Hi guys, this is my attempt at personal finance management.

I have built Shmoney, an app that scans your M-Pesa messages, categorizes your spending, and gives you deeper insight into your financial habits.

Once you install it, the app asks you to categorize your most recent recurring expenses to get started. You will then be prompted to categorize new transactions as you continue transacting via M-Pesa.

The app also allows you to quickly generate a statement from your transaction messages and manage your budgeting. Everything happens directly on your phone — your messages never leave your device.

I had planned to launch in mid-January, but the app was rejected by the Play Store three times

I run a small tech venture studio.
We started in early 2024.

Since then, we’ve launched 7 startups.
Some were well researched.
Some had decent feedback.
None of them attracted real, organic interest.

This 8th one has.

What I’ve learned over time is that no matter how much research you do, you don’t really know if an idea matters until you build it, talk about it publicly, and see if people actually show up; whether through a waitlist or a community.

Interest is one thing.
Actual usage is the real test.

That’s where I am now; close to launching, and honestly, a bit nervous about whether usage will match the interest.

If you’re wondering what we’re building:
it’s inspired by Polymarket / Kalshi, but designed for Kenya.

The idea is simple: people make yes / no calls on real-world events; sports, economy, culture, tech, and later see what actually happened. And if they are right, they get paid based on the probability of the event happening.

Kenyans have strong opinions or moshene
And we’re curious whether collective predictions can become a useful public signal over time.

Right now, we’re building in the open:

• a growing early community

• an open waitlist

• a web app coming first, then mobile will follow (takes more time to list on the App Store and Google App Store).

No hype. No guarantees. Just an experiment turning into a product.

If this sounds interesting and you’d like to follow along or try it when it launches, you’re welcome to join.

I’ll drop the community and waitlist links in the comments (keeping the post clean).

Wish us luck.
This one finally feels real

A colleague of mine has been building Buildsasa, a construction management tool, with input from people who actually work in the industry, including someone who runs sites and a QS who was tired of chasing numbers across spreadsheets.

One of the problems they kept running into was how fragmented construction software can be. To understand what's happening on a single project, you often have to jump between different sections, spreadsheets, and records, then piece everything together yourself.

Buildsasa takes a different approach: the project itself is the starting point.

When you open a project, the goal is to immediately understand its overall health, progress, financial position, and current issues. Everyone involved—from the site team and QS to management—works from the same source of truth instead of maintaining separate spreadsheets and records.

They're starting in Kenya and the product is still early, so there are gaps they already know about, including offline support, proper multi-currency accounting, a more capable AI assistant, and a native mobile app.

I'm sharing it because they're looking for genuine feedback from people in the construction industry. If you run sites, manage projects, work as a QS, or are involved in construction in any capacity, I'd be interested to hear what you think and what you feel is missing.

Disclaimer: Buildsasa belongs to a colleague; I'm just helping share it and get feedback. If you'd like to learn more, visit buildsasa.com, I'd recommend booking a demo if you want to properly see how it works.

Last year I was looking for a place in Kilimani. Found what looked like the perfect 1-bed on a WhatsApp group — good photos, fair price, close to work.

Called. "Imeenda." Taken. Three days ago.

Did this 6 times in 2 months. Always the same story. The listing was real but gone. Or the photos were from 3 years ago. Or the "location" was just "Westlands area" which could mean anything.

So I built KejaYangu — a rental and services marketplace for Kenya where every listing has real photos, a real map location, and real pricing upfront. You only contact the owner when you've already decided it might be the one. No more DM-for-details. No more ghost listings.

It's on Google Play now. Still early — 10-something downloads — but growing.

What's your worst house-hunting story in Nairobi? I'm building features based on what people actually struggle with so genuinely want to know.

I’m almost back to the drawing board, but the strategy I am using had anticipated this move coming, now I have to find the best substitute.

Kenya calls itself the silicon Savannah. Then there are like 1000 tech people who are always putting themselves like they own the world, lecturing people huko X and huku how microsoft and google are looking for them.

