Fixo -The Startup Turning Kenya’s Informal Fundi Sector into a Structured Digital Marketplace

In Kenya’s rapidly growing cities, finding a trustworthy handyman has long been a frustrating experience for many households, unpredictable pricing, inconsistent quality, unsafe referrals, and an informal structure that rarely protects either customer or technician. Fixo Solutions, the team behind the Fixo! handyman-hailing service, is changing that narrative one job at a time.

Built on a simple WhatsApp interface and powered by an operational engine fueled by AI, data, and a deep understanding of Kenya’s urban culture, Fixo is reshaping how homeowners access services, and how technicians (fundis) build dignity-filled careers.

In this exclusive interview with Techtrends Africa, Levi Nyakundi, Co-Founder & CEO, of Fixo Solutions, shares the company’s journey, the problem they’re solving, and the larger vision they are building for Africa’s handyman economy.

For those meeting Fixo for the first time, how would you introduce the company and what inspired its creation?

Fixo is a digital marketplace that connects households to vetted, reliable, and trusted handymen across major Kenyan cities. The idea came from a very real, everyday frustration we observed: middle-class households struggled to find a dependable fundi when something went wrong at home. Instead of a simple, quick solution, people often found themselves stressed, calling friends, relying on random referrals, or taking risks with strangers. We knew there had to be a better way.

Our inspiration was rooted in that gap. We wanted to build a service that made home maintenance convenient and safe for families, while also giving fundis access to steady, dignified, and professional work. It was important to us that the solution supported both sides of the market because the customer experience and the fundi’s livelihood are deeply connected.

The handyman market in Kenya is informal and fragmented. What gaps did you identify that made Fixo necessary?

We identified three critical gaps that technology could help solve:

• Access: Most people depended on last-minute referrals or word-of-mouth. There was no structured way to find the right professional.
• Trust: Households had no reliable means to verify a fundi’s skills, background, or integrity. You simply hoped the person sent to your home was competent and honest.
• Consistency: Pricing fluctuated wildly, arrival times were uncertain, and service quality was unpredictable.

These pain points created a stressful environment for customers and made income unstable for fundis. By introducing a tech-enabled structure, transparent processes, standardized systems, and accountability, we begin to fix the entire ecosystem, not just the surface-level problem.

You chose WhatsApp, not a standalone app as your main user interface. Why?

WhatsApp is part of everyday life in Kenya. Almost every household uses it daily, and that makes it incredibly powerful. Instead of asking people to download yet another app which comes with storage issues, updates, onboarding, and learning curves, we decided to meet customers exactly where they already are.

This choice removed friction from the user journey. It made Fixo! instantly familiar, quick to use, and highly accessible, especially for middle-class families juggling work and home life. WhatsApp is just the interface. Behind the chat is a sophisticated technology engine, but choosing a tool people already trust dramatically accelerated adoption.

Trust is central to your value proposition. How do you vet the fundis on your platform?

Trust is everything in this business, you’re letting someone into your home. So our vetting process is extremely thorough. Every fundi goes through a 5-step onboarding system, which includes:

• A clean police clearance certificate
• Reference checks from at least three credible referees
• Guarantor verification for added accountability
• Verified next-of-kin and certification checks (where applicable)
• A mandatory one-day physical onboarding and training session

Only fundis who meet our standards of professionalism, skill, and character are activated on the platform. This process protects customers and elevates fundis by helping them present themselves professionally.

How does your M-Pesa-based payment system help both customers and fundis?

Kenya is an M-Pesa-first economy. Its adoption is even higher than WhatsApp. Integrating M-Pesa ensures that:

• Payments are instant and completely traceable
• There’s no need for unsafe cash handling
• Work is confirmed and completed with clear transactional proof
• The process is transparent for both the customer and the fundi

This system eliminates misunderstandings around pricing and payment, and it creates a level of professionalism that the informal sector has struggled with for years.

You recently partnered with the WTS Foundation to onboard solar technicians. Why is this partnership important?

