Ghana - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

FITA is an auto service marketplace that connects vehicle owners with certified service partners, repair financing instruments, and circular-focused vehicle management tools on a single-source platform to streamline vehicle services, health, and data.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

FITA Autotech (FITA), Green Hopper’s flagship product, is an auto service marketplace that connects vehicle owners to certified service partners, repair financing instruments (service and parts), and vehicle management tools all in one single source platform. The product is built on mobile technology, membership models, and machine learning to streamline service delivery, data management, and make the vehicle ownership journey more intuitive and rewarding for millions of motorists. The premiere vehicle membership network provides subscribers with cross-country access to vehicle services from FITA and partners, standardized service quality and financing, warranties, insurance support, and savings on repair costs- bundling key services into affordable plans. Our combined FITA ESG Impact Model promotes green mobility by leveraging automotive programs in collaboration with EV manufacturers to upskill technicians (with quotas for women) and championing zero-waste workshop practices.

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

Our model addresses the pressing challenges facing millions of vehicle owners in Ghana and across African markets due to the fragmented nature of the vehicle ownership experience, poor sustainability practices of service providers shortening vehicle roadlife, and low digitization of the industry negatively impacting the service journey. These issues are exacerbated by limited access to reliable technicians, unregulated pricing, and a lack of modernization, which affects integration of insurance, repair financing, and vehicle health tracking. With over 4 million vehicles in Ghana and 12 million in Nigeria—85% of which are pre-owned—this leads to frequent breakdowns, erratic pricing, and environmental degradation from subpar parts and services. Our goal is to build a resilient automotive industry that thrives in a dynamic landscape, promoting greener mobility practices and improved service systems in Africa.

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

a) Comprehensive Auto Service Marketplace: FITA connects vehicle owners to certified service partners, providing a wide range of services including maintenance, repairs, parts, and insurance support. This integration ensures standardized service quality and easy access to essential auto care across multiple locations. b) Financial Flexibility and Savings: By offering repair financing instruments for services and parts, FITA enables vehicle owners to afford high-quality services with lessened financial strain. c) Unique Membership Plans: Our FITA Autotech Memberships (FAMs) provide unique bundling opportunities for vehicle services. Allowing users to bundle key auto services like insurance, maintenance, and service warranties into one plan while saving on car repairs through tailored service schedules. d)Enhanced Vehicle Management: Our intuitive tech and data tracking features streamline service delivery and data management on vehicle health for our customers.

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

For B2C, the customers are tech-savvy busy professionals, new car owners, pre-owned vehicle owners, and families. We have members currently signed on family plans with their parents included and most customers patronizing our repair financing, curated service plans, and rental services. For B2B, we cater to companies with vehicle fleets, auto insurance firms, and brokers. We have an active partnership with Banbo Insurance Brokers to integrate our diagnostics services with their insurance sales. We are currently operating in Accra, Ghana, which is a significant market for our product with over 4 million cars currently registered and an average yearly increase of 200,000 vehicles, according to the National Insurance Commission, Ghana motor database. This presents an opportunity to tap into a growing market with a goal to grow into similar West African markets such as Ivory Coast and Nigeria, and further expand towards building a continent-wide service network.

01.05 When was your company established?

2022-10-07

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.)

Bryan Achiampong (Founder, CEO): Bryan's 5 years of experience in startups, accelerators, and academia have honed his skills in business development and product innovation. He oversaw $1M+ projects at Impact Hub Accra and consulted on entrepreneurship centres at Ashesi University. He leads product development, membership models, and data tracking. As ESG lead, he drives green mobility adoption and technician upskilling. Derrick Boadi: (Co-founder, CFO): Co-founder Derrick Boadi is a seasoned professional in financial analysis, credit models, and risk management. With experience at Vendease and Jetstream, Derrick has developed credit risk policies, developed and conducted financial analyses, and designed credit and monitoring dashboards. He manages key financial responsibilities, credit model development and investor relations. While also reporting and tracking the company’s financial health.

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

https://fitaautotech.com/

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

6

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

Getting more technicians on board, straining them, assigning jobs to them to provide them with livelihood

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

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

6

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

Upskilling roadside mechanics through partnerships and subsidized automotive educational programs to improve their quality of work and employ them in our mechanic network. This training will deliberately include quotas for women to improve the gender balance in the industry

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

6

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

We have 3 out of our 6 employees women. Being a tech and automotive space which usually have more men, we try to encourage a lot more women to join the team.

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

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

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

6

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

Our platform create more revenue-generating iopportunities for service partners by opening them to a broader market, and follows

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

5

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

Our product uniquely combines mobile technology, membership models, and machine learning to streamline service delivery, data management, and make the vehicle ownership journey more intuitive and rewarding for millions of motorists.

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

5

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

5

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

The FITA ESG Impact Model is a core part of our operations to ensure we are not just a business for profit but for good. This focuses on preemptive maintenance and intentionality with service quality to extend vehicle road life and reduce waste in the car maintenance journey; collaborations with local EV partners to introduce users to greener forms of mobility via the platform (EVs, Hybrids, Bikes) and reduce carbon emissions while educating users on greener vehicles; and prioritizing zero waste workshops through sustainable and environmentally conscious operations to reduce resources leakage and prioritize circularity. Metric Tracking for Extended Vehicle Lifespan and Waste Reduction: We measure the effectiveness of our preemptive maintenance and service quality by tracking vehicle lifespan, breakdown frequency, and customer satisfaction. We also monitor waste reduction efforts during maintenance.

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

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

Our zero-waste workshop model is intentional about a low waste repair and maintenance process for our customers.

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

3

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

4

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

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

4

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

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

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

6

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

2

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

5

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.

6

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

4

06.08 Justification for my startup

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Traditionally, competitors are roadside mechanics, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and Semi-organized garages. From a services standpoint, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) are few and expensive for most motorists; semi-organized garages are often pricy with limited reach; and roadside services, which are the most patronized and cheapest, broadly deliver the lowest quality work. This is compounded by value chain challenges in procurement, insurance, financing options, technology adoption, etc. More recently, our competitors in someway include tech-enabled platforms providing mechanic services as a part of their product offerings. Although this is currently one of the most unexplored markets, a few competitors include Mecho Autotech or Garage, but both startups are more focused on parts and located in Nigeria and Kenya respectively. We provide a solution that makes our product a one shop for all.

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

Yes we are. We have started to encourage ladies to join the automobile industry and provide some quotas on training for them to be a source of livelihood for them