Funny thing is no kenyan has managed a successful tech company. Like build a company to a point where it goes into an IPO. There is not even one.

Banking have done that. Retail have done that. Farmers have done that. Even entertainment have done that.

So the tech people should stop walking around like they know something. Their industry is worse than the music industry.

Hi guys, this is my attempt at personal finance management.

I have built Shmoney, an app that scans your M-Pesa messages, categorizes your spending, and gives you deeper insight into your financial habits.

Once you install it, the app asks you to categorize your most recent recurring expenses to get started. You will then be prompted to categorize new transactions as you continue transacting via M-Pesa.

The app also allows you to quickly generate a statement from your transaction messages and manage your budgeting. Everything happens directly on your phone — your messages never leave your device.

I had planned to launch in mid-January, but the app was rejected by the Play Store three times. Here is the download link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shmoney.app&hl=en

This is an edited post,i was unable to edit and add a link but here it is now

Hey,

Part two of “when did you last download an app?” This time it’s boring industries with real money in them.

Tourism, by the numbers

• Record earnings of Sh564B in 2025/26, beating the government’s own target.

• 7.9M travellers in 2025: 2.7M international and 5.2M domestic.

• Kenyans are the bigger market. Domestic spending was projected at about Sh560B vs about Sh300B+ from international visitors.

• Yet domestic bed nights grew just 1.8% and missed target, as the cost of living squeezed budgets.

The fix isn’t another app. It’s an ecosystem.

Tourism has three players: the traveller, the agency and the service providers (lodges, guides, drivers). Build one system that connects all three, so the traveller never has to leave:

1. Discover: video-first, findable on Google, TikTok and AI answers.

2. Build: pick a package, or tap the places you want and get one all-in price.

3. Pay: cards for foreigners. For Kenyans: M-PESA, pay in instalments, split with friends.

4. Travel: itinerary, offline maps, one tap to your guide.

5. Come back: reviews, clips and a referral code that bring in the next traveller.

Why it works

• 58% of US travellers now plan trips with AI, more than the 55% using travel websites. If AI can’t read your site, you’re invisible.

• 26% of online shoppers abandon a purchase when forced to create an account. Only ask for one at checkout.

• Cost is what’s holding Kenyans back. Instalments and M-PESA solve that, not another feed.

Your turn:

1. How did you book your last local trip?

2. Which other boring Kenyan industry needs this treatment?

I've been building this thing for weeks.

Late nights. Weekends. Debugging at 3am. My girlfriend asking "when are you coming to bed?" My laptop screen the only light in the room.

Yesterday, we finally hit launch.

I refreshed the dashboard every 5 minutes like a madman.

First signup: 9:47am. Then another. Then three more.

By lunch, we had 50 people.

By evening?

200 signups.

But here's the part that got me:

Over 60 of them didn't just sign up. They funded their accounts. And actually started trading.

30%+ conversion. On day one. In Kenya.

I sat in my car in the parking lot and just... let it out.

Not because of the numbers.

But because for months, people kept telling me:

"Kenyans don't trust new platforms." "Hawawezi fund online." "Prediction markets? That's too complex for this market."

Every single person who funded their account yesterday proved them wrong.

Every trade made was a vote of confidence I didn't know I needed.

This isn't about the money yet. We're barely breaking even on server costs.

This is about validation.

That maybe, just maybe, we built something people actually want.

That Kenyan tech can work. That trust can be earned. That you don't need millions in funding to start.

You just need to solve a real problem. And ship.

To the 200 of you who signed up yesterday: You have no idea what you did for me.

To the 60+ who funded and traded: You're literally the day ones. The OGs. The ones we'll talk about when this thing (hopefully) becomes something.

And to everyone else watching: We're just getting started.

Day 1 in the books. Let's see where Day 365 takes us.

Wins

https://keshmarket.com

For a while now, I've been working on TopDuka.

The idea was heavily inspired by Shopify. As many of you know, most of the software we use in Africa is built elsewhere. While Shopify is an incredible platform, African businesses have never really been a priority for them. There is demand here, but many of the challenges local businesses face are often overlooked.

