Industries / Technology & Startups
Technology & Startups
Kenya's technology sector is one of the most dynamic in Africa. Nairobi's reputation as a regional innovation hub attracts founders, investors, and multinationals. From fintech and healthtech to…
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Overview
Kenya's technology sector is one of the most dynamic in Africa. Nairobi's reputation as a regional innovation hub attracts founders, investors, and multinationals. From fintech and healthtech to agritech and edtech, Kenyan technology businesses are building products that serve millions. The legal framework is evolving rapidly, and the consequences of getting it wrong can be existential.
We advise technology companies at every stage: incorporation and co-founder agreements, venture capital fundraising, commercial scaling, regulatory engagement, and cross-border expansion. Our work draws on our corporate, IP, regulatory, and dispute resolution practices.
What we do
12 service lines. Select one to see what it covers.
Technology & StartupsStartup Incorporation and Founder Agreements
We structure new companies under the Companies Act, 2015, drafting founder agreements, share subscription documents, and IP assignment clauses that put ownership of the company's code and ideas beyond dispute from day one. Getting this right in the first six months avoids the disputes that are hardest and most expensive to unwind later.
Technology & StartupsEmployee Share Ownership Plans (ESOPs)
We design ESOP schemes under the Companies Act, 2015, the Employment Act, and the Income Tax Act, including the startup-specific tax deferral mechanism many general summaries miss. A properly structured plan lets a growing company attract and retain key staff without an unplanned tax bill landing on founders or employees.
Technology & StartupsVenture Financing, SAFE Notes and Convertible Instruments
We advise on seed and Series A rounds, drafting and negotiating SAFE notes and convertible loan notes that let a startup raise capital before its valuation is settled. Clear terms at this stage protect founders' control and give investors confidence long before the first priced round.
Technology & StartupsOffshore Holding Structures and Flip Transactions
For startups reorganising under a Delaware or Mauritius holding company to access US-style stock options and international capital, we structure the flip so Kenyan operations, tax residency, and IP ownership survive the move intact. This lets founders raise from international investors without losing the legal footing of the underlying Kenyan business.
Technology & StartupsVenture Debt
We structure venture debt facilities as an alternative or complement to equity financing, negotiating covenants and security that reflect a startup's cash flow rather than the standard bank-lending template. This gives founders growth capital without the dilution a further equity round would cost them.
Technology & StartupsData Protection and Cross-Border Data Transfers
We advise technology companies on compliance with the Data Protection Act, 2019, including the specific rules governing cross-border transfers of Kenyan personal data to foreign cloud providers, parent companies, and AI training pipelines. This keeps data-driven products compliant as they scale beyond Kenya's borders.
Technology & StartupsIntellectual Property Protection for Software
We protect source code as a literary work under the Copyright Act, Cap 130, and structure IP assignment and licensing terms so a company, not an individual developer or contractor, owns its own product by default. This closes the single most common and costly IP mistake founding teams make.
Technology & StartupsFintech and Digital Lending Compliance
We advise digital lenders and payment businesses on licensing under the Central Bank of Kenya's regime, including Digital Credit Provider registration and the conduct rules that govern debt collection and data use once licensed. This keeps a fast-moving fintech product on the right side of both the licensing regime and its active enforcement layer.
Technology & StartupsVirtual Asset and Crypto Business Licensing
We guide crypto exchanges, wallet providers, and token issuers through licensing under the Virtual Asset Service Providers Act, 2025 and its 2026 Regulations, including the AML and Travel Rule obligations that come with it. This puts a crypto business on a lawful footing ahead of Kenya's licensing deadlines.
Technology & StartupsCybersecurity and Computer Misuse Compliance
We advise technology companies on their obligations and exposure under the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act, 2018, from incident response to the offences the Act creates around unauthorised access and data interference. This gives a company a clear compliance posture before an incident forces one on it.
Technology & StartupsRide-Hailing, Delivery and Platform Regulation
We advise platforms operating ride-hailing, delivery, and gig-economy models on licensing, insurance, and consumer protection requirements, and on the employment-classification risk raised by how courts test disguised-employment arrangements. This lets a platform structure its driver and rider relationships with the legal risk properly priced in.
Technology & StartupsStartup Exits and M&A
We advise founders and investors on trade sales, secondary sales, and the path to an NSE Growth Board listing, structuring each exit route to protect value built over years of growth. This gives a company clarity on its realistic exit options well before a buyer or listing sponsor is at the table.
Most matters cross two or three of these.
Describe the situation in your own words. We will tell you what it actually involves, which services it touches, and what it will cost, before you commit to anything.
Why clients instruct us for technology & startups
Four commitments specific to this practice.
Built to survive diligence
Co-founder agreements, vesting, IP assignment and ESOPs structured the way investors expect to find them.
Fees calibrated to early stage
Startup fee structures reflect early-stage constraints and grow with the company.
Data protection from day one
DPA 2019 compliance built into product and contracts, not retrofitted before a raise.
We have sat on the investor side
Term sheets read differently when you have negotiated them from both directions.
Latest Insights
Discover more
Corporate & CommercialEmployee Stock Option Pools for Kenyan Startups Incorporating Abroad: Delaware Flip Structures ExplainedA striking number of Africa's best-known tech companies, Flutterwave, Paystack, Andela, Tala, Jumia among them, are not actually…12 Sep 2026
Corporate & CommercialVenture Debt in Kenya: An Alternative to Equity Financing for StartupsKenyan startups borrowed close to half a billion dollars in 2025, roughly matching what they raised in equity…12 Sep 2026
Regulatory & ComplianceCross-Border Data Transfers for Kenyan Tech Startups: DPA Adequacy and Standard Contractual ClausesA Kenyan tech startup that stores data on a foreign cloud provider, uses an overseas analytics tool, or…12 Sep 2026
Regulatory & ComplianceData Protection for AI Training: Using Kenyan Personal Data to Train Models Under the DPATraining an AI model on personal data is processing under Kenya's Data Protection Act, 2019, whether the data…12 Sep 2026
Corporate & CommercialStartup Exit Strategies in Kenya: Trade Sales, Secondary Sales and IPO ReadinessAn exit for a Kenyan startup rarely means an IPO. In practice it means a trade sale to…12 Sep 2026
Financial ServicesDigital Lending Apps and Predatory Lending Enforcement: Compliance for Fintech StartupsKenya's digital lending sector has a licensing regime, which we cover separately in our guide to Digital Credit…12 Sep 2026
Intellectual PropertyAI-Generated Content and Copyright in Kenya: Who Owns What KECOBO ProtectsKenya's Copyright Act was not written with generative AI in mind, but it turns out to already contain…12 Sep 2026
Regulatory & ComplianceRegulating Ride-Hailing and Delivery Platforms in Kenya: Licensing, Insurance and Consumer ProtectionKenya has had a dedicated regulatory regime for ride-hailing and delivery platforms since 2022, built around national licensing,…12 Sep 2026Get in touch
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