Rewiring urban transport with smarter mobility solutions

Growing up in Tanzania’s busy cities, Benson was surrounded by the roar of motorbikes and endless car horns. But beneath the everyday chaos, he saw something many missed; a pattern of problems such as youth unemployment, urban congestion, and rising pollution fuelled by an outdated way of moving people and packages.

With a childhood friend and a shared vision for a greener future, Benson co-founded FikaChu, a smart, electric bicycle delivery platform designed to tackle three major urban challenges with one bold idea. They source components from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in Asia, then assemble the bicycles and integrate them with their mobile app in Tanzania.

"We kept asking ourselves, what if the mobility solution could also create jobs and clean the air? That’s how FikaChu was born,” says Benson.

The concept is simple, but the impact is profound. Benson envisions that FikaChu connects small and medium-sized businesses with customers in Dar es Salaam, through a fleet of gig workers using electric bikes. No personal vehicle is required, just scan, ride, deliver, and return. The result? A remarkable 94% reduction in emissions compared to traditional motorbike deliveries.

“A typical internal combustion engine (ICE) motorcycle emits about 100g of CO2 per kilometre, while our electric bikes emit only 6g, that’s just 6%,” says Benson.

Earlier this year, Benson took FikaChu to the national stage at Innovation Week hosted by the Institute of Accountancy Arusha. It was his first time pitching in front of a large crowd, and he had just two minutes to make a lasting impression.

“The hardest part wasn’t the nerves. It was condensing everything our why, our how our vision into something unforgettable,” he says.

He did just that. Out of more than 30 innovators, Benson took home the first runner-up award validating that FikaChu was more than a clever idea. It was a movement in motion. Today, FikaChu is in its pilot phase, weaving through the streets of Tanzania as the team tests, adapts, and dreams bigger. They’re refining logistics, listening to feedback, and laying the groundwork for scale, all while keeping people and planet at the core of every decision.

“We’re not just building a company; we’re building a community. And we’re wide open to
partnerships, support, and collaboration,” he adds. 

For Benson, innovation doesn’t begin in a lab or a corner office; it begins with courage. The courage to look at a daily problem and ask, what if?

“To any young person with an idea; start. Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Fail forward if you must, but move,” he adds.

When asked about how he competes with traditional motorbikes (bodaboda) he explained their approach.

“Before accepting a delivery task, we provide the rider or customer with a trip comparison analysis. This includes the estimated time it would take using a FikaChu e-bike versus a bodaboda, the amount of fuel a motorbike would consume, and the total cost savings they would get by choosing our service. We also show how much CO2 emissions they can avoid by going electric. It’s not just about speed, it’s about making an informed, ecofriendly, and cost-effective choice,” he says

Through FikaChu, Benson isn’t just delivering goods; he’s delivering hope, a cleaner future, one ride at a time. With a growing fleet of five electric bikes, each capable of covering up to 50 kilometres on a single charge, he’s proving that small steps can drive big change. So far, FikaChu has successfully completed over 1,300 deliveries, and in the process, opened a new doorway to employment for young Tanzanians eager to earn, learn, and contribute to a greener economy.

We are immensely proud of our alumni like Benson, whose journey began with a dream to learn and make a difference. He has transformed challenges into opportunities for youth, communities, and the environment.