The Drive-to-Own Revolution: The Maker Turning Luanda’s "Invisible" Drivers into Business Owners
Image source & Credits: Anda homepage
Maker
Valeriano "Leri" Da Costa
Known For
Founding Anda and pioneering the "Drive-to-Own" electric mobility model in Luanda.
Tools & Equipment
Lithium-Ion Battery Swapping Stations, Fleet Management IoT, Equity Crowdfunding.
Geography
Coming Soon on YouTube
Angola is famous for oil, but this maker is building an electric fleet that will power its future cities.
Most investors wouldn't touch an informal motorcycle taxi in Luanda. Leri Da Costa didn't just touch it; he professionalised it. By securing Angola’s first-ever international VC seed round, his startup, Anda, is doing what was once called impossible: replacing the noisy petrol engines of the city with a digital-first, electric 'Drive-to-Own' fleet.
For years, Angola’s tech scene was invisible to global investors. That changed in 2025 when Leri Da Costa’s Anda raised a landmark seed round. Da Costa recognized that while Luanda is a major oil producer, the high cost of maintenance for gas motorcycles was bankrupting local drivers. He built an ecosystem of electric motorcycles and solar-powered battery swapping stations. His "Drive-to-Own" model turns drivers into owners, using technology to bridge the massive wealth gap in one of Africa's most expensive cities.
Lessons for Budding Makers:
1. The best products don't just provide a service; they create assets for the user. 2. Being the first international-standard startup in an "underrepresented" country like Angola makes you the lighthouse for the entire region.More Stories
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