March 27, 2024
NETSTARS Supports Startup “TranSoniCa”:
Aiming to Spread Japanese Style Tap an Go payment service in Ghana
NETSTARS Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Tsuyoshi Ri; hereinafter, “NETSTARS”), has provided support for “TranSoniCa”, a startup that aims to popularize cashless payment service with reference to Japan’s Felica based transportation service in Ghana.
“TranSoniCa” is a startup venture focusing on provision of cashless payment services using contactless IC card technology, as is widely used in Japan, in Ghana. IC cards were issued, special-purpose terminals were installed, and the service was introduced in the area surrounding the University of Ghana, including the university cooperative and nearby cafes, as well as community bus . Over 250,000 transactions were recorded for past few years.. However, revenue fell dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic, prompting TranSoniCa to appeal for external support.
NETSTARS, seeing an affinity between TranSoniCa’s ambitions and business plan and NETSTARS’ own mission to facilitate a smoother flow of money, has provided support for a portion of TranSoniCa’s working capital. Through our support for TranSoniCa, NETSTARS hopes to contribute to improved convenience of payment as well as expansion of secure payment with the popularization of cashless payment in Africa, beginning with Ghana.
About TranSoniCa
TranSoniCa’s founder and CEO Daniel Kwantwi came to Japan from Ghana in 2018 through the JICA-organized African Business Education Initiative Scholarship, and obtained a master’s degree at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tokyo. Kwantwi’s amazement at the transport-related cashless payment services used in Japan inspired him to launch TranSoniCa, with the desire to popularize similar payments in Ghana. Users and affiliated stores of TranSoniCa’s service are increasing in number, mainly in the area surrounding the University of Ghana. Going forward, TranSoniCa aims to expand its service to other universities and areas, and to develop into a public transport-oriented cashless payment platform.
Website：https://transonicaghana.com/
■NETSTARS, Co., Ltd.
NETSTARS Co., Ltd. has been developing its gateway business since the company’s establishment in 2009, and was the first agent to introduce the QR code payment service “WeChatPay” to Japan in 2015. Since then, NETSTARS has developed StarPay, a multi-cashless payment solution that enables stores to introduce and manage various cashless payments simultaneously, focusing on domestic and international QR code payment services. Currently, building on the foundation of StarPay’s technological capabilities, NETSTARS is working on the development of multifaceted services, such as digital transformation (DX) services that resolve store operation issues.