The name Kopo Kopo was inspired by two different sides of sub-Saharan Africa: In Krio, the language of Sierra Leone, kobboh kobboh means “money”. In Swahili, spoken in several countries in East Africa, mkopo means “loan”.

Kobboh kobboh, mkopo, money, loan – whatever you call it, our focus is wealth creation rather than poverty alleviation. Incubated at the Unreasonable Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and invested in by Gray Ghost Ventures and Presumed Abundance, we started Kopo Kopo in order to help institutions offer their customers more convenient, affordable services with the goal of increasing the income of the poor.