Zim startup launches mobile money management desktop app, Capu

L.S.M Kabweza Avatar

capuA local startup has launched a desktop based mobile money management tool called Capu (short for Cash Application: Universal). Universal in that the tool can be used to manage transactions of any mobile money service locally. The app, which is Windows based, so far allows users to manage their Textacash and EcoCash transactions more conveniently.

If you don’t use mobile money services yet – and you should, Mr Caveman – you’re probably wondering just what convenience Capu brings. Here’s the deal, mobile money services like EcoCash and Textacash (all ZimSwitch Shared Services based ones actually) use USSD menus, i.e. those annoying ‘enter 1 to do this, 2 to do that etc…” back and forth menus. Now if the network happens to act up while you’re going through the hoops, it’s back to square one. On a bad network day, you’ll just defer that transaction. It’s much worse if you’re an agent and there’s a queue of people all wanting to transact.

Capu takes all that pain away by providing an interface to do any mobile money transaction on a PC. The application basically does all the painful USSD back and forth on your behalf. And if a transaction fails for one reason or the other, all you have to do is click retry. Now since Capu is handling all these payments anyway, it can use all data generate to provide some insights into the transactions through reports, which can be very useful for agents and other types of business uses.

capu-screenUsers can also do bulk transactions, has a contacts manager so users don’t have to remember and enter phone numbers each time,

Capu uses a dongle (with a mobile money SIM inside) connected to a PC which poses a number of limits to the individual user as most of us have the line we use for mobile money transactions in our phones.

Capu founder Takura Kajengo told use this week that they have already signed up some EcoCash agents who are finding the application quite useful.  Kajengo demoed the app to us recently and it was easy to see how this would take away lots of pain, for agents especially.

Kajengo says the application is available for free to individuals but that arrangements to pay are made with each business that approaches them for it.

While solving a simple and direct problem right now, Capu has an opportunity to evolve into a number of directions in terms of simplifying mobile money for business. What Kopokopo is today is an example. PesaPal even! One hopes our mobile operators and financial institutions are able to see the opportunity in such applications and entrepreneurs so they can help them integrate to their platforms officially so all security issues are taken care of as the product grows.

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12 comments

  1. Greg Kawere

    they should monetize using the business model used by South Africa Personal financial management service 22seven, if they innovate enough i can see oldmutual snapping them up, specially if they can gain traction with banks https://www.22seven.com/

  2. purple

    Finally someone with some sense. This sort of application is whats needed if you are operating in a corporate environment.

  3. tinm@n

    Best of luck to them! Though THIS ISN’T AN APP

    1. Grammar Nazi

      Hoo? I thought app was just short for application, be it desktop, mobile, web, etc. If you think a mobile (app)lication is the only type of app deserving that naming ndiwe, but please don’t embarrass yourself in front of people making by making it seem as if your perception is gospel. Kutoisawo in bold kani

      1. tinm@n

        Not embarassing myself, dont worry. In the context of today’s technology, App means something different. It is no longer as ambiguous as you make it seem.

        1. tichaitonga

          This one happens to be a desktop app. There are mobile apps, online apps and desktop apps. So next time don’t think the world is a subset of your world. It is the other way round.

          1. tinm@n

            No

            1. tichaitonga

              ok

    2. FutureZimWeb

      OMG , where you from?

    3. Jabulani Mpofu

      I bet Steve Jobs is laughing at this debate in his grave, he made the word app so ambiguious, at least we can all agree the term is better with a prefix and suit sm uses better than others

  4. LeRueTheKing

    this is true innovation have not heard or seen an app like this even from our bros in rest of africa where mobile money is big …. Kudo to Takura and team

    1. mbada

      tinm@n. Itai serious. Zvamakaisa @ pazita renyu yaEmail here?

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