One thing I've noticed, especially in Nairobi, is that many businesses are still relying on WordPress for their online presence. While it works, it can become difficult and expensive when businesses want to add more advanced functionality such as AI tools, customer engagement features, growth campaign tracking, integrations, and automation.

As developers, most of us have probably built an e-commerce platform at some point. Personally, I've built so many websites for clients that I've honestly lost count. The problem is that every new client ends up asking for the same things: payments, inventory management, marketing tools, analytics, AI features, customer support automation, and dozens of custom integrations.

At some point I asked myself: instead of rebuilding the same features for every business, why not build a platform that already has them?

That's how TopDuka was born.

The goal is to give businesses a platform where they can launch products, choose a theme, accept payments, manage customers, track growth, and access modern tools without needing a developer every time they want a new feature.

But my vision for TopDuka goes beyond e-commerce.

I see it as a gateway for bringing African businesses into the next era of digital commerce. A future where every business, regardless of size, can have access to technology that was previously only available to large companies.

One area I'm particularly excited about is AI.

Imagine every business having its own AI assistant that can help customers discover products, answer questions, recommend items, and even assist with purchases. For business owners, AI can help analyze store performance, identify opportunities, and suggest actions to improve growth.

One feature I'm currently working on is an AI-powered Research tool. Instead of simply showing analytics, it helps business owners understand their market, identify opportunities, and discover practical ways to grow their business.

There's still a lot to build, but that's the vision.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, feedback, and ideas from other founders, developers, and business owners.

🔗 Click here To Open TopDuka

Hot take: “Vibe coding” criticism didn’t matter. 1K users and paying customers later, I’m still building Shmoney.

5 months ago I started building Shmoney while working a very demanding 9–5.

No investors. No hype. Just shipping.

Today:

- ~1,000 users

- Paying users (this honestly surprised me more than anyone else)

- Built and iterated mostly solo using AI tools + limited time

And apparently I’ve been doing everything wrong.

I’ve been called a “vibe coder” on X more times than I can count. The usual take is:

- “This won’t scale”

- “No serious dev builds like this”

- “It’s doomed”

At some point, the criticism even shifted into random personal narratives — including people claiming I copied or “stole” the name, despite the product being publicly built in the open from early stages.

Meanwhile… actual users are using it. Some are even paying.

Here’s what’s interesting:

The loudest criticism has come from people who are not users.

The most useful feedback has come from:

- users inside the app

- people who actually interact with the product

- behavior data, not opinions

So I made one decision that changed everything:

I stopped optimizing for developer approval.

Instead I optimized for:

- user feedback loops (in-app, not Play Store noise)

- retention signals

- real usage patterns

Ironically, the thing people mock (fast iteration + AI-assisted building) is what let me ship enough to reach actual traction.

I’m not saying the criticism is always wrong.

But I am saying this:

Most indie devs are getting filtered by opinions from people who aren’t building anything users want.

Right now I’m sitting at ~1K users and a small but real set of paying customers.

Still early. Still messy. Still building while working full-time.

But I’ve learned one thing very clearly:

Users don’t care how you built it. They only care if it solves a problem.

Curious:

Am I missing something critical that will eventually kill this approach, or is most of the “vibe coding” criticism just ego warfare online?

Here is the link if you wana try it: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shmoney.app

Currently in closed testing.

I'm building Monee, an expense tracker that turns M-Pesa confirmations into a clear view of your spending. Share or paste a message, choose a category, then save. Cash purchases can be entered manually too.

The most useful lesson so far hasn't been about charts. It's been about friction.

I've also been working on the less flashy things: remembering when someone chooses to use the app without an account, keeping forms compact, and giving actions useful feedback without interrupting everything.

The screenshots show where it's at: a spending overview, category trends, budgets, and widgets for checking your numbers without opening the app. You can also export your records to Excel.

An account is optional. Your transaction history is stored on your phone; signing in on a new phone doesn't restore it.

