Upande
Upande is a Nairobi-based social enterprise founded in 2009 that combines open-source ERPNext with proprietary IoT sensors and SCADA to deliver prepaid real-time asset management solutions for African water utilities, agribusinesses, logistics firms, and humanitarian organizations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersNairobi, Kenya
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Upande does
Upande Ltd is a Nairobi-headquartered, private Kenyan social enterprise founded in 2009 that provides integrated IoT, ERP, and GIS solutions for real-time asset management, primarily across African markets. Its core technology stack pairs the open-source ERPNext (Frappe) framework — under a certified Frappe Partner relationship held since 2013 — with proprietary IoT sensor hardware (flow, level, temperature/humidity/pressure, pH, energy, door, PAR) and SCADA systems supporting multiple connectivity (NB-IoT, LTE-M, LoRa/LoRaWAN, Sigfox, GPRS, GSM) and industrial (Modbus, RS485/RS232, M-Bus, Profibus, 4-20mA) protocols. Layered on this base are sector-specific "Smart Solutions" modules for water utilities (UpandeWaSH, Customer Identification Survey, billing, meter reading, Udetect COVID-19 monitoring), agriculture (UpandeScout, UpandeHarvest, Forecast), logistics (cold-chain sensors) and manufacturing (BoM/work-order suite).
Upande monetizes through prepaid monthly subscriptions priced at approximately $50/month for UpandeERP, $5/month for IoT sensor modules and $200/month for advanced Smart Solutions, augmented by professional services and SLAs. This pricing deliberately avoids per-user-per-module fees common to licensed ERP incumbents. The go-to-market is consultative enterprise field sales supplemented by partner channels (Frappe/ERPNext, VEI, Aqua4All, WaterStarters, NRC, TdH, UN-Habitat) and grant-funded humanitarian deployments, including refugee-camp pilots in Kenya (Kalobeyei) and Nigeria (Rann) and COVID-19 sewage monitoring in Nakuru and Kisumu.
Its customer base is diversified across water utilities (MUWASCO, KIWASCO, NAWASSCO), agribusiness (Victory Farms, Redland Roses, Tambuzi, Osiligi Farm), logistics (Kuehne+Nagel), manufacturing (Bakekings) and education (Rosslyn Academy), with quantified outcomes including a 333% revenue uplift at MUWASCO after non-revenue-water remediation. The company employs approximately 15 people, is privately held without disclosed institutional investors beyond grant funding, and was led in 2024 by a transition of COO Mumo Musembi from advisory council member to partner.
Upande firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Upande
- Legal name
- Upande Ltd
- Website
- https://upande.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Upande is a Nairobi-based social enterprise founded in 2009 that combines open-source ERPNext with proprietary IoT sensors and SCADA to deliver prepaid real-time asset management solutions for African water utilities, agribusinesses, logistics firms, and humanitarian organizations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Upande industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) & IoT Asset Management Software
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822), Electronic Components & Accessories (3670)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Core ERP Suites (Financials, Procurement, Projects) (HDAEAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Industry-Specific ERP for Utilities & Energy (HDAEAEAN), ERP Extensions & Add-ons (CPQ, Billing, Revenue Management) (HDAEAEAO)
Keywords
Where Upande is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nairobi
- HQ country
- Kenya
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Upande business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- ERP Subscription (UpandeERP): Prepaid monthly subscription for ERP software providing accounts, CRM, projects, HR, stock, e-commerce modules. Starting at $50/month with recurring costs based on server size and continued time engagement. No hidden per-user-per-module costs.
- IoT Sensor Services: Prepaid lease/sale of IoT sensors with dashboards and ERP integration. Starting at $5/month for sensor modules, providing live data on physical conditions from the field.
- Smart Solutions Subscriptions: Advanced sector-specific modules for agriculture, aquaculture, water/sanitation (WaSH), and utilities. Starting at $200/month with IoT data integration into ERP.
