Flood Raises $3.5 Million to Digitise Offline Commerce in Emerging Markets
South African startup Flood, a pioneering platform in the “SuperApp-as-a-Service” category, has secured $3.5 million in seed funding to drive its mission of digitising offline retail across emerging markets.
South African startup Flood, a pioneering platform in the “SuperApp-as-a-Service” category, has secured $3.5 million in seed funding to drive its mission of digitising offline retail across emerging markets. Led by serial entrepreneur André de Wet, Flood provides a no-code, API‑based infrastructure that allows telcos, banks, and enterprises to seamlessly embed digital commerce features into apps already used by consumers—no need for separate downloads or apps.
Bridging the Offline Retail Gap with Embedded Commerce
With traditional e‑commerce still out of reach for the majority of small retailers in emerging economies, Flood positions itself as a game-changer. The platform enables features such as merchant onboarding, in‑store QR code access, loyalty programs, real‑time analytics, and click‑to‑mortar models including in‑store pickup, all integrated into trusted mobile apps. In one early engagement, Flood onboarded 8,000 merchants in just three months, and in some markets reported daily usage by as much as 28% of the population.
As André de Wet stated, “95% of retail in emerging markets is still offline.” Flood addresses this challenge by enabling digital commerce through platforms people already use daily—such as banking and telco apps—making the transition intuitive and frictionless. This funding will accelerate market entry into new regions, support partnerships with telecom operators and challenger banks, and help rapidly onboard thousands more merchants.
By offering a white‑label solution, Flood allows partners to retain full control over user experience while adding commerce, loyalty, and payment capabilities. The platform empowers institutions to reach revenue beyond traditional services, and provides real value to small businesses by dramatically expanding their visibility and customer base. In one pilot, Flood processed over 14 million transactions for a community of under 500,000 users.
Backed by investors such as CRE Venture Capital and key angel investors, Flood is scaling rapidly with a mission to enable inclusive, durable digital economies—bringing offline retailers into the digital age without leaving behind those unfamiliar with technology.