South Africa - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

AdsOnWheels targets two objectives: increasing Uber drivers' earnings by enabling vehicle-based advertising at no additional cost, and providing SMEs with an innovative, affordable advertising platform. By installing LED screens on Uber cars, we create a

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

AdsOnWheels is designed to revolutionise both rideshare driver income and small business advertising. Our project equips Uber vehicles with LED advertising screens, enabling drivers to earn extra income without any upfront costs. These screens display dynamic ads, transforming each car into a mobile billboard that navigates through diverse city areas, ensuring extensive visibility and engagement. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), we offer a cost-effective advertising solution with innovative pricing structures tailored to their budgets. Unlike traditional static billboards, our moving advertisements reach a broader and more varied audience, adapting to the natural flow of urban traffic and pedestrian zones. This constant movement increases ad exposure, making every trip an opportunity for advertisers to connect with potential customers. By merging the needs of drivers and SMEs, we not only boost the income of rideshare drivers but also democratize advertising.

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

Firstly, Rideshare drivers, like those with Uber, often struggle to maximize their income, facing limited earning opportunities beyond fares and tips. Secondly, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) encounter significant challenges in effectively advertising their products and services due to high costs and limited access to impactful advertising platforms. Traditional advertising methods can be prohibitively expensive, especially for smaller businesses, leading to reduced visibility and market reach. Our solution seeks to solve both in a single go. AdsOnWheels offers a dual-benefit solution to these problems. For rideshare drivers, it provides an additional revenue stream through vehicle-based advertising with LED screens, requiring no upfront investment from the drivers. For SMEs, it presents an innovative, cost-effective mobile advertising platform. This ensures dynamic ads are seen by a diverse and widespread audience as the vehicles move through various city areas. By addre

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

1. Increased Earnings for Drivers: Advertising on Uber vehicles in this manner is less invasive and allows drivers to earn more income at zero cost to them, as well as by doing something they already do (driving). 2. Innovative Pricing structure: Dynamic advertising is often priced out of reach for small businesses. Our low pricing structure will allow SMEs to gain access to advertising to a brand new way of advertising, as they will be our predominant target market. The dynamic, mobile nature of AdsOnWheels ensures that advertisements are constantly on the move, reaching a wide and diverse audience across different city areas. This mobility increases the visibility and impact of the ads. 3. D.I.Y solution: We will rely on the use of technology (geo-mapping and AI) as well as pre-designed formats to allow SMEs to design their ads easily, but also directly purchase advertising spots through our online platforms. Which will reduce our operating costs and our pricing as well.

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

Primarily, Small and Medium Enterprises seeking to advertise but who do not have a big budget for it. Secondly, Uber drivers who want to make an extra income for something they are already doing.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-01-01

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

0

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

0

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

I completed my bachelor's degree in Social Science (double majoring in International Studies and Criminology) from Monash University Australia. After which, I pursued a Bachelor of Honours degree from the same University, then a master's degree in international relations at Witwatersrand. Currently, I am pursuing my PhD in Politics at the University of Pretoria. In terms of professional experience, I have close to a decade of professional experience in the International Affairs space, where I have worked for two major International Non-Governmental Organisation (namely: the Open Society Foundation and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung). I am also a writer and have been a youth activist advocating for the participation of young people in decision-making. Lastly, I have also previous entrepreneurship experience where I founded a company named Innovation-XYZ Group "I-XYZ Group" which was one of the first to develop WhatsApp chatbots for enterprises.

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

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-mukoma-7b6212210/

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

i) Communication services (telecommunications, media, interactive services)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

On one hand, Uber driver's earnings have plummeted over the years, as Uber increased its supply of vehicles but also the commission it takes to nearly 50%. Moreover, drivers are also faced with loans that they took to own the car and sometimes even commissions that have to be paid to fleet owners. All of these combined leave drivers trapped in the poverty cycle that they can't escape as they cannot find other jobs (a lot are foreigners) and still have to pay the loans they own. Our solution will provide them with an extra income at no cost. On the other hand, SMEs are also suffering due to the current economic conditions but even before that were unable to expand their operations as advertising is out of their price range, our solution seeks to help them access a wider market and advertise their product to a broader reach than they normally would. Which consequently will increase their earnings but also income.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

2

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

4

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

In South Africa, women own a relatively small proportion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with women-led businesses constituting approximately 21% of the formal SME sector. We would like to have a dedicated quota reserved for female-owned SMEs or even discount prices to give them an advantage in the market. In Africa, we say feeding a woman is feeding a family, as such I believe that supporting female-lead SMEs it trickles down to families.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

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 ensuring the inclusion of SMEs in this space, we will be contributing to decent work and economic growth. SMEs tend to be the bedrock of the economy, yet are the most under-served group.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

Our innovation and reliance on technology and AI as the foundation of our infrastructure will significantly reduce prices but also the way advertising is usually done.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

We will reduce inequalities by helping uber driver earn more but also SME's expand their market which leads to more earnings.

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

4

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

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

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

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

4

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

6

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.

6

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.

6

05.08 Justification

In the market, there is vehicle advertising, but it is only done through car wrapping. Car wrapping is very invasive as such most Uber drivers are not interested because of that and other factors, so it has not managed to gain a significant market. As such, while it is in the same field as what I want to do, my idea is completely different as it is not only an extension but quite an improvement on the existing approach to advertising on cars. Unlike car wrapping which only allows advertisement of a single product for a large period of time, our dynamic advertising on screens allows for far more. So this factor makes our product an entirely new type of product but also introduces a new technology. Moreover, allowing people who want to advertise to buy ads spots directly online the same way one will purchase airtimes is also not common or even existent in the industry, especially targeting SMEs.

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

Companies such as Easyads, relativ media, brand rides, Carvertise and motions ads can be considered competitors. However, they all focus on predominantly car wrapping and in the case of relativ media it owns some fixed digital billboard through out the city. What makes me stand out from them is that my approach is much more attractive to drivers as it is less invasive for their vehicles and most who I've spoken to said that car wrapping does not interest them as their vehicles as either on loan or owned by fleet owners or it's just displeasing aesthetically. But they also said they will be interested in my sort of product. MotionsAds is a competitor but I will be different as they have a big market but focusing on motorcycles and through wrapping of bikes cooler box, which is not the niche I seek to address.

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

no