedia, we launched our AdTech arm, allowing brands to engage directly with our audience.

Adaverse: You’ve mentioned ambitions of becoming a Pan-African platform. What’s your expansion strategy?

Sonia Kabra: We strategically expand by first targeting cross-border transport routes. That’s why we entered Uganda - many travelers commute between Nairobi and Kampala, yet had no seamless way to book return tickets. Last year, we acquired a company in South Africa, giving us access to that market.

We analyze factors like market fragmentation and existing partnerships to decide on new regions. Short term, we’re focusing on East and Southern Africa, but our long-term vision includes West Africa.

"We are in the process of tokenizing our loyalty program to create a Pan-African rewards system - think United Miles but tailored for Africa."

Adaverse: What about the web3 dimension of BuuPass - how are you leveraging blockchain technology in your business?

Sonia Kabra: We are in the process of tokenizing our loyalty program to create a Pan-African rewards system - think United Miles but tailored for Africa. Blockchain enables a more democratized and accessible system for rewarding frequent travelers.

Adaverse: In a recent podcast interview, you spoke about the promise of AI: how are you currently using AI at BuuPass?

Sonia Kabra: We are bullish on AI, as it’s helping us optimize customer service, content creation, and pricing models. We’re automating tasks like customer support and using AI-powered coding tools to enhance productivity. In the future, AI will help us create personalized travel experiences and dynamic pricing models based on seasonality.

Adaverse: Transportation is a vital sector for every country. How have you found government support in your expansion efforts?

Sonia Kabra: We are the official ticketing partner for Kenya Railways. Before our partnership, customers had no way to book train tickets online. Now, over 95% of Nairobi-Mombasa train bookings are processed through our platform. We aim to replicate this success in other African markets.

Adaverse: What’s next for BuuPass?

Sonia Kabra: Our vision is to be the ‘Stripe meets Expedia’ of Africa. We’re not just aggregating travel bookings; we’re transforming operations with our SaaS solutions. Success in this market requires both technology and social engineering - convincing traditional bus operators of the value of digitization and guiding them through the transition.