- Professional Services & SLAs: Service Level Agreements providing virtual and physical support with agreed weekly hours for mission-critical process support. Custom implementation and customization services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | ERPNext Core - Starting at $50/month |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Sensors - Starting at $5/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Smart Solutions - Starting at $200/month |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Upande product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Upande sells an integrated platform-plus-products stack: UpandeERP (cloud-based ERP on the open-source ERPNext framework for accounting, HR, CRM, projects, stock, e-commerce), Upande Sensors (proprietary IoT sensors for water, flow, level, temperature, humidity, pressure, pH, energy, door, PAR, SCADA), and Upande Smart Solutions (sector-specific modules for water utilities, agriculture, logistics, and manufacturing). All sensor data integrates into UpandeERP for unified dashboards and automated controls. Pricing is prepaid subscription-based starting at $50/month for ERP, $5/month for sensors, and $200/month for Smart Solutions.
Product overview
Upande offers a modular platform-plus-products architecture combining UpandeERP (cloud-based ERP powered by ERPNext), Upande Sensors (IoT sensor product suite), and Upande Smart Solutions (sector-specific add-on modules). UpandeERP provides core business functions including financials, HR, production, projects, CRM, and asset management. Upande Sensors collect live operational data including water levels, flow, temperature, humidity, pressure, power, and environmental conditions. Upande Smart Solutions extend the platform with specialized modules for agriculture (UpandeScout, UpandeHarvest, Forecast), logistics (temperature, door, power sensors), utilities (UpandeWaSH, billing, CIS, meter reading), and manufacturing (BoM, work orders, stock management). All sensor data integrates into UpandeERP for unified operational dashboards and automated controls.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- UpandeERP: Cloud-based ERP solution powered by ERPNext, integrating core business processes including accounting, HR, CRM, projects, stock, and more.
- Vipimo
- UpandeWaSH
Products and services
- UpandeERP Cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning software powered by the open-source ERPNext framework, providing integrated modules for financials, HR & payroll, production, projects, sales & marketing, CRM, website, and asset management. Sold on a prepaid subscription starting at $50/month with no per-user-per-module hidden costs.
- Upande Sensors (Vipimo)
Quantifiable outcome
- MUWASCO monthly revenue increased from KES 300,000 to KES 1,300,000 (333% increase) after implementing Customer Identification Survey and corrective actions for non-revenue water reduction
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Upande
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Upande technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
AI capability5 records
Feature8 records
Upande partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- OrvionmajorMoCOMo project (Mobile COVID-19 Monitoring in sewage) consortium with Orvion providing Udetect mobile COVID-19 detection technology, combined with Upande's Udetect software module for dashboard visualization. Tested in Nakuru and Kisumu, Kenya.
- Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)majorConsortium partner in MoCOMo project for COVID-19 detection in sewage, providing medical research expertise alongside Upande's technology platform.
- UN-Habitat / Aqua4AllmajorFunders of the MoCOMo project to demonstrate field-based COVID-19 detection in wastewater using Orvion Udetect technology combined with Upande's software module.
- Frappe (ERPNext)coreUpande is the longest-standing ERPNext implementer in Africa since 2013 and a certified Frappe Partner. They provide ERPNext design, implementation, support services, and build custom modules on Frappe HR, Frappe CRM, Frappe Learning, Frappe Education, and Frappe Insights. ERPNext serves as the core platform for Upande's ERP offerings.
- TdH (Terres des Hommes)coreHumanitarian Grand Challenges partnership to pilot offline IoT solutions in refugee camps and IDP locations. TdH and NRC are working with Upande to monitor essential water systems in Kalobeyei (Kenya) and Rann (Nigeria) camps, using Upande's IoT-in-a-Box solution.
- NRC (Norwegian Refugee Council)corePartnership with Upande to implement offline IoT monitoring for water systems in refugee camps, specifically monitoring chlorine concentration and water levels in tanks for Kalobeyei (Kenya) and IDP camp in Rann (Nigeria).
- VEI (Vitens Evides International)majorWater utility partnership focused on improving water services through technology solutions, appearing as a partner in Upande's partner ecosystem.
- Aqua4AllmajorWater sector development organization partnering with Upande on projects including the MoCOMo COVID-19 monitoring initiative.
