South Africa - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

I wanna create a free-lance platform where people can be paid for their skills, a platform where buyers and sellers meet for services that can be done remotely including the transactions

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

I am basically creating a skills sharing platform for buyers and sellers of services to meet and exchange services online. i.e someone needing their pictures retouched/edited, they can go onto the platform find the best suited graphic designer based on their reviews and ratings and ask them to offer that service to them at an advertised or custom price for a set number of days. when the designer is done with the pictures, he communicates through the platform, sends back the completed work via our platfrom chat facility and we process the payment to the seller if the buyer is happy with the delivered work or refund the buyer via credit on his acc if they are not happy with the sellers work. We then make money by charging a 20% transaction fee and the seller gets to keep 80% of the income generated/charge a processing fee for the buyer when they buy services/featured sellers. So we are creating and managing a safe handshake and transaction process between buyer and seller at fees.

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

I believe this will help alleviate the unemployment issue in our country especially for the youth, cause there's a lot of skilled young professionals who are just not finding jobs, and this platform will at least be able to put bread on the table and help them support their families and be able to buy basic essentials for themselves like pads, bread, maize meal and the likes. the online market is quickly growing and everything is moving there, so its important to have such platforms.

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

Its unique because i have not seen a platform like this in South Africa, and it tackles and ongoing issue for unemployment in our country that the government is not doing anything about. this will platform will give opportunity to anyone with a skill to offer and allow them the opportunity to make money for themselves in their own homes. the requirement is simple, good laptop and internet. the future is going online and this platform gives opportunity for people to be a part of it.

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

It's basically aimed at anyone who has a digital skill to offer and has good internet and a good laptop to render that skill and deliver to the buyer at the agreed date and time.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2021-12-21

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

8

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.)

I am basically working with my friends and partner on this platform, exchanging ideas and implementation strategies to see how we can do things differently and more suited to our market. 2 are software developers with over 4 years experience, then 3 are forex gurus with over 4 years experience in strategic implementation and analysing, the other 1 is a call center agent but is into design and pro startups 3 years experience. my partner is a creative in the film industry with a years experience.

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

http://skillza.com

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

h) IT (digital services, equipment and software)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

It will assist the youth in having the free-lance job that can generate them some income.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

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

4

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

it's a platform that will enable them to meet various people and collaborate with them, thus getting challenged and they get pushed to grow.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

5

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

Anyone can signup on the platform, as long as they have digital skills

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

4

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

4

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

It will assist the youth in having a free-lance job that can generate them some income.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

3

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

4

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

It will assist the youth in having the free-lance job that can generate them some income.

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

4

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

It will assist the youth in having the free-lance job that can generate them some income.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

4

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

4

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

4

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

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

4

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

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.

7 - Strongly Agree

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

7 - Strongly Agree

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.

6

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

5

05.08 Justification

We are refining and customizing the project to suite the African market and also level the playground for everyone, cause the pool is already full with the other similar projects

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

My competitors are platforms like Fiverr, upwork and Freelancer, these are international companies and a lotta people on social media/ general internet are not aware of these platforms. when they do discover them its a bit too late cause there's too much competition to want to start and try sell your skills. there pool is already too full for one to prove themselves from a 0 star rating and review. One can only thrive through ratings and reviews on these platforms

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

not at the moment