RISING WOMAN 2025: Doris, How to secure funding and build effective solutions

Dar es Salaam. Knowing the language of investors, mastering networking skills, cultivating good habits, and truly understanding what clients need are the fundamental elements for young innovators to secure funding and successfully develop their solutions.

Doris Malle, with over 12 years of experience in the technology industry, believes there is nothing worse than spending significant amounts of money and time creating solutions that end up unclear or ineffective for users.

In her view, young innovators must know not only the technology but also the culture and behavior of their clients as it changes from time to time and is not consistent.

Ms Malle advises aspiring women in tech to rethink their approach to design. “Stop designing just for empathy,” she suggests.

 “Instead, get out there, understand the real challenges customers are facing, and ensure your solutions are addressing those needs.”

She emphasises the importance of looking beyond the current generation’s needs and designing for the future. By doing so, innovators can create solutions that are more forward-thinking and have lasting impact.

“Many investors are willing to fund innovative ideas, but innovators need to understand that the language investors speak is different from their own. Investors have limited time, and if you can’t communicate your ideas effectively, you won’t capture their attention, knowing the investors’ terminology, she adds, is crucial in ensuring that your pitch resonates with them.

Ms Malle holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Dar es Salaam throughout her career, she has gained invaluable experience, currently serving as the CEO of iLink Limited.

She is the driving force behind several innovative platforms like Mama Mia’s Soko, Bima Kwik, and iSupply, which focus on leveraging technology to create economic opportunities and enhance financial inclusion has not only built successful ventures but has also held influential positions on several boards, including the GS1 Tanzania board, the Organisation of Women in International Trade, and the National Committee implementing the AfCFTA agreement in Tanzania.

Despite her many accomplishments, Ms Malle believes there is still much work to be done.

She points out that while technology is advancing rapidly, the core problems innovators are solving remain largely unchanged.

She stresses the importance of networking with others and continuously testing ideas in the market, rather than simply designing solutions in isolation. According to her, it’s not enough to build something; innovators must ensure their solutions meet the needs of the community.

Ms Malle’s perspective on testing solutions before launching them is rooted in her own experiences. Reflecting on her work, she recalls how she and her team won the Clean Cooking Innovative Challenge during the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit in January 2025. The award, presented by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, was a recognition of their impact on the community.

She notes that many innovators make the mistake of designing solutions without thoroughly testing them in the market.

In her view, real-world testing is crucial for success.

Two of Ms Malle’s standout tech solutions, Mama Mia and Bima Kwik, have had a tangible impact on the community.

Mama Mia’s Soko is a platform that enables individuals to sell products, while Bima Kwik provides digital insurance policies. Both ventures have created income-generating opportunities for users, as they earn commissions from selling products or policies.

She said Bima Kwik empowers insurers and intermediaries with cutting-edge technology to expand their reach and connect with previously untapped markets.

Their platform streamlines policy issuance, premium collection (including seamless mobile money integration), and claims processing, significantly reducing operational costs and increasing efficiency

For Ms Malle, this kind of social impact is what drives her passion. “My goal is to create solutions that respond to people’s real challenges,” she says, “and to use technology to improve lives.”

However, Doris’s journey to success has not been without its obstacles. Like many women in the tech industry, she faced discouragement from her peers and close friends early on.

Despite these setbacks, she refused to be deterred. She is quick to acknowledge that receiving awards both nationally and across Africa has helped her build confidence, but it was her determination that truly kept her moving forward.

Ms Malle also shares the story of her venture into the digital insurance market.

In 2018, she designed an insurance solution that she was passionate about but initially struggled to gain traction.

She even traveled to India for six months to learn more about the insurance industry. When she returned to Tanzania, she found that the market wasn’t ready for digital insurance yet. “No one understood it at the time,” she recalls. “But I knew the idea was solid, and I believed in it.”

Three years later, the insurance authority in Tanzania approved digital platforms to sell insurance, and Doris was in the perfect position to capitalize on the opportunity.

Although she had already lost her initial investment, she persisted, started from scratch, and was eventually granted the necessary license. Today, she is not only selling insurance policies but also using her platform to provide insurance education to new groups of people.

She credits her success to resilience and unwavering dedication.

“Success requires hard work and persistence, there will always be challenges, but you cannot let them stop you. You have to keep pushing, keep learning, and keep believing in your vision until it happens,” she insisted.