Ghana - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Whitenob is an on-demand cooking gas delivery service that makes ordering a gas refill as easy as hailing an Uber.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Whitenob is an on-demand cooking gas delivery service that makes ordering a gas refill as easy as hailing a taxi. In many under-developed countries, refilling cooking gas is often a painful and time-consuming process. In Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, there is no access to piped gas, leaving most people dependent on charcoal, which is bad for their health. The use of clean cooking fuels such as LPG is increasing in urban communities, but the refill process remains manual. Often, people run out of gas while cooking and need to travel several kilometers to the nearest filling station for a refill. This broken process inspired us to build a platform to fix it. We are unlocking access to clean cooking fuel for the next 3 billion people by providing smart regulators that monitor consumption levels and allow individuals to order a refill through their smartphones. In addition, we provide delivery infrastructure and partner with LPGMCs across the country to enhance distribution

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

Our aim is to increase access to clean and affordable cooking fuel in every kitchen. Our first step is to enhance the refill experience for those already using LPG. Ultimately, our goal is to improve access and help transition more people away from charcoal and other harmful energy sources that negatively impact their health.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

For Individuals: * Convenience: Consumers never have to run out of gas. * Avoid Surprises: Receive notifications about your gas consumption directly on your phone. * Pocket-friendly: Buy gas in small quantities with pay-as-you-go plans, as low as GHS 20. For LPGMCs: * Increase Your Reach: Expand your customer base. * Better Insights: Gain valuable insights into your customers' behaviors. * Efficient Delivery: Plan delivery routes more effectively.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

* Phase 1 will primarily serve middle-income individuals in urban communities. These individuals are more likely to already use cooking gas and experience the pain points we aim to solve. * Phase 2 will target low-income communities, helping them transition from charcoal to a cleaner energy source.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-03-01

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

2

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

1

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

Mohammed Z. Khama: Oil & Gas Trader, astute financial analyst, and senior business development professional with 8+ years of experience. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohammed-zakiw-khama Adewumi Adebayo: Second-time founder, former IBM employee, technology expert, and senior software engineer with 7+ years of experience. https://www.linkedin.com/in/adewumiadebayo Tobi Martins: Second-time founder and innovation expert with a tech background. I have led engineering teams, and my previous company raised over $100 million before I left after Series C. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobi-martins-93151452/

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

https://whitenob.webflow.io/

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

a) Energy (equipment, services, sustainable energy and fuel)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

N/A

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

N/A

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

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

By providing access to clean cooking fuel, We help reduce the health risks associated with using charcoal and other harmful energy sources.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

3

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

N/A

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

N/A

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

N/A

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

Whitenob promotes the use of clean cooking fuels like LPG, making clean energy more accessible and affordable for urban and low-income communities.

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

By creating job opportunities in the delivery and distribution of LPG, We support economic growth and provides decent work opportunities.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

We leverage technology and innovation to improve the LPG refill process, providing smart regulators and enhancing delivery infrastructure, which supports sustainable industrial growth and innovation.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

N/A

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

Our project contributes to creating more sustainable urban environments by reducing reliance on charcoal, thus decreasing air pollution and improving the quality of life in communities.

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

N/A

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

By transitioning people from charcoal to cleaner LPG, Whitenob helps reduce carbon emissions and environmental degradation, contributing to climate change mitigation.

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

N/A

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

2

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

N/A

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

N/A

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

5

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

We partner with LPGMC's to achieve our objectives

05.01 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

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

5

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

4

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

7 - Strongly Agree

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.08 Justification

This project incorporates smart regulators that monitor gas consumption and enable users to order refills via smartphone, leveraging cutting-edge technology to solve a traditional problem and making the process seamless and efficient. The use of on-demand delivery for fulfillment is a novel approach, significantly departing from the manual, time-consuming refill processes currently in place. Additionally, introducing a pay-as-you-go model for LPG refills makes clean energy accessible and affordable to a broader audience. The project addresses convenience, affordability, safety, and environmental impact within the LPG supply chain, offering a comprehensive solution that disrupts and enhances the traditional fuel delivery ecosystem.

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

Potential Competitors: 1. GoBeba (Kenya): A specialized delivery service for gas and water in Kenya. 2. XpressGas (Ghana): An existing LPGMC aiming to digitize, providing fulfillment services as an add-on. 3. PayGo (Kenya): A specialized pay-as-you-go LPG gas provider in Kenya. Competitive Advantages: 1. Our proprietary smart knob technology is user-friendly and easy to install. 2. We provide visibility and insights into usage, notify users when gas levels are low, and facilitate easy refills. 3. Users can set up automatic scheduled refills when gas levels are close to exhaustion. 4. Direct partnerships with multiple OMCs enable us to scale our technology more quickly. 5. Batch deliveries, together with our advanced routing algorithm, reduce delivery costs by 50%, making it more affordable for users. 6. Our pay-as-you-go model improves affordability by making clean energy accessible and budget-friendly.

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

Yes, we are actively promoting the role of female entrepreneurs within our community. Our target market includes both female entrepreneurs and individual households, and we are committed to supporting and empowering women in the energy sector.