South Africa - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Izozo is a marketplace with vendors that sell food and essentials via WhatsApp. Giving local entrepreneurs more visibility through social media marketing and last-mile delivery services for the convenience of the township community.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

We're an information hub and delivery company. Providing information about everything food related, beyond that we offer last-mile delivery services using scooters. Targeting underserved areas in Mpumalanga because most competitors are focusing on urban areas because they are high density areas and there are shorter distances between households. Giving local cooks and farmers more visibility online and through brick and mortar collection points in shopping centres. We receive orders simply via call or WhatsApp and immediately share order details with an available driver. This is a manual and lengthy process that relies on simple digital skills. Although we can automate to speed up the process and lower administrative costs, we believe in empowering youth through these low-skilled jobs of driver and order administrator. This is how we're growing our market share, by being a community-driven company which promotes the sale of locally processed natural health products.

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

The informal food sector comprising of fresh fruit and vegetable traders, cooked food sellers, and connecting (bakkie) traders is largely dominated by women. Evidently, more of these stores are owned and staffed by women. Most of whom have limited market access as their stores are located in hidden locations and cannot afford renting in shopping centres (Problem 1). Additionally, they incur high transport costs due to the wasteful habit of stocking in silos and not making use of collective stocking (Problem 2). Although last mile delivery vendors help with boosting sales, they are not reliable because they are self-governed. On the other hand reliable e-commerce companies are prevalent in urban areas and gain market share slower in rural areas/townships due to the markets’ limitations in terms of internet data, smartphone availability and wider distance between stores and delivery destinations (Problem 3).

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

1) Easily accessible, even without data and a smartphone. 2) Connects customers with cooks and fresh producers of affordable, locally made food products. 3) Revives township-based businesses such as Spazas. 4) Using our service is a direct contribution to a social entrepreneurial movement of creating low-skilled jobs and exploring innovative means of delivery that change the status quo in our communities. From human order admins to designers and hobbyists of drones for delivery eventually.

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

(1) The working class: Between the ages 25-60 often trapped in the office without the means or time to travel to fast food/grocery/essentials stores. (2) Tenants: Mostly between the ages 19-40 often without the energy and time to prepare their own meals because they live on the go and prefer the convenience of fast food. (3) The retired/near retirement: Elders between the ages 40-80 with the desire to change their diet to treat chronic illnesses and maintain a healthy lifestyle. (4) Tertiary students and high school learners: Youth between 16-30 years of age who barely afford convenience but are mostly with friends and without the means of transport to get to restaurants or fast-food stores that sell their preferred meals. (5) The handicapped/disabled with reduced mobility and (6) Businesses/partner stores who also become our customer of collective stocking over longer distances.

01.05 When was your company established?

2024-02-21

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

1

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.)

N/A

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

www.izozo.co.za

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

c) Industry (equipment, commercial, logistical and professional services, transport)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

3

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

By expanding the market access of local entrepreneurs we allow them to grow their businesses, employ more people to feed more families, lower their operational costs and inevitably the costs of products they sell. Making them more affordable and instrumental in achieving zero hunger or no poverty.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

3

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

By expanding the market access of local entrepreneurs we allow them to grow their businesses, employ more people to feed more families, lower their operational costs and inevitably the costs of products they sell. Making them more affordable and instrumental in achieving zero hunger or no poverty.

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

7 - Strongly Agree

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

Our product range includes basics we get easily, quick and closely within the townships we operate in. This includes 100% natural drinks, free-range chickens, hampers, eggs, bread and coke. By processing local produce into drinks for treating certain chronic illnesses, selling chickens without GMOs and hampers for lunchbox to combat the consumption of junk food, we're promoting healthy living.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

2

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

5

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

We welcome female scooter drivers although they are very few. It is a prerequisite that the order administrator be female. This is how we ensure gender equality. The products we enlist in our marketplace are mostly from females who are hustling, equally products from men are enlisted and given the same level of visibility online and in collection points.

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

3

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

We do deliver purified water.

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

3

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

We deliver gas as well.

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

We investing heavily on training and human capacity development to avoid automating intentionally so that we empower most of the unemployed youth with both soft (marketing and stakeholder engagement) and digital (order processing and fulfilment via excel, WhatsApp and Quickbooks) skills. Moreover, by driving up partner sales, we boosting the township economy and indirectly creating jobs in the food value chain.

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

The innovation is catching our customers where they are, on call or WhatsApp. Digital products are for us (the Izozo team) and not for the customer because they should be kept as stress-free as possible.

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

5

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

Since most companies are currently targeting urban areas, it means rural areas are neglected. We are closing this gap by attending the underserved market that needs us the most and has proved to be willing and with the buying power needed to make use of our delivery services.

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

6

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

Quick commerce is an essential component of cities of the future and we are leading that transformation in townships. Now through the community asset based model where members of the community contribute to advancing the business with their own resources in return for cash earnings such as the Uber model. Next we'll activate long distance deliveries and empower independent delivery vendors by making them contracted couriers like Courier Guy, Takealot and etc. Later we'll explore drones for delivery and the possibility of patenting either a locally manufactured drone or an autonomous drone control system.

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

5

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

With enough capacity in the near future, we will transport recyclable materials. Notably, through collective stocking we help local business with reducing unnecessary travelling costs and ensuring responsible consumption of fuel.

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

5

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

Bikes/scooters pollute less than cars and by helping people move less with their own cars we're reducing pollution. This will be more relevant when we start using electric scooters before we explore drones.

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

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

3

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

6

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

We partner with 1) Retailers and wholesalers to deliver their products. 2) The community by inviting them to earn extra cash as scooter driver/owner. 3) Local innovators such as e-bike & drone manufacturers as well as courier companies.

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.

3

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

2

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

5

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

3

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

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

5

06.08 Justification for my startup

There are many delivery companies with e-commerce sites and delivery systems that make use of bikes. They all automate whatever they can to reduce costs, they deliver high volumes on a daily and have a large number of delivery personnel all operating in urban areas. By receiving orders via call we accommodate those individuals without Internet data and smartphones making it possible to occupy more market share quicker especially in KwaNdebele where most people aren't as resourced as the urban based clientele. Our innovation is in the approach, as explained above. The product/technology we use (WhatsApp) isn't advanced but its use case for quick commerce is our innovation. Independent delivery vendors also use this simple method however they lack policies and procedures since they are just doing it on their personal capacity. Izozo goes beyond just delivery into transferring skills related to the effective use of digital tools, marketing, sales and excellence in customer service.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Mr D of Takealot, Uber Eats, Bolt, Spaza Eats and Delivery Ka Speed are the main competitors. In April Delivery ka Speed launched their delivery services in KwaMhlanga, a crucial part of the KwaNdebele region. There are more opportunities for coopetition than competition especially with the last 2 listed SMMEs. This is how we intend on reviving the township economy, by partnering with more local entrepreneurs. This is what Droppa did well by partnering with courier companies and only specializing on being a platform for scheduling delivery, subcontracting larger couriers and fulfilling less deliveries themselves. Other competitors include partner stores with their own scooters, they make online only deals to attract customers because another unlikely competitor is the option of eating in versus delivery.

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

Yes, most of the food we deliver is made by female chefs in restaurants mostly owned by women, giving them more visibility online.