Investment Announcement: FishHappy Boosts Zanzibar’s Blue Economy
The Coprosperity Fund is proud to fund and support another rising innovator from Zanzibar’s growing startup ecosystem: Fishhappy, winner of the Zanzibar Business Plan Competition 2026.
As part of our mission to support locally driven businesses creating sustainable impact across Tanzania and East Africa, we continue to back entrepreneurs solving real economic and community challenges through practical innovation.
FishHappy stood out for its strong vision, market understanding, and a commitment to strengthening Zanzibar’s blue economy through a smarter and more inclusive fish supply chain.
Today, we are pleased to introduce FishHappy and its founder, Godfrey Muganyizi.
Fishhappy: Building the Missing Infrastructure Behind Zanzibar’s Fish Economy
Fishhappy is a Zanzibar-based startup modernizing how fresh fish moves from fishermen to buyers through cold-chain infrastructure, digital coordination, and community partnerships.
Despite being surrounded by the ocean, many fishing communities in Zanzibar still face major challenges after the catch is made. Limited cold storage, inconsistent market access, and dependence on middlemen often force fishermen to sell quickly at low prices while businesses and households struggle to access reliable fresh seafood.
FishHappy was created to bridge this gap.
Rather than building “just another app,” FishHappy is developing the infrastructure that helps preserve freshness, reduce spoilage, improve pricing fairness, and connect suppliers directly with hotels, restaurants, vendors, and households.
The company combines:
- Solar-powered cold storage solutions near landing sites
- Digital ordering and coordination tools
- Mobile payment integration
- Reliable last-mile delivery
- Community-based partnerships with fishing cooperatives and local entrepreneurs
This approach helps fishermen protect the value of their catch while giving customers access to fresher, more reliable seafood products.
FishHappy’s long-term vision goes beyond seafood delivery. The company aims to help create a more organized, sustainable, and inclusive fisheries ecosystem that supports livelihoods, reduces waste, and unlocks new economic opportunities across Zanzibar and beyond.
Meet the Founder: Godfrey Muganyizi
Godfrey Muganyizi is the founder and CEO of Fishhappy, driven by a passion for building technology-enabled solutions rooted in local realities.
After closely observing inefficiencies within Zanzibar’s fisheries sector, Godfrey saw an opportunity not only to improve seafood distribution, but also to address a deeper infrastructure challenge affecting fishermen, businesses, and consumers alike.
“FishHappy started from a simple observation: the fish was already there, the buyers were already there, but the system connecting them was broken,” says Godfrey. “We believe that by improving infrastructure, logistics, and market access, we can create better outcomes for fishing communities while delivering quality seafood more reliably to customers.”
During the competition, Godfrey and the FishHappy team demonstrated a strong understanding of both the local market and the operational realities of scaling a fisheries-focused business in Zanzibar.
With funding and support from the Coprosperity Fund, FishHappy plans to expand its cold-chain capacity, strengthen technology systems, deepen partnerships with fishing cooperatives, and grow its supply network across Zanzibar.
Supporting Zanzibar’s Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
The Zanzibar Business Plan Competition was launched to identify and support high-potential entrepreneurs capable of creating sustainable impact through innovation and local enterprise development.
Beyond financial support, selected founders gain access to mentorship, strategic guidance, and networks that help early-stage businesses grow into scalable ventures.
FishHappy represents the kind of practical, community-rooted entrepreneurship that the Coprosperity Fund is committed to supporting businesses that solve real problems while creating long-term economic opportunity.
We are excited to support FishHappy as it enters its next stage of growth and contributes to the future of Zanzibar’s blue economy.
Stay connected for more stories from entrepreneurs building the future of business and innovation across Tanzania and East Africa.
Three years ago I watched a fisherman in Zanzibar sell 30 kilograms of fresh catch at a fraction of what it was worth in the market, because he had no cold storage, no buyers lined up, and no alternative. That same fish reached a hotel two hours later at a price five times higher. He never saw that difference. And it happened every single morning, at every landing site across the island.
That moment is why FishHappy exists.
We are not building another fish app. We are building the infrastructure that was never built here. Solar cold storage at landing sites. A digital platform that connects fishermen directly to buyers without the middleman taking 60% of the value. Electric vehicle delivery. Community partnerships with cooperatives and women-led retail stations. The kind of system that turns a fisherman’s 4am effort into a fair price.
Tanzania loses 30% of its fish to spoilage every year. Zanzibar imports frozen fish from China while its own fishermen dump fresh catch they cannot sell. These are not complicated problems. They are infrastructure problems. And infrastructure problems have solutions.
Winning the Coprosperity Fund competition was confirmation that the people who understand this sector see the same opportunity we see. The investment goes directly into cold chain, delivery, and our first hotel supply contracts. Break-even at Month 8. Dar es Salaam in Year 2. Kenya and international export by Year 3.
But beyond the numbers, there is a fisherman still waking up at 4am on this island. The only thing that has changed is that now there is a cold storage unit on its way to his landing site.
Thank you to the Coprosperity Fund. To anyone in blue economy, impact investment, or East African markets, we would love to connect.
Order Fresh. Eat Happy.