Chpter, a Kenyan social commerce start-up, has spun off Pluto, a WhatsApp API suite designed to help businesses automate customer interactions and process transactions. Launched in 2024, Pluto now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Chpter, with Andrew Bosson, formerly Chpter’s chief growth officer, as co-founder and CEO.
Pluto’s launch comes as Kenyan businesses struggle to harness the growing trend of social commerce. While millions of Kenyans shop directly through social media platforms, businesses often lose customers when shoppers are redirected to external payment systems. Pluto wants to bridge this gap by enabling users to make payments within WhatsApp, eliminating the need to switch platforms.
“Following our partnership with Meta, we were flooded with requests from multiple startups and companies requesting to build custom chat-based experiences for their customers on WhatsApp,” said Tesh Mbaabu, Chpter co-founder and CEO. “In less than a quarter, we’ve onboarded major clients across different sectors.”
Despite the surge in social commerce, many Kenyan businesses have yet to fully capitalise on its potential. Cart abandonment rates remain high when customers are forced to exit their social media feeds to complete purchases. Pluto aims to position WhatsApp as a full-service channel for browsing, purchasing, and engagement.
“By the end of 2024, it was clear we needed to make this possible, and the idea of Pluto was born,” said Mbaabu.
Pluto’s customers include lender NCBA Bank, insurer Britam, local Safarilink, and the Kenyan Government. The company operates under a hybrid revenue model, charging businesses a monthly software-as-a-service (SaaS) fee ranging from $50 for small enterprises to $550 for larger ones. In addition, Pluto generates revenue from per-interaction fees related to sales and support, and outbound WhatsApp messages for marketing and operational purposes, as a Meta business partner.
