Catherine Mahugu

Catherine Mahugu (born ) is a Kenyan entrepreneur who has created companies to allow producers to sell their products direct to the consumer. Her first company, Soko, involved hand-made products like jewellery and her second company, Chiswara, sold Kenyan coffee. She has received several fellowships and she was included in the Forbes 30 under 30 and the BBC 100 Women lists.

Life Mahugu studied computer science, because she wanted to be a woman in STEM. Marketing and communications were seen as more appropriate subjects but she rejected them. They had seen artisans spending a day in the Maasai market place trying to sell their creations for little or no return. They thought that they could improve on this business model.

Mahugu made the 30 under 30 part of the BBC 100 women list in 2015. Before the age of thirty, Mahugu, she was chosen to be in the Forbes 30 under 30 list. She believes this is due to setting herself no limits.

In 2023, she was featured in UNCTAD's eighth World Investment Forum in Dubai. There she was talking about another business called Chiswara which allows consumers to buy coffee from the people who make it.

Speaking Mahunga has received a number of fellowships and invitations to speak at events organised by the World Bank, the BBC, Harvard University, The Economist and The Financial Times.