This Kenyan founder built a tool to help startups find funding faster

Duncan Muriithi, a software engineer and serial founder based in Nairobi, has created Startup Map Hub to assist startups in finding funding more efficiently. Launched in October 2025, the platform helps founders discover funding opportunities, verify eligibility, and prepare applications. As of February 2026, Startup Map Hub has attracted 2,415 registered founders, with 35 paying for its services.

Since accepting payments, the company has generated over $2,000 in revenue. Muriithi, who has spent the past decade building startups, previously co-founded Nestmetric and Africa Data School, among others. His previous experiences highlighted the challenges of finding suitable funding and navigating lengthy application processes.

Startup Map Hub began as a free directory of startups, funding opportunities, and technology events. It attracted significant traffic through Google Search, with weekly visitors peaking at 1,214 in May 2026. However, founders found the directory's limits exposed by the time-consuming and repetitive nature of applications. To address this, Muriithi developed readiness checks, an application-drafting workspace, and a pitch-deck editor.

The platform now focuses on helping founders complete applications rather than simply finding opportunities. Users can register and provide details about their startup, after which the platform recommends suitable funding programmes and assesses their readiness. Founders who pass can upload a pitch deck for review or create one using the platform's editor.

Startup Map Hub offers a basic paid plan and a done-with-you service, which involves collaborating with founders or organizations to identify suitable grants and prepare applications. The platform has recorded significant usage but has not yet systematically tracked the success rate of its applicants.