Zimbabwe - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

AfriEvolve is a Zimbabwean entity that is in the manufacture & supply of employee welfare solutions in the form of safety wear, PPE & staff credit facility tuck-shops. Though our focus is on employees we have also diversified to corporate gifts .

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

AfriEvolve is an entity that manufactures corporate and safety wear for employees to be safely dressed in the workspaces . We give the best prices on the market without a compromise on quality-keeping our clients afloat. In this VUCA economic environment, employee welfare maybe at the bottom of the food chain in tough times hence our commitment towards providing affordable quality workwear. In marginalized communities like farms and factories , we set up tuckshops where we sell basic groceries to employees on credit and they settle on pay day : No family goes hungry throughout the month. These initiatives stemmed from the idea that employees are the most important aspect of the organization as they spend 8 hours of their most productive time yet they are regarded as mere means of production. We endeavor to create caring organizations with a humane heart that values people over assets . Companies are a legal persona and employee welfare will make them more humane and employees happier.

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

As alluded in the description of my startup, the main problem I seek to bridge is tha gap between company profitability and employee welfare. When companies are struggling, the first port of call is to reduce the burden of the human resource, through cut down budgets or retrenchments. Employee safety wear and PPE is quite a burden given the exorbitant prices charged by large entities and most workers go on their duties with minimal or no safe work wear. AfriEvolve has tailors and a management team that is dedicated in the production of quality workwear at reasonable prices hence looking out for both employers and employees. We also believe in the spirit of Ubuntu and that we ought to mutually benefit from business arrangements hence we view ourselves as highly relational than capitalistic. That way we tailor suit our payment terms and periods living is as the most preferred supplier, and also giving us a positive balance sheet.

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

1. Buying from us would mean you are helping approximately 15 families from our employee base to survive 2. We are highly flexible and offer customer specific terms 3. We help our clients to become caring organizations as we go a step further than just the provision of safety wear and PPE. We share the importance of employee welfare and research has shown a positive correlation between employee satisfaction and employee productivity

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

We serve employees who are the most prized aspect of the organization though they are not necessarily the most valued. For example, some company’s value assets more than their employees. Depreciation is calculated and set aside for machinery but employees do not have proper clothing, health insurance and pension. This is a huge mountain climb but we feel that starting in safe workwear is a tip of the iceberg when it comes to employee welfar

01.05 When was your company established?

2023-05-01

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

2

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

3

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

One of the owners is the founder and MD of a Human Capital company that specialized in Payroll services, Human Resources consulting and employee health and wellness . She is a holder of a B.Comm, an MBA and a PHD in Management of technology and innovation. She has over 2 decades with of experience. The other is a renowned lawyer, with a LLB undergraduate and Masters degree and an MBA. She has almost 2 decades experience.

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

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

e) Secondary commodities (cars and parts, consumer durables and apparel, retail)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

As alluded above, we have staff tuckshops in stapleford and Shamva farming communities that give credit facilities to employees on basic goods .

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

Our tuckshops sell nutritional commodities

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

When employees are properly dressed for their workspaces , injuries at work are reduced. Their mental health is also prioritized as they feel safe going about their duties. Employee welfare also makes employees feel valued and a sense of belonging to the organisation when they get to wear branded workwear contributing to their general well being and good health

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

As a startup entity, we are still in our learning phase and we offer a series of training to our staff. We are also learning form our day to day experiences

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

Out of a staff compliment of 15 employees , 70% are female .

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

2

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

Our Sewing machines are energy saving versions that are compatible with solar energy

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

When employees are safetly and smartly dressed , they engage in decent work and high is safe and not demeaning. When companies buy from us, the make a saving and are able to invest their savings in other aspects of their business hence a ripple effect on economic growth

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

Despite being mere suppliers of corporate wear we have branded ourselves to give a package with which employee welfare comes through. In Shamva we actually built a Tuckshop for employees to access groceries near them and also access the credit facility which is an innovation that most similar players have not engaged in

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

We have staff loans for our employees to be able to pay for school fees for their children and encourage health seeking behavior by wellness activities at our company

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

3

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

We recycle our waste and make other products such as door mats from residual material left when cutting or corporate wear orders

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

We use energy saving machines and solar energy to reduce emissions to the environment

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

5

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

We travelled to the 2023 Canton fair in China to look for synergies within the supply chain

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

5

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.

4

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

Apparel production has been there since the beginning of time. What is new is our twist of adding in employee welfare to it and also that conscious awareness of the fact that most companies are struggling to stay afloat hence our business model boasts of sympathetic pricing that is not punitive like the norm . We are okay with reasonable profits hence our flexibility in pricing and payment terms

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Paramount garments, Tselentis , DISA , Casstech, Halsteds and Electrosales . Our competitive advantage is flexibility in our pricing and payment terms . It is also in the provision of customer driven designs rather than those big companies who dictate their designs onto the market.

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

Yes . Most of my staff is female and I encourage them to have side hustles of their own outside work. We do saving rounds