Loading...
Supporting developers, startups, and full-fledged companies building on Stellar and Soroban
© 2025 Stellar Development Foundation
Subscribe to the Newsletter
By Gearup - Marketplace
The Peer-2-Peer marketplace for African Creators to rent, sell & buy gear, studio space and courses built on the Stellar Network.
Gearup is a peer-to-peer marketplace that helps African creators to rent, sell and buy gears, studio spaces and professional courses on the Stellar network.
Problem
According to a Bloomberg report, the audio-visual industry in Africa faces significant challenges due to the high cost and limited accessibility of gear and studio spaces for creators to execute audio-visual projects. It's estimated that the audio-visual industry loses approximately USD 1.2 billion yearly due to these barriers. Additionally, the lack of professional workshops, audio-visual production courses, and training hampers the productivity and profitability of African creators.
Solution
Gearup solves this problem through a peer-2-peer marketplace application that lets creators across Africa have seamless access to quality gear, studio spaces, and professional courses they need to bring their vision to life without the burden of high purchasing costs. We do this by leveraging blockchain technology to track and trace gear, courses, and studio trades and reward good actions in the trading process to ensure security, speed, and transparency.
Additional Information
Gearup offers a decentralized investment opportunity for both creators and non-creators to invest in high-demand gear and list them on the marketplace to generate passive income from rentals. In addition, our comprehensive insurance coverage helps to protect gear owners from all forms of eventualities. This innovative model allows anyone to invest and participate in the creative economy.
The Opportunity
Building Gearup on the Stellar network offers unparalleled opportunities for marketplace applications due to Stellar's fast, low-cost transactions and robust security features. Stellar Network will enhance Gearup's efficiency in handling micro-transactions and on-chain tracking of gear movement from person to person. In addition, Stellar's infrastructure ensures transparency, reduces operational costs, and enables seamless integration with financial institutions built on Stellar. In return, Stellar Network will benefit from Gearup through automatic onboarding of Gearup users into the Stellar Network, increased transaction volume and network activity which can enhance liquidity and network robustness. Gearup's adoption will attract more users, particularly creators, gear and studio owners, and businesses to Stellar Network, thereby fostering a larger ecosystem.
$50.0K
The GearUp team is composed of 8 dedicated professionals with diverse expertise and over 30 years of combined experience. Together, the team combines expertise in leadership, product management, technology, operations, and marketing to drive GearUp's mission of empowering creators with access to essential gear and creative resources.
Mary Odogbo - CEO:
A visionary leader with extensive experience in driving business growth and building strategic partnerships. Mary is focused on scaling GearUp's presence in the creative marketplace.
Philip Akhilome - CTO:
Philip is a highly skilled technologist with over 10 years of experience in software development, systems architecture, and blockchain technology. He has successfully led the development of several high-impact tech solutions in fintech and e-commerce.
Key Achievements:
Led the development of a blockchain-based payment solution that processed over $5 million in transactions within its first year.
Architected and deployed a scalable e-commerce platform used by thousands of customers, featuring robust security and seamless user experience.
Industry Experience: Philip's extensive experience in integrating blockchain technology with traditional systems has been crucial in building GearUp's decentralized escrow and transaction system on the Stellar Network. He has previously worked with both startups and established tech firms, contributing to their technological growth and innovation.
Education: Holds a degree in Electronics and Electrical Engineering and has certifications in blockchain development and cloud computing.
Obasi Francis Ifegwu - CBO: He possesses over seven years of experience in leadership, business development, and sales across various industries. Previously founded and led multiple successful ventures, including Kwikpik, a peer-to-peer delivery marketplace for underserved regions of Africa and the Middle East.
Oyakhilome Godstime Einstein - Head of Product & Design:
An experienced product manager with a strong background in user experience and digital product development. Einstein is responsible for the overall product strategy and execution at GearUp.
Ighodaro Umaigba - Chief Operating Officer (COO):
An operations expert with a keen eye for process optimisation and operational efficiency. Ighodaro ensures the smooth functioning of GearUp’s day-to-day activities.
Adebisi Abidemi - Gear & Studio Rental Manager:
Manages the logistics and coordination of gear and studio rentals, ensuring that users have seamless access to the resources they need.
Judith Ehikalomeh - Photography & Videography Manager:
Leads the photography and videography division, managing a team of creatives and coordinating media coverage for events and projects.
Covenant Otafu - Marketing Head:
A strategic marketing professional responsible for driving brand awareness, user acquisition, and community engagement for GearUp.
Revival Nano Adolor - Frontend Developer:
A skilled front-end developer specialising in creating intuitive and responsive user interfaces. Revival plays a key role in enhancing user experience on the GearUp platform.
Obasi Francis
By Gearup - Marketplace
The Peer-2-Peer Marketplace
By Gearup - Marketplace
The Peer-to-Peer Marketplace for African Creatives