
Brastorne Enterprises
Model & Strategy
Access to the internet enables low-income families to access tools and services that can lift them out of poverty. Unfortunately, only 24% of the 1 billion people in Africa have routine access to the internet, and rural Africans are disproportionately unconnected.
Founded in 2013 in Botswana by Thato (Martin) Stimela, Brastorne connects the unconnected in Africa by providing internet access and app-like services to the poorest people unable to afford a smartphone or mobile data. Brastorne has built a suite of products targeting the 300 million feature phone users in Africa, who are among the world’s poorest and most marginalized citizens. They provide access to trade (mobile marketplace), information, knowledge sharing, market prices, and chat services through feature phones without the need for data or internet. Brastorne’s deep understanding of the mobile phone behaviors, price constraints, and priorities of its customers has allowed it to scale rapidly to more than 1 million users in Botswana in 2 years.



Before founding Brastorne, Martin served as the Deputy CEO of Botswana Savings Bank and has worked in several other financial institutions and corporations on IT transformation. He received his Bachelors and MSc in Project Management and his MBA in the UK.
Martin’s entrepreneurship journey started with the realization that we all have the same need as human beings, the need to connect, belong, and be informed. The internet easily facilitates this and therefore provides a wealth of opportunities for individuals. However, not everyone has the same opportunity and access to this resource, limiting access to those who can afford it while others are left behind. This inspired Martin to explore SMS (Short Message Service) and USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data), ultimately founding Brastorne Enterprises.
Impact
• Over 1M users
• 55% of users are women
•60% of mobile stores on mAgri platform are owned by women
• 80% of users are youth
• 60,000 mobile stores on USSD mobile marketplace
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Try the Vuka chat platform for free Now! Dail *120# and connect with other 280 000+ more users. #WhereAfricaMeets.
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Happy Happy Valentine's Day from us. Let love lead.
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Vuka mobile app affords you a chance to Chat, Play and Pay! Also available on USSD. Dial *120# and start chatting w… https://t.co/Xo4dpFPXbl
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Talk about ground breaking concepts in the technological arena. BLOCKCHAIN is now the new fast growing kid on the b… https://t.co/JnNjfmPpgm
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Breaking new grounds is our focus as Brastorne. We bring added value through technological innovation. We accelerat… https://t.co/m04jB7p7lD
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Our Platforms Are Created For Rural Population. They bridge the digital gap and create information and market oppor… https://t.co/Iy1K7SB2om
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Let's discuss your opinions, views and experiences towards mAgri. We care about what you have to say, be part of ou… https://t.co/iWAm0KrJX6
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Accept both critics and complements, it takes both the sun and rain for a flower to grow. #Brastorne #Mpotsa #mAgri… https://t.co/EFL6M4Rxeq
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You don't know what you're capable of until you try, here's some #MondayMotivation to keep you going!… https://t.co/NgrIesBFm0
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Happy New Year! 😃😃😃 Brastorne Enterprises wishes everyone an amazing year ahead! #Brastorne 🎊🎇
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Countdown to NEW YEARS! What are some resolutions you'll be working on? 🎇 🎊 #NYE #ConnectingTheUnconnected
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Did you know? Boxing Day has nothing to do with the actual sport 😱 Regardless, we are wishing everyone a relaxing h… https://t.co/sYjfDkCp4N
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#MerryChristmas from us to you! 🎅🎄🌟
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The world's favorite holiday is almost here! Did you wish for anything this Christmas? #Xmas #ConnectingTheUnconnected
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If you are looking for a quick way to make money, then this book is not for you. But if you have a burning desire t… https://t.co/HaiZQMwV82
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Mpotsa stands to give more energy to beacons of light that put our nation at higher altitudes. Congratulations to A… https://t.co/TbCF7XwTHU
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The Brastorne team is a group of hardworking, young and ambitious people. Teamwork is valued highly in our space. W… https://t.co/XPpfieXgFi
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Start off your week with a little #MondayMotivation! We hope everyone has a great week ahead🤗
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Brastorne Enterprises on #Google: https://t.co/qS0SUiSnAx
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Brastorne Enterprises on #Google https://t.co/wMVvGAopXE