Digital solution: How I grew e-ticketing business focusing on entertainment events

Digital solution: How I grew e-ticketing business focusing on entertainment events

  • 19.03.2025 16:58
  • businessdailyafrica.com
  • Keywords: success, success

George Gachui, co-founder of Mookh Africa, shares his journey from event organizing to building an e-ticketing platform. Despite facing challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, Mookh has grown significantly, particularly in Uganda, where it now operates as a leading online ticketing solution for entertainment events.

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Mookh Africa

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Mookh Africa is a tech startup that provides an online ticketing platform for entertainment events in East Africa. They faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic but have since expanded to Uganda and implemented new funding programs.

Context

Analysis of George Gachui's E-Ticketing Business Insights and Market Implications

Business Model and Strategy

  • Co-founder and Background: George Gachui (aka "Porgie") co-founded Mookh Africa in 2015 with Erick Thimba, leveraging his finance and information systems expertise.
  • Platform Focus: Mookh is an online ticketing platform catering to entertainment events in East Africa, initially targeting small to medium event organizers.
  • Revenue Model: Charges 8% per transaction; no fees if no sales are made. Offers free backend services for setting up ticket sales and data management.

Market Expansion

  • Kenya Market: Serves over 1,000 merchants in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Faces competition from Ticketsasa, which focuses on corporate events.
  • Uganda Expansion: Moved headquarters to Kampala due to higher market potential (2.5x larger than Kenya's). Uganda's entertainment scene is growing faster with less classism, leading to larger event attendance.

Challenges and Resilience

  • COVID-19 Impact: Business shut down in October 2020 after three months of no revenue due to event cancellations.
  • Restart Strategy: Relaunch focused on data-driven solutions and partnerships, including a $77,000 upfront funding program with PataFlow.

Competitive Dynamics

  • Unique Value Proposition: Provides immediate funds from ticket sales and data insights for pricing and consumer behavior analysis.
  • Market Differentiation: Targets smaller events and offers tailored services, unlike competitors focusing on corporate events.

Funding and Financial Innovations

  • Partnership with PataFlow: Offers event organizers upfront funding of up to Sh10 million (capped at 50% of projected sales) with no collateral.
  • Data Insights: Shares data models with clients to help determine ticket prices and understand consumer trends.

Market Trends and Consumer Behavior

  • Event Growth: Over 80% of ticket revenue in Kenya is spent on event costs. Smaller, affordable events (pricing Sh1,500–Sh3,000) attract Gen Z attendees.
  • Uganda's Potential: Ugandans attend events more inclusively across classes, leading to higher attendance even for local artists.

Long-Term Effects and Strategic Considerations

  • Data Leverage: Plans to use data insights for tailored services and funding opportunities based on ticket sales projections.
  • Expansion Goals: Focus on scaling operations in Uganda and leveraging lessons from Kenya's challenges to build resilience against future disruptions.

This analysis highlights the strategic pivots, market insights, and innovations driving Mookh Africa's growth in East Africa's entertainment sector.