The partnership with WTS Foundation aligns deeply with our mission. Kenya is transitioning to clean, sustainable energy solutions and solar adoption is rising fast. However, many households still struggle to find trained, certified installers they can trust. By onboarding certified solar technicians, we are:

• Supporting households to adopt green energy safely
• Helping fundis in the clean-energy sector access stable jobs
• Contributing to Kenya’s long-term sustainability goals

It’s a win for the environment, for families, and for skilled technicians who want reliable work.

Scaling a multi-service platform isn’t easy. How have you approached growth?

We built Fixo with scalability at its core. Even though we currently operate in greater Nairobi, the platform is engineered to grow across cities and service categories without breaking. To achieve this, we developed:

• Automated job management tools that streamline operations
• Standardized pricing frameworks to maintain fairness and transparency
• Performance dashboards to track quality, speed, and customer satisfaction
• Scalable customer service systems that ensure consistent experience
• Quality control mechanisms that enable expansion across categories

These systems make it possible for us to serve electricians, plumbers, carpenters, appliance repair technicians, and more, all with a consistent and predictable user experience.

Beyond WhatsApp, what technology powers your operations? Do you use AI?

Yes, technology is at the center of our operations. WhatsApp is simply the front-facing layer. Behind the scenes, we run a powerful engine that uses:

• AI-assisted matching to pair customers with the best fundi based on skill, location, and availability
• Data analytics to measure performance and improve quality
• Predictive pricing models to maintain fairness
• Demand forecasting to ensure we always have adequately distributed fundi coverage

This combination of AI and data-driven decision-making is what allows us to operate with efficiency, speed, and reliability.

How do you help fundis grow professionally?

Our goal is to professionalize the handyman sector, not just provide one-off jobs. To do that, we support fundis in several ways, including:

• Providing consistent work opportunities
• Offering customer-service and soft-skills training
• Partnering for technical upskilling programs
• Enabling digital payments, which formalize their income
• Automating recordkeeping, helping fundis understand their financial performance

This makes their work more sustainable and their earning potential more predictable. Many fundis tell us this is the first time their work has felt “like a real job” with structure and dignity.

From a social-impact standpoint, how is Fixo changing fundis’ lives?

The impact has been remarkable.
Before Fixo, many fundis relied on unpredictable referrals and inconsistent job flow. With Fixo, they now enjoy:

• Predictable income
• Access to a wider customer base
• Recognition through performance ratings
• A sense of professional identity

For many, this is the first time they feel truly valued in their trade. It has lifted incomes, improved confidence, and helped families build stability.

Where do you see Fixo in the next 3–5 years? Any expansion plans?

Our long-term vision is to build Africa’s largest handyman ecosystem.
In the next few years, we plan to:

• Expand to more cities in Kenya
• Enter Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, and South Africa
• Invest heavily in green-energy services
• Introduce preventive maintenance plans and home-care bundles
• Offer specialized SME service solutions

We are moving from a simple “handyman-hailing service” to a full ecosystem that will redefine home services across Africa.

Finally, what advice do you have for African founders building for the informal sector?

Start with deep empathy. Understand the daily realities of both sides of your marketplace. Don’t build technology for its own sake, build solutions that solve real problems. Keep trust at the center of your design. Validate constantly with real users. Use existing digital habits to drive adoption.
Most importantly: Africa doesn’t just need platforms, Africa needs platforms that transform lives.

Closing Thoughts

Fixo Solutions is proving that innovation doesn’t have to be flashy to be transformative. By combining empathy with technology, and structure with opportunity, the company is elevating a critical workforce while giving households the reliability they deserve. In a continent where the informal sector powers so much of the economy, Fixo is building a future where skilled work is respected, organized, and digitally enabled.

About Fixo Solutions

Fixo Solutions is a Kenyan technology company building a trusted, structured, and efficient handyman marketplace for households and skilled technicians. Fixo connects users to vetted electricians, plumbers, carpenters, solar technicians, appliance repair specialists, and more, all through a simple WhatsApp interface powered by AI-driven operations. You can visit the website for more details.