What was changed
Zazu began in Lusaka as a marketplace linking local farmers with produce buyers. By 2017, the founders saw limited scalability in the agri‑market model and decided to pivot into financial technology to serve a broader population.
The pivot yielded a prepaid debit card tied to a digital wallet, bill‑pay and peer‑to‑peer exchanges, a finance‑education chatbot used by 1.1 million people, and a payments platform for small businesses. A $1.4 million funding round brought total capital to $2.3 million, and the company planned to exit beta in November 2019 with a goal of 100 000 cardholders.
What it achieved
Secured $1.4M new funding (total $2.3M), launched prepaid debit card and wallet app, reached 1.1M chatbot users, and aimed for 100k cardholders.
Why it worked
The original farmer‑marketplace model faced constraints in scaling beyond a niche agricultural user base.
Mobile money adoption was rising rapidly across Zambia, creating demand for accessible digital banking services.
Founder Perseus Mlambo aimed to simplify money for all Zambians, from casual workers to parents teaching financial discipline.
What can be applied
A pivot to adjacent financial services can unlock new revenue streams and investor interest, especially when leveraging existing user trust and mobile penetration in emerging markets.
Aftermath
After the pivot, Zazu continued to refine its wallet app, expand merchant partnerships, and pursue additional funding to scale its user base. The company positioned itself as a bridge between informal cash economies and formal financial services, targeting both individuals and small businesses across Zambia.
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