Kenya - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

- Casavenida.com is a Real Estate Search Engine (RESE) that connects buyers and buyer agents to verifiable direct sellers (and seller agents) of real estate.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

- Search is a tool, a moment in time technology, designed to enable users find various useful and up to date information hosted online. Previously, the standard Google search result page (including those of other search engines) has been 10 or so blue links to random SEO ranked websites, depending on a user’s query and parameters. - With changing technology, however (such as the advent of AI), and in assessing their impact on the future of search, we have witnessed search use cases increasingly narrow down. Instead of the 10 or so blue links, users now prefer getting directly, securely, and reliably to the answers to their search queries. - Casavenida goes beyond traditional search engines, by offering a trusted marketplace where legitimate buyers can establish direct links with these verified sellers, ensuring a smooth and secure experience every step of any transaction.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

- Traditional real estate search engines and platforms often do not provide a secure and verifiable connection between buyers and sellers, leading to potential fraud and mistrust in transactions. - Traditional search engines provide a generic list of SEO ranked websites, which can be inefficient and inconvenient for users looking for specific, reliable information quickly. - Traditional search results can often lead to outdated or irrelevant information, making it difficult for users to find up to date and accurate data.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

- Casavenida offers a trusted marketplace where buyers can directly connect with verifiable direct sellers, ensuring trust and security in every transaction. This ensures that all parties involved in the transaction are legitimate and trustworthy, reducing the risk of fraud and enhancing trust. - Casavenida eases the search process by directly linking users to the answers and verified sellers they seek, enhancing convenience and efficiency. Instead of providing a generic list of SEO ranked websites, Casavenida connects users directly to the most relevant and reliable information, streamlining the search process and saving time. - By continuously updating our database and verifying the details of listings and sellers, Casavenida will provide users with reliable, up to date information, making their search experience more effective and relevant.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

- Our platform's customer base will comprise both urban and rural; 1. For Sale by Owner property sellers. 2. Direct agents selling properties on behalf of their principals. 3. Both Rental Property Listings and Properties for Sale Listings. - Our platform's primary end users will comprise; 1. Professionals working in the formal sector who spend significant time researching properties online, visiting multiple listing websites and social media platforms whenever they are looking to purchase and/or rent real estate.

01.05 When was your company established?

2023-12-29

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

6

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

0

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

- Driven by our desire to foster infrastructural development in the region and streamline real estate transactions in Kenya, 7 of us have joined together and incorporated Casavenida Real Estate Limited; a parent company under which we seek to advance our startup journeys and shared vision. - However, the other 6 owners are at the moment silent investors in the company and will not be taking part in the Startupper of the year competition. As such, it is my request that this section be considered inapplicable.

01.10 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link(s) here:

https://casavenida.com

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

k) Property (real estate)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

- As supported by World Bank documents, regions develop and grow subject to land use planning and the efficiency of land markets. - Casavenida aims to create an intuitive and user-friendly real estate listing and marketing software that will efficiently and securely democratize access to real estate marketing tools, catering to diverse needs across the real estate market, including ending poverty in all its forms everywhere.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

4

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

- N/A

02.03.01 My startup contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

4

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

- N/A

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

4

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

- N/A

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

4

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

- N/A

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

4

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

- N/A

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

4

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

- N/A

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

- Majority of our target demographic are young professionals working in the formal sector who spend significant time researching properties online, visiting multiple listing websites and social media platforms whenever they are looking to purchase and/or rent real estate. - Our startup therefore supports decent work and economic growth by enhancing productivity, fostering innovation, enabling decent work-living conditions, facilitating access to housing, reducing inequality, and empowering consumers with information.

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

- Regions develop and grow subject to land use planning and the efficiency of land markets. - By streamlining real estate transactions in Kenya, our startup will foster infrastructural development in the region and encourage creativity and innovation.

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

- Casavenida aims to create a user-friendly, intuitive listing software for real estate professionals and even those without technical knowledge, securely democratizing access to property marketing and as a result the land and property market both in the rural and urban areas. This will enhance access to information thereby reducing inequality.

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

- Kenya's cities are facing endemic low densities, informality, and sprawl, which are made worse by the underdeveloped land and property markets. - Regions develop and grow sustainably subject to land use planning and the efficiency of land markets which is Casavenida's core vision informing our mission.

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

4

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

- N/A

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

4

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

- N/A

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

4

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

-N/A

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

- Casavenida aims to create an intuitive and user-friendly real estate listing and marketing software that will efficiently and securely democratize access to real estate marketing tools, catering to diverse needs across the real estate market, including protection, restoration and sustainable use of life and land.

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

- Casavenida aims to create an intuitive and user-friendly real estate listing and marketing software that will efficiently and securely democratize access to real estate marketing tools, catering to diverse needs across the real estate market, including building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

- Our platform will collect and disseminate valuable data about real estate trends, market demands, and consumer preferences. Sharing this data with partners, including government agencies, real estate developers, and financial institutions, will help inform better decision-making and policy formulation, supporting sustainable development efforts.

06.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

4

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.06 The product/service responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.08 Justification for my startup

- Ours is the perfect time to develop a platform of this kind, given the economic growth and infrastructural development efforts by Kenya and other African countries, amidst increasing urbanization. - We are positioning our startup as the solution to challenges missed and created by the pioneering platforms and brands, while also gunning for Kenya's top real estate marketing brand and platform position.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

- Differentiated direct competitors include; BuyRentKenya, Property 24, and Privateproperty.co.za. - Indirect competitors include: local real estate agencies with portfolio websites, classified dailies, and Zillow. - We have set out to build a platform that will simplify the real estate search process, while also providing a secure and trustworthy centralized RESE for buyers and sellers to connect directly, at scale.

11.05 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Yes. Alongside working with female colleagues (Tabitha Kariuki and Sharon Tuti) at the startup on various projects, I also continue to mentor and support my younger sisters to encourage them to pursue entrepreneurship.