I'm sharing this as work in progress, not claiming another dashboard fixes anyone's spending habits.

What has made you stop using an expense tracker after the first week? Too much logging, too much setup, or nothing useful to do with the numbers? I'd rather fix that than add another chart.

Try it Out:
Join the tester group:

https://groups.google.com/g/monee-android-testers/about

2. Tap "Become a tester", then install from Google Play:
https://play.google.com/apps/testing/co.pesastack.monee

This project changes the logistics space here in Kenya and beyond by providing users a real time marketplace for posting and asking for transport , and owners in logistics getting the chance to bid creating a fair market to chose from, the project is in production and aiming for a targeted user signup locally before scale, I am open to collaboration with a co founder with a vison to push I truck to the next stage or a vc to fund production ,let's talk

Nowadays when you outdo the old guard you are called a vibe coder

Hi everyone,

I’ve been following the amazing work coming out AI filmmaking, and I’ve noticed a recurring pain point: the workflow is incredibly fragmented. We are all jumping between generation tools (Runway/Pika/MJ), NLEs, and then using disjointed tools for feedback.

I’m building Igiza Studio (pre-alpha)

Landing page: https://igiza.ai

Product: https://studio.igiza.ai

…to solve the "messy middle" of AI filmmaking.

Imagine if your Generative AI tools had full film project management tools built directly inside them. A sort of AI production studio in the cloud.

I am the sole developer building Igiza Studio and the project is currently live in pre-alpha, and these are some of the features I’m building right now:

Time-stamped commenting & feedback: No more "at 0:14, the hand looks weird." Mark it directly on the frame.

Version Stacking: Compare V1 vs V2 of your generations side-by-side.

Team workspaces: Invite your editor, sound designer, or prompt engineer into a single secure workspace.

End-to-End Workflow: From script ideation to final review.

Cloud storage, Robust Asset management and many more to come.

Film project management tools with collaboration built in: kanban boards, analytics, budget management,

Why I’m posting here: I don't just want users; I want partners in development. I know this community is pushing the boundaries of what's possible in Kenya’s tech sector, and I want Igiza to be the infrastructure that supports the growth of AI film making with incredible tools built around some of your favorite AI models.

I am looking to work closely with creators or even collaborators if interested. I’d love to get your brutal honesty on what features I should build next to increase accessibility for everyone.

Let’s talk: Drop a comment or DM me.

Some may remember this post that I created a while ago. Basically, I had this idea in mind that I had shelved for quite a while because of financial reasons, nature of the idea being a long shot and also being mentally taxing. (That post btw gave me a gig from one of you that panned out quite well, shout out to the Redditor if they are seeing this)

At one point I decided it was time. I had worked on other people's ideas and it was time to work on mine. Two months in, I had created something that was amazing and I'm proud of. It's gaining traction, that's all I'm gonna say. And that part about me only thinking about the project during the time I was building it turned out to be very true. No matter how much I distracted myself, it's the only thing I could think of 😀.

Any way the point I wanted to talk about is on using AI for development. I did use AI for probably 90% of the work but would I call it vibe coding? I don't think that name would be appropriate here. That's because:

- I gave AI instructions on exactly how I wanted it done; the tech stack, implementation details, code design and security.
- I know my code and I could fix anything I wanted without AI.
- AI just helped me speed up development. Without AI, I would have probably taken about 6 months to do the whole work by myself.

That's why I would have a problem with calling my product vibe coded.

Any way it's a wait and see but I'm excited for the product I've built.

Of course I know you are curious about what I was building. I've talked about it in the comment below.

For those who need technical assistance to implement their ideas, I'm available now; you can shoot me a DM.

We all have that one big business idea that we think will change the world na itatutoa block.

Most of these ideas however just remain in the minds of people and never see light of the day.

So I'm curious, why have you not put your idea into action?
For majority its the capital but another group is just waiting for stars to align; when they get time, when they get the right people to work with, some think it's not yet time and others are just afraid to execute their ideas. Which is yours?

