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KAMAL BUDHABHATTI
FOUNDER & CEO, CRAFT SILICON AND CEO, LITTLE
Kamal Budhabhatti is the visionary Chief Executive Officer (CEO) steering the success of Craft Silicon and Little.
With an unwavering commitment to catalysing a positive impact on Kenya, he has not only redefined industries but also established the Craft Silicon Foundation to amplify his mission of societal betterment.
Kamal Budhabhatti’s journey commenced with the establishment of Craft Silicon. What began as a software company serving the banking sector quickly evolved into a fintech innovation powerhouse. Under Kamal’s astute guidance, Craft Silicon expanded its offerings to encompass core banking systems, mobile banking applications, and innovative digital payment solutions.
Guided by a deep understanding of Kenya’s dire need for financial inclusion, Kamal championed the development of software that bridged the gap for marginalised communities. This strategic shift empowered microfinance institutions to efficiently cater to these under-served sectors. In doing so, Kamal laid the foundation for economic empowerment and the reduction of poverty, creating a ripple effect of positive change.
Today, Craft Silicon employs over 1,000 associates and serves over 300 financial institutions, aggregating over 100 million end consumers across several African and South East Asian countries.
In pursuit of creating a solution tailored for the retail mass market, Kamal embarked on a new endeavour, giving rise to Little – a transformative ride-hailing and logistics platform. Beyond its technological prowess, Little was conceptualised as a vehicle for social change. Addressing Kenya’s transportation challenges was just the beginning; Kamal aimed to elevate the lives of its drivers, many of whom faced economic hardships.
Under Kamal’s thought leadership, Little evolved beyond its initial role as a simple transportation solution into a SuperApp platform encompassing Food and Parcel Delivery, Entertainment, and Payments. Little has become a symbol of empowerment, offering drivers flexible earning opportunities, financial literacy programs, and essential insurance coverage. This approach underlines Kamal’s remarkable achievement in merging business success with tangible and meaningful social impact.
A remarkable facet of Kamal’s journey is the establishment of the Craft Silicon Foundation. Recognising that sustainable transformation transcends business boundaries, he founded the foundation to magnify his efforts in uplifting Kenyans. The foundation’s initiatives range from digital literacy to supporting underprivileged communities. His conviction that businesses possess the power to be vehicles of change is vividly embodied in the work of the Craft Silicon Foundation.
Kamal Budhabhatti’s legacy reverberates far beyond the corporate sphere. His leadership envisions a Kenya redefined – economically robust, socially inclusive, and technologically advanced. His journey underscores the idea that corporate success can seamlessly coexist with creating positive societal change.
From addressing financial exclusion to re-imagining transportation and establishing a foundation to amplify impact, Kamal Budhabhatti’s career trajectory forms a mosaic of transformative leadership. His odyssey through Craft Silicon, Little, and the Craft Silicon Foundation epitomises how, when driven by vision and heart, transformation with purpose can indeed serve as an instrument of progress. His successful endeavours in reshaping industries while also positively impacting lives have ingrained in him a legacy that vividly illustrates the profound influence of a transformative CEO on a nation’s path towards progress.
Over the years, Kamal has garnered numerous accolades for his thought leadership, with his most recent achievement being the recognition as the ‘Fintech Entrepreneur of the Year’ at the 2023 Africa Bank 4.0 Awards.