- WaterStartersminorWater entrepreneurship support organization appearing in Upande's partner ecosystem for water utility innovation.
- TruValumajorAgribusiness development partner working with Upande on agricultural technology solutions for SMEs in developing countries.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Upande competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SAP Africa: Global ERP incumbent selling core ERP suites into African mid-market and enterprise customers. Comparable to UpandeERP as a competing ERP option for African mid-sized and large enterprises, though at very different price points and scale.
- Semios: Large established IoT platform for specialty crops (orchards, vineyards, tree crops) with integrated sensors, pest modeling, and decision-support. Comparable to Upande's UpandeScout and Forecast modules serving horticulture and agribusiness customers.
- Trimble Water: Enterprise utility management and AMR/AMI solutions from a global GIS-and-infrastructure software incumbent. Comparable to UpandeWaSH and SCADA offerings in targeting water utility operational efficiency at larger scale.
Emerging players
- CropX: IoT-based agricultural analytics and soil/environmental sensors for farm optimization. Comparable to Upande's agriculture vertical (PAR, pH, TPH sensors and Forecast module) in offering IoT-driven agronomic decisioning.
- Bboxx: Africa-focused IoT company providing solar energy and utility monitoring with pay-as-you-go and remote asset management. Comparable to Upande in targeting African utilities and remote asset monitoring, though focused on solar rather than water.
- Hive Power: IoT and analytics platform for utilities and energy management. Comparable to Upande's Smart Solutions / SCADA stack for distributed energy and water assets in emerging markets.
Direct peers
- SweetSense Inc. IoT sensor provider for water and energy infrastructure in emerging markets, including remote-area monitoring and utility-sector analytics. Comparable to Upande's IoT sensor business in both target geographies and customer profile.
- Akvo: NGO-focused data and monitoring platform for water, sanitation, and agriculture development programs across Africa and Asia. Comparable to Upande's humanitarian deployments with NRC/TdH and its IoT-in-a-Box offline monitoring for water systems.
- mWater: Provides water-point monitoring, surveys, and data management tools to utilities and NGOs across Africa and Asia. Directly comparable to UpandeWaSH in targeting water utility customers in developing markets with mobile and sensor-based data collection.
- Frappe / ERPNext: The open-source ERP framework on which UpandeERP is built and whose certified partner network Upande belongs to. Frappe is the closest platform peer and partner, with overlapping customers, modules, and Africa expansion ambitions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Upande social profiles
Digital presenceUpande financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Upande leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Upande funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Upande M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Upande
What does Upande do?
Upande sells an integrated platform-plus-products stack: UpandeERP (cloud-based ERP on the open-source ERPNext framework for accounting, HR, CRM, projects, stock, e-commerce), Upande Sensors (proprietary IoT sensors for water, flow, level, temperature, humidity, pressure, pH, energy, door, PAR, SCADA), and Upande Smart Solutions (sector-specific modules for water utilities, agriculture, logistics, and manufacturing). All sensor data integrates into UpandeERP for unified dashboards and automated controls. Pricing is prepaid subscription-based starting at $50/month for ERP, $5/month for sensors, and $200/month for Smart Solutions.
Is Upande a public or private company?
Upande is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Upande founded?
Upande was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Upande based?
Upande is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, in the Africa region.
How does Upande make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. ERP Subscription (UpandeERP) is the primary driver. The others are ioT Sensor Services, smart Solutions Subscriptions and professional Services & SLAs.
Who are Upande's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SAP Africa, Semios and Trimble Water. Emerging players are CropX, Bboxx and Hive Power. Direct peers are SweetSense Inc., Akvo, mWater and Frappe / ERPNext.
Does Upande have an API?
No public API is recorded for Upande.
What industry is Upande in?
Upande's product category is Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) & IoT Asset Management Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEAEAA, Core ERP Suites (Financials, Procurement, Projects), with a secondary code of HDAEAEAN, Industry-Specific ERP for Utilities & Energy. Its NAICS code is 5415 and its SIC code is 7373.