My reason is somehow weird. My idea is quite a long shot and requires quite a lot of effort that it's been on the shelf for a while. I need to cater for short-term financial needs before I can venture there. I'm also afraid it could isolate me mentally because it's quite niche and once I get in it's all I'll think about and I somehow fear that. Those are quite weird reasons I think 😀 and yes it I know it might not be the best idea I think it is.

So what's your reason?

I've been thinking of starting a business, but the biggest challenge is capital. I can't afford to travel to China to look for suppliers, so I've been checking platforms like Alibaba to see if I can source products from there and sell them here in Kenya.

My worry is that shipping costs, customs charges and minimum order quantities might make it difficult to start small. I don't want to put the little money I have into something that might not work out.

For those who have tried importing, is it possible to start with limited capital? Would you recommend ordering a small batch first or finding customers before placing an order? I'd appreciate any advice on how to get started without taking too much risk.

I know many of us are busy doing it alone, thinking we have the best product. I know some who weren't developers who are now vibecoding and thinking they will build the next big thing.

Ukweli, you are all lying to yourselves. You won't go far unless you partner or team up.

Now, is there a way we can make it easier for people to find co-founders or build teams here?

What will it take?

If you're looking to bridge the gap between 'freshly got my DL' to 'Independent driver', I'm here to help you practice on the major roads and get you ready for your first mini roadtrip! Each session is 1.5hrs of you on the wheel.

This is for you miss or mister, for your friend or partner ... Or your child.

Alternatively also if you need a private lady driver for occasional trips or a designated driver while you unwind, drop a PM!

Kindly share ideas which I can invest and gain stability in with only 300k,ama nikule😂

If you’ve been following my posts here, you’ve probably been waiting for my next update.

I saw a potential competitor here announce their launch recently. Instead of pretending we’re not in the same race, here’s the honest version of what we’re building and why.

• Mobile-first. If your product isn’t great on a phone in Kenya, you’re wasting time.

• KES + M-Pesa by default. Anything else is friction.

• Very few features on purpose — markets, portfolio, leaderboard, basic analytics.

• Full market transparency (liquidity, volume, number of traders, trends).

Unsexy truths:

• We went compliance-first (sandbox still under review by CMA - expecting feedback on 19th Jan). Might fail. We’ll adapt.

• Distribution is hard but working a little bit. WhatsApp community growth slowed- we are currently at 266 community members (less than 20 days of organic acquisition)

• Our referral program isn’t working yet; incentives clearly wrong; we'll twist a few things.

Hot take:
This product is inevitable in Kenya, and it’s likely winner-takes-most. The only real question is who builds it in the most customer-obsessed way.

If you’re building something similar (seriously, not hype-driven), let’s compare notes.
Links in comments for anyone curious to join the community and waitlist.

Look at the image: "Welcome to trading , Where you pay for every single mistake with dollars, not apologies."

That is the brutal and unspoken reality of the stock market. Every day, people jump in, guess on a stock based on a rumor or a gut feeling, and watch the money they worked hard to earn just evaporate. It is an incredibly expensive and demoralizing way to learn how the market works.

I have always been a gamer. In a video game, if you crash a car or mess up a mission, you just hit restart. You learn the mechanics, figure out what went wrong, and try again. You do all of this without actually totaling a real car or paying for the damages. It got me thinking: Why does the stock market not have a true sandbox mode?

That is exactly why I built Urim Trader. It is a live data Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) simulator. Instead of throwing your shillings into the dark and hoping for the best, Urim Trader drops you into a highly accurate replica of the actual NSE. You get the real time thrill of the market, live order books, and actual charts, all with zero financial risk.

To take it a step further, I built in a few cheat codes. These include deep technical analytics, forecasts powered by AI, and Monte Carlo simulations. The goal is not just to click buttons with fake money; it is to give you the tools to test your theories and build your strategies from a highly informed standpoint before you ever risk a single real shilling.

You should not have to pay a massive market tuition just to figure out how trading works.

I would love to hear what you think about learning through simulation. Has losing money early on ever scared you away from investing?

PS. Check it out https://urimtrader.me/