Meet Samrawit Fikru, The Tech Genius Reforming Ethiopia’s Transport Sector

Despite challenges peculiar to the continent, the last decade has seen African entrepreneurs and innovators chart new paths and globally impact the tech scene. One such innovator is Samrawit Fikru, the founder and CEO of RIDE, Ethiopia.

Growing up, Samrawit’s curiosity made her obsessed with identifying and fixing gaps in her society. It therefore comes as no surprise that she was able to provide a solution for Ethiopia’s transport challenges by modernizing the country’s dated transport system.

Samrawit’s difficulty with hiring late-night cabs while working at a software developing company made her come up with the idea of creating an app that would provide safe and efficient transport services in Ethiopia.

After successfully setting up her software developing company, Hybrid Design Plc., Samrawit created RIDE, an application that offers tech and transport solutions through an expansive network of competent cab drivers. The app started as an SMS-based service until 2017, when it was upgraded to provide internet-based services, allowing clients to book a ride on the web or mobile platform and via a phone call.

Samrawit believes we can grow as a continent regardless of our several challenges and barriers, to disrupt the tech scene on a global scale.