Startbutton, a startup backed by Norrsken that helps businesses broaden their reach abroad without needing physical offices, is expanding into seven Francophone African countries.
The expansion, announced Thursday, includes Benin, Togo, Senegal, Mali, Guinea Conakry, Burkina Faso, and Cameroon. The goal is to enable more companies to enter these markets and accept local payments.
Startbutton’s entry into Francophone Africa is designed to assist startups in expanding their reach in the region without establishing physical offices. Francophone Africa has become a popular destination for African startups due to its growing middle class with disposable income.
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Startbutton’s francophone Africa expansion
Foreign businesses often encounter challenges such as complex regulations, language barriers, and limited payment infrastructure, especially when accepting local mobile money or settling transactions in foreign currencies.
Startbutton aims to alleviate these issues by helping companies accept local payments and charge in foreign currencies.
Startbutton CEO Malick Bolakale says they are “leveraging local partnerships (with banks) to drive adoption, ensuring we work with trusted financial and business networks”.
He added that Startbutton will also “execute direct outreach to high-growth businesses, educate the market through strategic content, and position Startbutton as the default choice for businesses expanding into Francophone Africa”.
Startbutton’s Direct Currency Converter (DCC) allows companies to maintain foreign currency pricing while enabling end users to pay in local currencies.
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Compliance as a differentiator: A competitive edge
In the Francophone market, Startbutton will compete with companies like DLocal and Julaya. However, Startbutton differentiates itself by offering additional features, such as local tax compliance.
Bolakale stated, “Our differentiation lies in compliance-first expansion—helping businesses navigate complex regulatory landscapes while streamlining their payment flows”.
He noted, “Unlike pure payment processors, we enable businesses to operate legally and seamlessly, ensuring they don’t just process payments but also meet local tax and regulatory requirements”.
With this expansion, Startbutton now operates in 15 countries, focusing on French-speaking markets’ travel, education, and digital services sectors.
The startup processes over $5 million monthly and anticipates processing an additional $2 million in the Francophone market. Last year, Startbutton secured an International Money Transfer Operator (IMTO) license in Nigeria and a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) license in the UK.