Our story

Built for the community,
by the community

CarryMate started with a problem every diaspora family knows. Getting things home safely, affordably, and through someone you trust.

Where it started

"My aunty needed her blood pressure medication. DHL quoted £95 and said eight days. My cousin was flying to Lagos on Thursday."

That is the moment CarryMate began. Not in a boardroom. Not with a pitch deck. In a WhatsApp group, the way most things in the diaspora community actually get sorted.

For decades, diaspora communities have been sending parcels home the same way: asking friends, calling relatives, posting in WhatsApp groups, hoping someone is flying home soon. It works — most of the time. But it is informal, uninsured, and entirely dependent on trust between individuals with no safety net when something goes wrong.

"There are thousands of people flying London to Lagos every week with half-empty bags, and thousands more trying to send parcels. We just needed to connect them safely."

CarryMate formalises that connection. Verified identities. Escrow-held payments. Photo proof at pickup. OTP confirmation at delivery. And a customs guide built specifically for diaspora corridors — something no courier and no competitor has ever bothered to build.

We are not disrupting logistics. We are recognising that a logistics system for our community has existed for years. We are just building the infrastructure to make it safe, reliable, and fair — so travelers get paid for what they have always done for free, and senders get the protection they deserve.

The problem we are solving
£96B
Diaspora remittances into Africa in 2024 — the community is huge and connected
£85
Average DHL cost for a 2kg parcel from London to Lagos
£22
Average CarryMate delivery cost for the same parcel
£150
Average earnings for a traveler on a return trip to Lagos or Accra
Our mission

Make every diaspora flight a delivery

Every traveler becomes a carrier. Every sender saves money. Every parcel arrives through a trusted community member. That is the world CarryMate is building — one corridor, one delivery, one community at a time.

Community first

Every product decision runs through one question: does this make the diaspora community trust us more? Revenue follows trust, never the reverse.

Earn your journey back

A traveler who earns £150 offset against their ticket is a traveler who will use CarryMate on every flight. We are built around the carrier's income goal, not as an afterthought.

Own the delivery

When something goes wrong, CarryMate steps in — even when it is technically not our fault. Trust is built in the hard moments.

Customs intelligence as a feature

No traveler should arrive at a border uncertain about what they are carrying. Our per-corridor customs guide is a product feature, not a legal disclaimer.

The team

Built by people who felt the problem

Every member of the CarryMate team has a personal connection to the diaspora communities we serve.

AO
Adey Olawale
Chief Executive Officer

Lagos-born, London-based entrepreneur with 25+ years in waste management, real estate, and logistics across Nigeria and the UK. Founder of Urban Spirit Ventures and Mottainai Recycling. CarryMate is built on the same community-first principles that have defined every business Adey has built.

CTO
Chief Technology Officer
Platform Architecture & Engineering

Full-stack engineer with deep experience in marketplace platforms, payment systems, and mobile-first products for African markets. Architect of the CarryMate matching engine, escrow system, and customs intelligence infrastructure.

COO
Chief Operating Officer
Corridors, Trust & Community

Operations lead with a background in logistics and marketplace operations across West Africa and the UK. Owns corridor management, traveler onboarding, dispute resolution, and the community networks that power CarryMate's supply side.

Advisory board

Strategic advisors

LI
Logistics Insider
Former senior leader, Africa logistics — DHL or equivalent
Logistics
FF
Fintech Founder
Founder, payments platform — Nigeria/Ghana market
Fintech
CL
Community Leader
Respected voice in Nigerian and Ghanaian diaspora communities, UK
Community
TL
Trade Lawyer
International trade law specialist — UK, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya
Legal
VC
Platform Investor
Partner, Africa-focused venture fund
Investor

Join the community

Whether you are sending your first parcel home or looking to earn on your next flight — CarryMate is built for you.

Send a parcel →Earn as a traveler