Kenyan startup, WorkKE, is building an Africa-focused digital work ecosystem designed to connect businesses with skilled professionals while making remote and project-based hiring faster, more affordable and more secure.
Founded in 2025 by Kennedy Mokaya Asiago, the platform allows SMEs, startups, corporations, NGOs and individuals to hire freelancers, consultants and other project-based professionals through a digital marketplace.
WorkKE says it is responding to gaps in Africa’s digital labour market, particularly the difficulty many professionals face in accessing trusted local opportunities and the high cost and complexity of traditional recruitment.
“Our mission is simple, to make digital work more accessible while helping African businesses find trusted talent faster and more affordably,” said Asiago.
The startup has already attracted more than 7,000 registered users and facilitated over KES5 million in freelancer payouts.
What is WorkKE and What Does It Do?
WorkKE is essentially a digital marketplace where businesses can find and hire professionals for specific projects or ongoing work without relying entirely on conventional recruitment processes.
Instead of employing someone permanently, a company can use the platform to find a freelancer, consultant or project-based worker with the required expertise.
The platform serves a wide range of users, including SMEs, startups, corporates, NGOs and individuals, while professionals can offer services in areas such as software development, graphic design, writing, digital marketing, accounting and virtual assistance.
However, WorkKE has expanded beyond simply connecting employers and freelancers.
“Beyond the marketplace, we have expanded into a broader ecosystem that includes WorkKE Academy for digital skills training, AI-powered business tools, digital products, and employer solutions designed to make hiring more efficient and accessible,” Asiago said.
Why Was WorkKE Founded
The startup emerged from Asiago’s identification of three major challenges affecting Africa’s digital employment ecosystem. The first was the difficulty skilled African professionals face in finding trusted local digital work opportunities.
The second was the challenge businesses, particularly SMEs, encounter when using traditional recruitment systems for short-term or project-based assignments.
The third was the fact that international freelance platforms are not always designed around African market realities.
According to Asiago, these realities include local payment systems, affordability, onboarding and customer support.
“Many talented African professionals lacked access to trusted local digital work opportunities,” he said, adding that SMEs often find traditional recruitment “expensive, time-consuming, and unsuitable for project-based work.”
WorkKE therefore seeks to create a platform that reflects the needs of both African employers and professionals.
How WorkKE Differs From Global Freelance Platforms
WorkKE operates in a competitive market that includes international platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr, as well as African platforms such as TERAWORK and Kuhustle. Its strategy, however, is to differentiate itself by concentrating specifically on African businesses and professionals.
The company combines several features intended to address the challenges of digital work across the continent, including secure escrow payments, local payment methods and employer-focused hiring tools.
Its broader ecosystem also incorporates professional training and AI-powered business solutions.
“We combine secure escrow payments, local payment methods, employer-focused hiring tools, WorkKE Academy, AI-powered business tools, and an ecosystem built specifically for the African market,” Asiago said.
This approach positions WorkKE not merely as a platform for finding freelancers, but as a broader digital infrastructure for connecting African talent with businesses.
Early Traction and Growing Demand
Despite being entirely bootstrapped since its launch, WorkKE says it has recorded significant early traction.
The startup has registered more than 7,000 users, with approximately 4,000 monthly users, while facilitating more than KES5 million, equivalent to about US$40,000, in freelancer payouts.
Bootstrapping has allowed the company to validate its business model while retaining strategic independence during its early development.
Demand on the platform has reportedly been strongest in software development, graphic design, digital marketing, writing, virtual assistance, accounting, business support and administrative services.
Asiago said one of the company’s most encouraging indicators has been the number of clients returning to hire professionals again.
“One of the most encouraging indicators has been repeat hiring, which demonstrates growing confidence in the platform,” he said.
This suggests that continued use by employers could be an important sign of trust and customer satisfaction.
Expansion Across Africa and Revenue Model
Kenya remains WorkKE’s largest market, accounting for the majority of its employers and professionals, but the startup says it has already begun attracting users from other East African countries.
It is gradually expanding its regional footprint into markets including Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria and South Africa, with the long-term goal of supporting secure cross-border hiring across the continent.
The company generates revenue through several channels, including service fees on completed projects, employer premium subscriptions, freelancer verification services, coins used by freelancers to bid for selected projects, digital products, AI-powered business tools and training programmes through WorkKE Academy.
This diversified model allows WorkKE to earn from different parts of its ecosystem rather than relying solely on marketplace commissions.
Its broader ambition is to become one of Africa’s leading digital work platforms by expanding access to digital employment while providing businesses with technology-driven solutions.
“Our focus has been on sustainable growth, continuous product improvement, and long-term value creation,” Asiago said.
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